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.

 

[Kiki]

Nothing is sick. A mishap happened in bad weather and they got wet in the cold. I noticed a respiratory problem after that. It lasted a few days and I've never seen it since. Where I messed up is having them tested.

Why are you under the impression you HAVE to kill your flock?

You don't have to kill them but you should not sell or give away any birds.

 

[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 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!

 

[Eggcessive]

MG and MS are out there. Wild birds can carry those. I have heard from others on BYC that no hatchery is guaranteed to be completely free of mycoplasma. But you usually have a better chance of not getting it. What are your goals in having chickens? If you are just going to raise birds for eggs, and possibly meat, I would only cull sick birds.

 

[Kiki]

The disease went away after 2 days but, if you had done extensive research, you would realize that this disease never goes away. It's like having AIDS or Herpes. Yours birds always have it and it always spreads. The State of Arkansas has blocked me from getting new birds or selling any birds. I can't even legally give them away. They have to be culled. If not, I can't ever sell eggs. I can't ever have any other chickens.

I'd not want to deal with having the disease in my flock either.
I'd rather start over with a disease free flock.

I highly doubt the state can tell you you can never get more chickens once your current flock is gone.

 

[ManueB]

I've been doing some reading as I have suspicion of infection in my flock. I found these two pieces interesting (though not providing definite solutions).

A study on a possibly effective plant, but carried out on a very limited number of broilers

Advice from a Belgian vet consultant to commercial poultry farms (via Google translate)

 

[s678865567]

I have googled and almost no hatcheries test for Mycoplasma. Would you like to know the reason why? The reason is something like 70% of chickens have it. If they test, they most likely have it and then they can't sell anymore. That is why they don't test. Most of you have it also...you just don't know it.

 

[Bonkerelli]

I have googled and almost no hatcheries test for Mycoplasma. Would you like to know the reason why? The reason is something like 70% of chickens have it. If they test, they most likely have it and then they can't sell anymore. That is why they don't test. Most of you have it also...you just don't know it.

I have mycoplasma in my flock. Which came from one rooster from a hatchery. Weather/stress can trigger but not all birds get it. 90% of the WORLDS population of birds (not just chickens) have it. It is rarely fatal. You can naturally treat the symptoms and if you know what the triggers are you can attempt to curb it. You can eat the eggs from these birds which will not get you sick. (I've done EXTENSIVE research and of course my own experience).

If you also didn't know, hens can pass the disease through their eggs to the chick.

But I'm curious why are you culling your birds? You can treat them and it usually goes away in about a month with natural treatment.