[Truffle]

Took chickens to vet yesterday they have Mycoplasma and have been given medicine.

My only concern now is that the vet asked if anyone in my family was poorly or if we did "feel ill or like flu" that we should go to see the GP.

I had a very sleepless night worrying about my family's health and have got up with a funny tummy this morning. whether this is coincidence or I've wound myself up, i don't know.

Can humans catch Mycoplasma?

[Aunt Sally]

Humans cannot catch the type of mycoplasma that chickens have !

So fear not

Humans have M. pneumoniae

while chickens have M. gallisepticum

[Truffle]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

I think I have just wound myself up. If the vet had not ask I would not have given it a second thought.

[kegs]

Just so you don't have another sleepless night I've had a look in the 'Chicken Health Handbook' by Gail Damerow.

If it's Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (Chronic Respiratory Disease) it states "Human Health Risk - None known"

and if it's Mycoplasma Synovae Infection (Infectious Synovitis) again it says"Human Health Risk - None known"

Sweet dreams! 

[Aunt Sally]

Ah yes,  A very good text book, perhaps I should buy one 

[kegs]

Humans cannot catch the type of mycoplasma that chickens have !

So fear not

Humans have M. pneumoniae

while chickens have M. gallisepticum

Doesn't sound like you need it Aunt Sally.  Perhaps you should write one?? 

[Truffle]

Bless you both, I feel so relieved I've even welled up!!!

I can't thank you enough.

I guess the vets are just covering themselves.

[joyfull]

Can I also point out that you should never breed from a bird that has had Myco - as this will be passed down to the chick. you can never cure Myco, once a hen has it then they have it for life. It could lie dormant and never show again but could also flare up at times of stress such as a moult, new house, new chickens added to the home, when they come into lay etc.

[Truffle]

So in all fairness, would it not just be best to put the chickens out of their misery now. I know that sound quite evil but if there is a possiblity that they will get it again its gonna cost and I will always have my reservations about eating the eggs (my main aim for having them in the first place)?

[joyfull]

you cannot eat the eggs when they are on antibiotics and depending on the antibiotic you may have a period after the course is finished before you can eat them. It is also highly infectious. Your other hens could have it too and may either not be showing any symptoms at the moment or be just incubating the illness.
The best thing if you was a business  would be to cull the whole lot and start afresh with stock that is not infected but as most of us are not businesses but keep hens as pets then the majority of us keep them. I had one hen have it many years ago and she only ever had one outbreak of it and none of the others ever showed any signs of it including two that I still have from the original bunch who lived with her.

[helens-hens]

My 2 hens both had it at separate times approx 2 years ago but have not shown symptoms since. They are much loved pets and have layed countless eggs since then.  and though I can see it is different from a commercial view, I am glad my 2 are still with us!

I am hoping to add to my flock soon and I know there is a risk of a) it flaring up in my existing 2, with stress and b) the new arrival(s) catching it which worries me but it is a risk I am prepared to take. Having seen the symptoms before I will be keeping a close eye on them.

[Truffle]

Thank you for all your replies. I am feeling somewhat better about the situation now. We are not a business just a family with a few hens in the garden. We got fed up with pets that the kids lost interest in. We quite fancied the idea of chickens and as they were a pet that "had a use" (as my OH put it).

We have had our other hens for 2 years now and never had a problem, apart from the dreaded red mite. I guess I have been spoilt.

I was feeling a little off colour today (convinced myself I'd got something from the poorly hens) and kind of regretting getting the new girls, but now I am feeling a bit better about the situation.

My comment about "putting the girls out of their misery" was not intended to offend anyone (so sorry if it did) but just to put the question out there. Now that I know others have dealt with and survived the Myco situation, my hope has been restored.

Many Thanks to all, by the way the girls are looking so much better this afternoon.

[grinling]

Your comment should not affect chook keepers, I have 1 with myco as well as 2 elderly girls and if Poppy ever lays an egg ang broody Pecky's days will be numbered (She lays soft shelled eggs from time to time).

[Chookiechook]

You can eat the eggs if the hens are on Tylan as there is not egg withdrawal period.... and the myco will only be passed down through the egg to the chick if the hen has active myco... not if they are well when they lay the egg....

or so I have been led to believe...