Hi Koo,
Sorry to maybe contradict what the others have said to date but I'm not convinced your chickens have Mycoplasmosis (or MG some times called Chronic Respiratory Disease). The smell is usually a characteristic of Infectious Coryza another respiratory disease which has similar symptoms to MG and it's otherwise very similar in character to MG. However a correct diagnosis might affect choice of antibiotic. Coryza usually has rapid onset one day your bird maybe perfectly OK but 24 to 48 hrs later it can have very bad cold like symptoms. MG has similar symptoms but has much slower onset a week or more. MG is often called stress disease as it is brought on by stress and chx can carry it without showing symptoms. Coryza is highly contagious and has a characteristic smell and like MG chx can also be carriers. As Aunt Sally says chx don't get the common cold. I'd ask the vet to give me Baytril rather than another a/b as this is effective against both Coryza and MG (not sure about Tylan which also maybe).
Infected birds will suffer from reduced egg production even after treatment with a/bs though this is more of concern to egg producers than back garden poultry.
Checkout "My Chicken Has a Cold" for a description of both these diseases. http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page22.htm. Google "Chronic Respiratory disease in chickens" and "Coryza in chickens".
If you bought your birds from a well run supplier they may have been vaccinated against CRD and Coryza (though commercial chx aren't vaccinated as this reduces production) and in any case they certainly shouldn't have been showing symptoms so I'd take them back if possible and get a refund. Re your Pekins I'd keep them isolated and under observation for three weeks. If they were from a different source they may not be affected.
The good news is that MG and Coryza is relatively easy to eliminate as it doesn't live long off a bird. Wash out all equipment with a detergent (any will do including fairy liquid and spray with a disinfectant. I wouldn't use Jeyes on a plastic house. It's OK for use on the ground but I'd prefer Vanodine V18 which is an iodine based disinfectant and is very effective on soiled surfaces there's a powder called Stalosan F which can be used for the ground too, Poultry Shield is a spray disinfectannt specially produced for bird houses but I don't use this personally as it's expensive and with an Eglu ordinary detergent and any disifectant spray is fine. Leave the housing for three weeks if possible (theoretically 1 week should do) before reintroducing birds and all will be well.
Next time inspect the birds well and if ANY show signs of depression or running noses or sneezing, (hold them up to you ear and listen for signs of rattling known as rales), or dirty bottoms don't buy any. Don't be affraid to ask questions about the stock, where were they reared how long have they had them, what vaccinations have they had, how do they ensure health stock etc. This is especially important for dealers selling hybrids as they handle birds in bulk commercially and often don't keep them long so you need to rely on thow fussy they are about obtaining healthy stock. Pure breeds from enthusiasts are different they won't have much throughput will rear the birds themselves and if they appear concerned and caring and the stock well looked after it's a good sign. Pure breeds from an enthusiast often won't be vaccinated at all as they aren't breed intensively and are often just the keepers excess breeding stock not bred for commercial purposes.
Best of luck
HF
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August 13, 2007, 12:53