I can't get rid of Mycoplasma

[s678865567]

Several years ago, we got MG from getting birds off the internet. I culled them, quarantined, etc... A while after that, I got it again right after I got red birds off the internet from a commercial farm. I called it into the state and he was apparently shut down for MG. We culled again, waited to get birds, etc... We got rid of 100% of everything.

I swore that I would never get internet birds again. I started again with hatchery birds. I got them all from Ideal Poultry in Texas. Everything went great. No sneezing. No runny nose. Nothing so I got more--close to $500 worth total. Once I sacrificed a new bird that was sick a few days after I got it by taking it to the AR Vet Lab to make sure all was well. It was. The bird was negative for everything including Mycoplasma so I thought that I was rid of the disease. Again, it was from hatchery. This past few months, a tarp fell in the wind/tornado weather/cold/rain. The birds got wet and sick. Sneezing, raspy chest, etc...I had them tested when it continued because I needed to sell some birds eventually: positive for Mycoplasma again. MS this time. It was like a knife through the heart. What am I doing wrong cause I need to kill $500 worth of birds and I am just sick? No one close to me has chickens. I bought Ideal Poultry birds this time. I don't visit any chicken farms. I didn't take any to the fair. I have never had them anywhere else. The internet says something like 60-70% of people have MS and don't even know it but I have no close neighbors. Someone please help me figure out how I am getting this.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry you're having trouble.

What symptoms are you seeing in your birds?

You have a necropsy/testing report from your state lab?

How long are you letting your property/housing sit before repopulating?

 

[dawg53]

Mycoplasma bacteria (MG,MS) lack a cell wall and can survive 3 days in the environment. It can be easily transmitted from your person to your birds. Contaminated equipment/materials ie; feeders, waterers, nest boxes, roosts, tires on your car, your shoes and clothing, your hands, shovels etc etc etc.

Exposure to sunlight, a thorough cleaning and disinfecting inside coop and nest boxes with a sprayer containing a bleachwater solution will kill the bacteria as well as any hidden parasites.
Then in given time, about one month, you can repopulate.

However, keep in mind that birds can have more than one respiratory disease at the same time, for example; MG & Coryza, MG & Infectious Bronchitis (IB), MS & Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT), and so on.
A necropsy would need to be done to find out exactly what you're dealing with. If another disease is involved other than MG/MS, odds are new birds will be infected with both diseases due to the longer course time of the other disease.

I'm sorry for your losses. You can contact your local extension office for additional information or help getting a permanent healthy flock going again. Practice strict biosecurity.

 

[Shadrach]

Very unfortunate, particulalry given you've been responsible and had lab tests done.
It's a major problem here in the UK. Part of the problem is there may be absolutely no signs of ill health but the birds are carriers.
One of the things that does bring a bird from asymptomatic to obviously sick is stress. Stress is so often overlooked in chicken health problems. Stress is a major factor in ill health in chickens. It is possible that between the exceptionally bad weather and the tarp collapse that was enough stress to make the problem evident.

There really isn't much one can do but these are steps one might take.
Extended quarantine for new arrivals. Six weeks might be a wise choice. The quarantine will be stressfull for you and the birds and that might be enough for the problem to show.
Test any new birds.
Clean with Oxine; everything.
Close the flock once you have new birds you believe are heathy.

From there on it's a biosecurity and husbandry problem. Covered runs, foot baths, chicken only clothing, good ventilation.

 

[s678865567]

I'm sorry you're having trouble.

What symptoms are you seeing in your birds?

You have a necropsy/testing report from your state lab?

How long are you letting your property/housing sit before repopulating?

Months. Nothing but respiratory stuff like sneezing and it didn't last long. Yes, I had them tested and that's how I knew what I had.

 

[s678865567]

Very unfortunate, particulalry given you've been responsible and had lab tests done.
It's a major problem here in the UK. Part of the problem is there may be absolutely no signs of ill health but the birds are carriers.
One of the things that does bring a bird from asymptomatic to obviously sick is stress. Stress is so often overlooked in chicken health problems. Stress is a major factor in ill health in chickens. It is possible that between the exceptionally bad weather and the tarp collapse that was enough stress to make the problem evident.

There really isn't much one can do but these are steps one might take.
Extended quarantine for new arrivals. Six weeks might be a wise choice. The quarantine will be stressfull for you and the birds and that might be enough for the problem to show.
Test any new birds.
Clean with Oxine; everything.
Close the flock once you have new birds you believe are heathy.

From there on it's a biosecurity and husbandry problem. Covered runs, foot baths, chicken only clothing, good ventilation.

But the birds all came from Ideal Poultry. Why should I have to quarantine if they all came from a hatchery?

 

[Shadrach]

But the birds all came from Ideal Poultry. Why should I have to quarantine if they all came from a hatchery?

Were the birds vaccinated against Mycoplasma?
We don't have the hatchery system in the UK or Europe for domestic fowl really.
My view is it doesn't matter where you get chickens from quarantine is always the sensible option.

 

[Shadrach]

Note the vaccine reduces the decline in egg production, not prevent the chickens getting the disease.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9190024/

 

[s678865567]

Were the birds vaccinated against Mycoplasma?
We don't have the hatchery system in the UK or Europe for domestic fowl really.
My view is it doesn't matter where you get chickens from quarantine is always the sensible option.

I think you can only vaccinate against MG and not MS

 

[s678865567]

I contacted the company. They don't test for Mycoplasma so it might have very well come from them. It other less notable information, most of you probably have it also. It's MS and not MG so it's less severe and less easy to detect. It turns out around 65-70% of backyard flocks have it. Sad but true because now I get to cull $700 worth of birds while everyone else gets to keep theirs only because I was stupid enough to have some birds tested by the state. Don't ever do that!