suspected MG in flock

[Noelg]

Hi all
well, ive just sent a sample out to our state vet for a mycoplasma test.
I just wanted to share the interesting comments my state vet mentioned to me, hes the lead poultry vet for the state of michigan.

he stated that it would be better for chicks coming into my closed flock to be hatched and raised by me since it does cross the egg barrier, also that any chicks coming in from off property would be better off exposed at an earlier age rather then trying to keep them from getting it, they recover faster with less symtoms.

the hatched chicks already carry the antibody for it, they still are carriers but they have less chance of showing symtoms then chicks or chickens brought in from an outside source.
he also said that tylan or duramicin are the best treatment for such. I know that de-population is the only cure but i dont feel there is any sense in doing that since all im after is my enjoyment of the girls and eggs.


Has anyone had the same info told to them?

 

[speckledhen]

He's correct, that MG can be passed through the eggs to the chicks. To depopulate or not is your choice, though keeping carrier flocks severely limits what you can ethically do with your birds, i.e. sell them to others and pass on the disease, etc. And if you aren't careful, you can accidentally spread the germs on your shoes/clothes to other folks' flocks. Sorry you're going through this.

I haven't had it happen, but no matter how careful you are, germs can get in because we can't see them. That said, it isn't license to not take precautions and at least try to keep a flock healthy and uninfected. That's why I go nuts when the statement is made that a majority of backyard flocks already have MG--so far, mine does not and I hope to keep it that way.

Best of luck with your situation.

 

[Noelg]

Yup
thats what i was told... all flocks have it, I dont belive that either

My flock is closed, nothing will leave my property alive, no chicks,no eggs.

I followed proper procedure,new birds where kept in islotation for the 30 days, 2 sets of new birds where together for the 30 days with neither group showing signs. Nothing reared its ugly head in that time till we got them in with our origanal flock.

I would of thought if i brought in 2 sets from different sources, one or the other group would have been infected first and i would have seen something! But sad lessoned learned,

Ive sent the test in, i will know for sure in a couple of weeks, if i dont have it, i will continue to test every 6 or so months and only after a years or so of worth clean will i actually believe it and possibly let day old chicks go if thats what i choose to do at the time. I dont have any "chicken friends" Im the only one crazy enough to do all of this.
So nothing will get passed that way, and i now have coop shoes and jackets.


for right now i guess i will hatch my own replacements/ additions if i want any. I sure do hope its negitive.
Thanks

 

[ranchhand]

I hope the MG test is negative, but if not that, then what is it? Really feel for you, dealing with this has to be a nightmare.
Best of luck with it all, please update when you can.

 

[Noelg]

ya know its really wierd,

kept the new birds isolated, they where in my garage with new chicks for 30 days! NOT ONE got sick till after the 30 day mark of being together,(cept the chicks). so thats 60 days after i got the 2 new groups
i tracked it on my chicken calender.... Matter of fact, the new groups got sick bout 2 weeks after the origanal flock started at the 60 day mark

chicks in garage brooder never got sick. not even at the 60 day mark after the new group went to the coop.


there was a hawk attack, he got one of my silkies it was a couple of days after that when the first one showed signs of the dreaded "chicken cold" and the weather snapped to cold that week .

there was a darn lot of activity out in the coop after the hawk attack too, we where out there turning the yard into fort knox! so things got rearranged, and the girls where locked in for a day till we could get it done.

maybe the hawk did it!
it really cant be anything else according to what ive read.... but hubby argues with me and insisted on the test before we closed the flock, I said NO! its closed now!

i couldnt stand it if i was responsible for someone elses heatache and all i went though when our girls where sick.
i will follow up on this post as soon as i get results, they are testing for all 3 of the mycoplasmas. well worth the 32 bucks i just spent to find out for sure!

Noelg

 

[speckledhen]

I commend you for being so responsible. Wish everyone was!