Among all the respiratory diseases that chickens and other domestic birds are susceptible to, mycoplasmosis stands out and is very often observed. It is characterized by damage to the respiratory system and is an infectious disease. Mycoplasmosis can be acute or chronic. Infection occurs from chicken to chicken through the air, through drinking water in a drinking bowl and transovarially to offspring. It can appear due to stress or a sharp drop in temperature.
Mycoplasmas, entering the body of a bird, primarily affect the respiratory tract, as well as the reproductive organs and immune tissues. Infected feathered pets reduce productivity and become severely depleted. Chickens are most susceptible to infection. They have a cough and a runny nose, the chicks begin to wheeze, they almost completely stop eating, and become exhausted.
For the treatment of chickens from mycoplasmosis, antibiotics are used: chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, streptomycin, lincomycin, thiomycin, and others. The first two named drugs are considered the most effective in the fight against infection. They are added to bird feed for five days. Also, feathered pets can be injected using tipozin. It contributes to the restoration of egg production in laying hens. It is better for chickens to inject tiamulin.
Preventive measures include isolating new individuals to examine them and make sure that they are not sick with anything. You should also constantly monitor the conditions of keeping chickens. The poultry house should always be maintained at normal temperature, humidity and air exchange for feathered pets. It is better to buy chickens from trusted, prosperous sellers who will sell good, healthy chicks.
If mycoplasmosis is detected in chickens, they are immediately removed from the livestock, fattened or immediately slaughtered and disposed of, depending on the degree of infection. Poultry droppings are subject to biological treatment or incinerated. The poultry house, where sick individuals were kept, is disinfected, healthy feathered pets are moved for some time to another room equipped for a chicken coop. Processing is carried out with formalin solution (2%) or sodium hydroxide solution (2%).
