vaccinate meat birds?

For me - I do not medicate or vaccinate. For me - the whole point of growing birds is to have a healthier meat than the frankenfoods in stores. I was scared to do this when I first started but found hatchery chicks do well without the vaccinations.

Commercial turkeys have a large mortality rate no matter what I do with those. Heritage turkeys aren't so bad but I still lose a few. Chickens do fine.

I do give them a PRO-biotic when I get my chicks - instead of an ANTI-biotic or a medicated feed. I use raw milk or yogurt made from raw milk. I also use keifer. (I would not use (store) pasturized milk!!) "Probios" comes in a tube at feed stores and could be blended in water - but I am all for all natural.

When stools get runny I use green tea in the water for a day. Always works for me. Sometimes I use BRAGG apple cider vinegar also to zap lose guts. 

I have had cancer so I am very funny about everything that goes in my face. It's all up to what works for you, what your comfortable with and the chances you are willing to take. Just don't be afraid to try something that you REALLY want to do YOUR way. You will learn what you can and can't do - and what works for you may not work for someone else. The only way to find out what you can get away with is to try it!  I do lots of things that books say I "can't" do!  I think a lot of medications, vaccinations, feeds are just commercial companies selling stuff to make a buck off of people who have been frightened into thinking that way. In pioneer days folks didn't have medicated bag feed or vaccinated chickens. They just raised chickens with what they had on hand and no one starved. But that's just my take on commercial industry!! Your asking questions and that is the best place to start to build your farm your own way! 

I'm with you on this one. We raise our Cornish/x with no medicated feed or vaccines. Similar to you, we use the good foodstuffs. We usually butcher at around 6 weeks. We don't need them bigger since there's only hubby and myself, and a bird that size is perfect for 2 days of food.

 

I'm not sure about the economics of it, but I think having more birds, and keeping them for a shorter period makes more sense. The growth spurt is beginning to slow down so the feed conversion isn't as good.

 

good luck

I also agree.

I agree with the others, meat birds wont live very long and there's no point... If you have a egg layers, then I would vac them.

What about duramycin or 1st day Marek's vaccination?

We have egg layers on the farm, too. Close, but won't be mingled.

- JC

I have birds that are egg layers (not a egg laying breed but I keep hens longer for eggs) and I still don't use the meds or vaccinations. I think the only time I would consider this is if it was a pet or a bird I planned on keeping for more than a few years. Our birds are here for up to two years only. My turkeys also coop and share pasture together with chickens. This is suppose to be a HUGE no-no for many diseases. I have only had one bird get the blackhead - I wormed him - he healed - and then we ate him! 

~ on a side note ~... in my obsessive compulsive nature... Concerned about my "different pratices" I got checked for intestinal parasites after living off my birds for two years that had no vaccinations and were never wormed.
I'm clean! 

Embarassing!! But I thought this might be some good information to share.

Just cook your meat. I use a pressure cooker so it doesn't dry it or use high temps as this is suppose to be healthier. Health is the WHOLE reason I am doin' this. I know it's cheaper and a lot less work to buy chicken from the store.

Good luck and just do what you feel right about. Everyone does it different for different reasons! 

It wouldn't "wipe me out" if my birds got sick. I am willing to risk it to not injest man-made chemicals in my animals.

I have had cancer so my soap box I stand on is a little taller for personal reasons. 

I also plant a LOT of extra stufff in my garden each year for my birds. It cuts down on feed costs and I think real food is better than bag feed.

I don't know ANY human who gets 100% nutrition. I don't think my birds require it either. Some days they get cucumbers and beans until they can't finish. I feel good about that!! Imagine how much squash comes off one plant! Chickens love it!! I prefer to think of bag feed as a suppliment on my farm. (mostly because I don't know where the stuff comes from that is in it.)

I got off the subject there - I'm a little mad crazy happy about what I do here for myself and my birds.Mostly because - so far - it has worked!

 

Thanks for the info AND the passion! I think we have a similar disease- fascination with chickens

We have really enjoyed the chickens this first year- especially my daughter and wife. Our friends and family love the eggs and we have standing orders for 10 dz above what we produce. Any extras are gone right away. It's rewarding when families rave about the difference in quality from store bought

Our eggs are HUGE! There are always a couple in a dz that must be placed in the front middle of the carton so it can close- it bulges, but it closes.

For me, I enjoy the learning and then sharing the info with others. I enjoy seeing how far we are coming along in being self-sufficient. We are going to be planting both field and sweet corn this year, raise a few beef cattle, and possibly even start a few bee hives. This is in addition to increasing the size of the garden (again). We are involving a couple of families here on our nearby farms.

I'm still not sure about the antibiotics for the meat bird chicks. I'm okay with it for the egg layers, as they will be around for a while and it's a LONG time between being a chick and laying eggs (it took forever it seemed to get that first egg!).

It's just the meat birds I'm not sure about. I want the meat to be safe- for certain safe- as it goes to our families and our kids. But we want to eliminate as much 'chemical/pollutants' as we can. I don't want to be so picky that we put ourselves at risk, though.

I appreciate all opinions and would like to hear more- and what everyone is choosing to do in this situation and your results?

- JC