Sick hen bath

[BonnLBP]

I have a hen recovering from MG. Her feathers aren't in the best of condition. There is stuff matted all throughout her feathers. Should I give her a bath? If so, how? I have been keeping her separate from my other hens.

 

[rcentner]

Stick her in the tub, in warm water and use a cup to rinse unless you have a sprayer in the tub...suppose you could use the sink too! I have never bathed a chicken, but a friend of mine does it all the time. I would use dawn since I know it is safe for animals in general, rinse well

 

[BonnLBP]

Ok, thx so much! I heard it's not the best for them but since she oesn't have her friends for a few more days...

 

[leadwolf1]

You do know that MG is never cured and that your hen will be a carrier and, therefore, contagious for life? I just wanted to point this out to you if you were under the impression that she would be cured and able to return to the others without any problems.

 

[BonnLBP]

No, not really. I knew that the effect that it has had on her eye won't get totally better. I've given her antibiotics for 2 whole weeks. Doesn't that make them uncontagious any more? I've also been giving her Tyland for the past few days to finish getting it all out of her system.

 

[Chambertin]

Nope, she'll be infectious for the rest of her life. She'll even pass it to her eggs, and those chicks will pass it on.
Sure the transmission rate goes down after treatment, but it'll go back up to infectious rates when the bird is stressed.
Sorry but you should never ever return her to the flock.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_gallisepticum
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203402.htm

In all the documents the only safe method is "depopulation" then waiting a week and washing the farm.
That means culling or killing everything then no human contact for a week to let the MC die off, then a good wash in case it found a way to hide in a puddle or something.

Sorry to have to inform you.