Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[Cheryl]

Found this online and thought it was a very well balanced approach to us chicken owners who come across this problem, thought I would post it and ease a few minds.

I had 8 of my chickens go down with this and have managed to keep it from coming back , I was very stressed and upset but my vet gave me some injectable antibiotics (TYLUVET), in case it returns, and taught me how to administer it.

I keep chickens as pets, but have a separate large walk in run for my Baldnecks who are perfectly healthy, and the other run are a mixed bag who I enjoy for their eggs.

Mycoplasma is very worrying but doesn't usually kill chickens if treated and they can live a happy life afterwards. I cannot think of how exactly my chickens were affected but it could have been a hundred ways, I have bought chickens off random people, I have bought eggs from ebay and there are lots of pigeons in my garden who are probably carriers.

anyway here's some sound advice from Barling Poultry.

 

http://barlingpoultry.co.uk/mycoplasma.pdf

[Saronne]

A few of mine had it about 2 years ago and were treated with antibiotics. All made a good recovery and have been laying eggs ever since!

[gongladosh]

two of mine had it and had to be treated with antibiotics, it was sorted within a week. They've been fine ever since, as have any new additions.

[Cheryl]

Oh thats wonderful... most backyard chickens are exposed to this or carry it. I have been doing a lot of research and conclude that it is almost impossible to avoid if you are likely to be buying in or taking chickens in from hobby breeders, also all those hatching eggs on ebay could be carriers.

Best thing to do is accept the fact and be prepared for it, or only get your chickens from mico vaccinated flocks which means breeders of such poultry would be a very large organisation, as vaccinations are in packs of 1000 doses.

My chickens are in two large pens, one who have been exposed and got over it, and others.

All the same, I am very much more relaxed about it, and know exactly how to deal with it should it arise again

[The Dogmother]

A few of mine had it about 2 years ago and were treated with antibiotics. All made a good recovery and have been laying eggs ever since!

 

Similar situation here; had it in the flock once, sorted and never again since. I try not to fret too much about my lot and they just get on with it.

[Redwing]

True Myco is really nasty, I wouldnt buy from a flock that had it

 

I think a lot of sneezes and sniffles are misdiagnosed as Myco simply to give the illness a name though

 

Bit like us saying we have flu when we simply have a cough and cold

[Saronne]

Mine had the classic bubbly eyes and nostrils and sneezes. Two of the 3 who had it were quite poorly, e.g. hunched up, sneezing and off their food. My vet thought it was avian 'flu (um, obviously not) and wanted to contact Defra, but I knew that as the antibiotics she prescribed were effective It must have been some sort of bacterial infection and NOT 'flu - as that's a virus.

What I did learn from it was to always quarantine new birds for at least 2 weeks - regardless of whether they've been vaccinated or not.

 

Saronne