Mycoplasma..? What do I do next?

[MiniMorbid]

I live very rural and I’ve called around, no vet within 100 miles is willing to see chickens so I can’t have them tested to be sure.

Last month I posted about my chickens Sneezing, head shaking, having runny watery brown poops that are very smelly, puffy eyes, and redder faces.
After Tylosin treatment the only symptom now is the occasional sneeze. I’m glad they are doing better… but everything I’m reading on mycoplasma recommends “depopulation” for birds infected with this. They’re likely to get sick again since they will carry it forever.

I’m reading their eggs are still ok to eat but I’ve only found one source on that. Is this true?

Ethically, I just want to do the correct thing. Do I cull the whole flock and start over in a few years? Or can they live mostly healthy lives and still be egg layers?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Plenty of people successfully maintain closed flocks with Mycoplasma positive birds, buy replacement birds vaccinated against it, and enjoy the benefits of egg production from their disease positive birds. Humans can't get the disease from chickens.

Plenty of people like me are Breeders who would destroy the whole flock and start over after a time. Some of us are prarticipants inthe NPIP program, which (in my state) requires an agreement up front that if my flock tests positive it will be destroyed. Twice yearly, I invite a rep from the State to come test my birds. Last time was about 6 days ago, I'm awaiting results.

Both answers are valid. It depends upon what you want out of your birds, and how you feel about being a potential disease vector to the surrounding community.

 

[Eggcessive]

How many chickens do you have? Are these your first chickens? There are other respiratory diseases besides MG (mycoplasma gallisepticum.) Those include infectious bronchitis virus, MG, coryza, ILT, and others.Testing or getting a necropsy done by the state vet on a sick chicken would be the only way to know for sure what they may have had. Have you ever seen bubbles or foam in an eye, or any swelling of the face or eyelid? Was there ever any bad odor from their faces? Since Tylan has helped, it may well be MG. Sometimes they occur along with a secondary respiratory disease. There is no need to cull your whole flock if you just have a small flock. The eggs are always fine to use, but MG can pass through hatching eggs. So just don’t sell eggs that someone is going to hatch. Treat any sick birds with the Tylan, and if you should lose one or one is very sick, send it in to the state vet for a necropsy. MG only lives for about 3 days on equipment, clothing, shoes, hair, or in your environment, so one day if you lose these birds, you can get healthy chicks and start over. They may live for many years though, and lay lots of eggs.

 

[MiniMorbid]

How many chickens do you have? Are these your first chickens? There are other respiratory diseases besides MG (mycoplasma gallisepticum.) Those include infectious bronchitis virus, MG, coryza, ILT, and others.Testing or getting a necropsy done by the state vet on a sick chicken would be the only way to know for sure what they may have had. Have you ever seen bubbles or foam in an eye, or any swelling of the face or eyelid? Was there ever any bad odor from their faces? Since Tylan has helped, it may well be MG. Sometimes they occur along with a secondary respiratory disease. There is no need to cull your whole flock if you just have a small flock. The eggs are always fine to use, but MG can pass through hatching eggs. So just don’t sell eggs that someone is going to hatch. Treat any sick birds with the Tylan, and if you should lose one or one is very sick, send it in to the state vet for a necropsy. MG only lives for about 3 days on equipment, clothing, shoes, hair, or in your environment, so one day if you lose these birds, you can get healthy chicks and start over. They may live for many years though, and lay lots of eggs.

I only have 6 and it’s my first flock. I want to keep them, I’d be devastated if I have to cull them. Im thrilled to hear they can have some good years and still lay eggs. thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

Where did your chicks come from—a hatchery, breeder, feed store, or a sale? MG is common is some backyard flocks, and in wild birds. Many people bring it home from other flocks. Here is some reading about the disease:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext... Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

 

[MiniMorbid]

Where did your chicks come from—a hatchery, breeder, feed store, or a sale? MG is common is some backyard flocks, and in wild birds. Many people bring it home from other flocks. Here is some reading about the disease:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/2022-04/FS-1008 Recognizing and Preventing Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

Thank you for this resource! I got them from chickensforbackyards.com

 

[NestingMillenial]

I'm going to piggy back on this thread if that's ok because I am in the exact same situation (small backyard flock of 6 that is very likely to have MG - pending tests to be done in the upcoming week)... should the tests be positive, I have a couple questions:

1) how often do carrier birds relapse? I know it varies but are we talking about once a month or once a lifetime here?

2) if the relapses are frequent, they probably will need frequent antibiotic treatments, right? Does that mean I might be playing my part in the bringing about of antibiotic-resistance strains by chronically treating?

3) what are the risks for wildlife? IS it highly transmissible to wild birds? My flock free range the garden, if they are carrier does that mean I would be acting as a reservoir for the whole surrounding worth of wild birds? Does that mean I would have to put them in a covered run or be an ass to wildlife out there (and I assume to other backyard flocks in a certain perimeter, if wildlife gets it and pass it around)

Answering my own question a bit, I found this: https://www.vet.upenn.edu/research/...-sheets/fact-sheet-detail/avian-mycoplasmosis
https://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/avian_mycoplasmosis_mycoplasma_gallisepticum.pdf
-> so it is transmissible to wildlife where I live, TX, though not to all wild birds. Curious to hear your takes on this and the rest though!

 

[Eggcessive]

I think some chickens get mycoplasma from wild birds, especially if it shows up in chickens that have never been exposed to other chickens. Chickens are prone to having outbreaks during times of stress. That can be when they are moved to a new home, during molting, when new birds are added, and during extreme weather, such as during a cold winter. The incubation time is about 6-10 days or more after exposure.

 

[Folly's place]

Some wild songbirds will get MG, and most will die of this disease. infected birds can spread it to other wild birds and other chickens too.
Having testing done so you can get an actual diagnosis is definitely best!
Mini, your state veterinary diagnostic lab should be able to help you, depending on where you live. If there's not a facility in your state, check nearby states too.
Mary

 

[NestingMillenial]

Ok, so I'm sending in my swab tests today and the vet I talked to was of the opinion that even if it's positive, as long as the symptoms recede, I might as well just keep my flock because depopulating and getting new chickens later would probably just make me go through the same thing all over again anyway. So basically he was of the fatalistic opinion that this was mostly unavoidable. I guess that's because he assumed contamination from wild birds would occur. He also said that once they recover, those who do wouldn't relapse for small stressful occasions, it would be require major stressors - like a new move, or adding chickens (which I don't plan on doing) etc. but not for just weather fluctuations or the like.

Official sources and vets seem very divided when it comes to this.

I heard people tell me what this vet did. But I also heard or read people saying it's way more dire than this, with for example egg production decreasing by 20-30% once the hens are carrier or treatment being needed almost monthly (one ex. here: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ahw/animal_health/documents/backyardpoultry/Mycoplasma Factsheet.pdf), or a host of reproductive tract problem appearing, etc.