Mycoplasma question, but not emergency yet

[Sylver Queen]

Hi, everyone. So I made a big mistake and bought eight-week-old pullets from a guy a few miles down the road last year, and then noticed my three-year-old barred rock started laying weak and funny-shaped eggs, and now ten months later my 10-year-old Ameraucana has labored breathing and is sneezing and has foamy eyes. Research suggests that either a wild bird infected them all around the same time, or my new little ones were asymptomatic carriers of mycoplasma synoviae. I also lost a nine-year-old last year two months after bringing home the littles, and she went lame at the end unable to use her legs, also making me think it's MS. But my puzzle is... all four of the littles I bought last year are an impeccable health, lay perfect eggs about 6 per week apiece, and there are no symptoms (other than the barred rock's strange eggs) in any of my other birds, just the oldie. My beautiful oldie isn't really improving on antibiotics, but she's not getting any worse either. Less sneezing, but still a few eye bubbles and some swollen sinuses and labored breathing only when I hold her. She seems to be feeling great otherwise, and just started laying for the year. Such a stud.

Anybody know if this could be something different?? Seems highly unlikely, and maybe I just have a robust flock for all my efforts, but what would cause foamy eyes and sneezing and mildly swollen sinuses with no other symptoms? And nobody else has it? I'm quite puzzled. Thanks for any advice!

 

[Mamatomany123]

I just went through this. It was mycoplasma gallisepticum. The chicks that brought it in have shown no symptoms at all and only part of my flock got sick. 4 of them showed 0 symptoms, 2 showed minimal nasal discharge, and 4 were on deaths door. Every chicken react differently but they will be carriers for life. Because of this any time the chicken gets stressed (molt, change of food, change of anything, weather, ect(they can have an outbreak.

 

[Sylver Queen]

I just went through this. It was mycoplasma gallisepticum. The chicks that brought it in have shown no symptoms at all and only part of my flock got sick. 4 of them showed 0 symptoms, 2 showed minimal nasal discharge, and 4 were on deaths door. Every chicken react differently but they will be carriers for life. Because of this any time the chicken gets stressed (molt, change of food, change of anything, weather, ect(they can have an outbreak.

I think I saw your post on this! Sorry you've had to go through that.

Yep, I know I've got to keep a closed flock for the life of my current birds. I'm just wondering if anyone on here knows what those symptoms might be other than mycoplasma. No nasal discharge for my hen, and nothing except foamy eyes, labored breathing, and slightly swollen all the way around the eyes.

I'm extra bummed because I noticed her symptoms exactly 4 days after purchasing six new chicks. I've got her in my "sick bay" and am changing clothes and shoes and sanitizing all day long, but I'm sure sick with the thought of my babies getting sick. Doing my very best!

 

[Mamatomany123]

I think I saw your post on this! Sorry you've had to go through that.

Yep, I know I've got to keep a closed flock for the life of my current birds. I'm just wondering if anyone on here knows what those symptoms might be other than mycoplasma. No nasal discharge for my hen, and nothing except foamy eyes, labored breathing, and slightly swollen all the way around the eyes.

I'm extra bummed because I noticed her symptoms exactly 4 days after purchasing six new chicks. I've got her in my "sick bay" and am changing clothes and shoes and sanitizing all day long, but I'm sure sick with the thought of my babies getting sick. Doing my very best!

It sound like mycoplasma. Is there a smell? If yes then it would be coryza, if not then I'm willing to bet mycoplasma. I know people say to quarantine but with mycoplasma I d9nt see the benefit. She will still be contagious when shes bot showing symptoms. If you plan to keep her and. Ot cull her then eventually (if not already) your entire flock is going to be exposed and become carriers. The chicks mine got mb it from Beverly showed symptoms during the 6 weeks they were quarantined and still havent after my other girls got sick. Also wanted to add that the nasal drainage didnt occur until around day 3 of sickness. The first sign was swollen eyes and labored breathing.

 

[Sylver Queen]

It sound like mycoplasma. Is there a smell? If yes then it would be coryza, if not then I'm willing to bet mycoplasma. I know people say to quarantine but with mycoplasma I d9nt see the benefit. She will still be contagious when shes bot showing symptoms. If you plan to keep her and. Ot cull her then eventually (if not already) your entire flock is going to be exposed and become carriers. The chicks mine got mb it from Beverly showed symptoms during the 6 weeks they were quarantined and still havent after my other girls got sick. Also wanted to add that the nasal drainage didnt occur until around day 3 of sickness. The first sign was swollen eyes and labored breathing.

Thank you. It's been two and a half weeks, and her symptoms have gotten slightly better but not fully improved yet. At some point I'm just going to chuck her back out in the hen house and she's going to love that, but I didn't want to while she was actively shedding so much. Everyone else has to already have it if she does, but not shedding so much is my thinking. Her sneeze has lessened, so I'm giving my chicks a chance to get a little bit older to give their immune systems a chance to fight this off. They are 3 weeks and 2 days old now. I'm hoping for the best for sure! I hope your flock is maintaining well.