mixing vaccinated birds with unvaccinated

[chickenfan]

I notice that if a bird has been vaccinated for mycoplasma, as in the case of most non-organic hybrids, the bird remains a permanent carrier.

 

[chrismahon]

I didn't realise you could vaccinate for Myco Chickenfan. I know that IB and ILT immunisation is done using live viruses in the drinking water. Each is the mildest virus in the group giving immunisation against all viruses in that group. Because they have actually been uninfected they are carriers. So is Myco done on the same basis? In which case the Myco caught by non-immunised birds will be the mildest strain and all but the old and weak should recover.

 

[chickenfan]

Hi Chris, That's very interesting about IB and ILT vaccines. I had heard they weren't a problem to mix with unvaccinated birds. I found an article about mycoplasma vaccines. The main one used is a live vaccine, and the bird then carries mycoplasma for life. Perhaps as you say it is a mild strain which will only affect weak birds. I took the two chicks I bought to a specialist poultry vet yesterday. She thinks it is possible that the one that became ill had a yolk sac infection as this causes a terrible smell, and this may have been what made it ill. It is often a yolk sac issue which causes the runting. She said many free-ranging birds pick up mycoplasma from wild birds, but that if they hadn't been exposed, they could become very ill from it. I therefore shouldn't mix them with mine if the blood tests are positive. She is testing the chicks for a whole range of things for just £20. I was relieved that the blood test wasn't too bad done by an expert with a fine needle.

 

[chrismahon]

Ours all recovered from catching the IB and ILT viruses from some new hybrids we bought in, although they were very ill for a few weeks. They will shed the immunisation viruses for up to two years I read. I have noticed some infected/ immunised birds never fully recover and can have sniffles for life -we had one. According to the immunisation programme we were given, Myco wasn't included. Just as well because, even though they would be mild viruses, catching all three together (Myco, IB and ILT) wouldn't be good.

I'd be interested to hear the blood test results Chickenfan.