Vaccinations – My Research And How To Go About Vaccinating A Backyard Flock

Sally Sunshine said:

so a new needle each bird right?

Click to expand...

I suspect for inoculations you could use a single new needle for the "flock". I was thinking more of something that had been used previously then "saved" for later. But dont take my word for it.... Oz should chime in here eventually.

I am thinking the Diabetes needles would be just the right size for baby chicks. Again my opinion.

deb

Sally Sunshine said:

so a new needle each bird right?

Click to expand...

No new needle between birds

Use it till its blunt, just wipe it between uses with an alcohol wipe.

I would use a 1cc syringe - with a 1/2" x 20Guage needle
sold by the dozen by jeffers for 3.95.

I3-H8​

Stainless Steel Needles (Dozen) - 20ga x ½"​

​

Diabetic syringes have a needle attached - cannot be changed but it is also very fine - it will not hold up to multiple uses. You would give the equivalent volume of 20 units of insulin (100units per cc)

I could only find the diabetic needles. They are very sharp, and very fine. Certainly smaller than 20g. It took some practice to get used to lifting the skin from the neck of the chick. It needs to be under the skin, but before the muscle (hence the lift)

My wife would hold the chick still, while I pinched the neck skin to form a 'v' shape, then I could see the needle depth. Injecting down the neck line, towards the body, away from the head.

I did read of another lady using a 'foot injection' method but I did not ever find any detail on that so I stuck with the instructions that came with my vaccine.

I used one needle for my flock of 12, then disposed of it in the sharps protector that was in the kit. This is a one way type 'shield' that encases the needle and body protecting anyone else.

any updates to this oz?

I now use coryza vaccine at 8 and 11 weeks as well as I have had issues with infections. It's 0.5cc injection and about $50 for a vial but it does not require reconstituting so it stores in the fridge.

Dear Oz,

I know this is an old thread but the information is still good so thanks . I was curious if you have added or removed any vaccinations to your schedule since? I also have a few other questions:

This will probably be a stupid question, but does the acquired immunity from the vaccines transfer to the offspring? My gut says no that vaccines dont work that way but hey im not a scientist LOL.

Which vaccines require boosters, how often, and for how long (indefinitely, or for x amount of years)?

Are there any dangers in introducing a vaccinated chicken into a flock that hasn't been vaccinated? i.e. selling one of your vaccinated chickens to another backyard hobbyist who hasn't vaccinated any of their chickens? I imagine the answer to this might be dependent upon which vaccines were given so any clarification on that part would be appreciated also.

Lastly, I know many of the vaccines are for one time use, but which vaccines, if any, may be kept and reused? I believe you had mentioned one above perhaps there are others?

Thanks for the great info
Ashlie

I know this is an old thread but I too had some curiosity about vaccine experiences. To date, of the birds I have sent to the state vet, none have had any of the major diseases. Yet.
But, I have a neighbor who has Mareks per lab finding. So now I vaccinate.

Has anyone come across any recent data or had any personal experience with a 2nd administration of Marek's vaccine being more effective? I have read material that indicates there are benefits to a booster shot done 1-3 weeks past the first vaccination. There are no lab studies that support it officially but data from field challenges in the real world do support boosting, at least in countries other than USA.

It is my understanding that when there are breaks in MDV vaccine effectiveness, its likely because there has been exposure to a second and more virulent strain of Marek's; if thats the case the multiple strain vaccines could be of higher value in the real world where backyard keepers are more likely to be exposed than all-in, all-out commercial producers (where broilers usually are slaughtered before onset of tumor growth anyways).

Has anyone located a source for the polyvalent vaccine? I know the big boys have access to it through their field guys but has anyone here been able to get anything other than Serotype 3 through a vet or online source?

@ ashlieneevel, I don't think any of the reconstituted live virus vaccines can be successfully saved for later use. And while they say "don't do it" I imagine if a bacterin based vaccine was kept sterile, they could be used later. Example is the MG vaccine because its not a live virus, its a killed bacteria (also known as bacterin) placed in a stable substrate. Problem is, how long could it be kept for, who knows? At least to expiration date on the vial, I would assume.

@ ashlieneevel RE: Are there any dangers in introducing a vaccinated chicken into a flock that hasn't been vaccinated? i.e. selling one of your vaccinated chickens to another backyard hobbyist who hasn't vaccinated any of their chickens? I imagine the answer to this might be dependent upon which vaccines were given so any clarification on that part would be appreciated also.
The Serotype 3 vaccine (the type available from Jeffers, First State etc) can not cause Mareks infection in chickens. This vaccine is live but it is not the type of virus that gives tumorous growths to chickens. Its a turkey herpesvirus. Similar family so the chicken's immune system recognizes the virus and makes antibodies to it, but it is not at all the same as the actual virus that causes MDV in chickens.
The reason people think its dangerous to put a vaccinated chicken with an unvaccinated chicken is they fear the vaccinated could give it to the unvaccinated. This is true. But not because the vaccine caused the disease; rather its because in a vaccinated chicken you can not tell if the chicken is infected because the vaccine "hides" the effects of the virus that we normally see. However, that chicken would still have to be infected in the first place to pass it to another chicken.
If you gave a vaccinated chicken who is MDV positive to a person with a MDV negative flock, yes their existing flock, particularly their younger birds will likely begin to fall sick. So if someone has a MDV positive flock they should not give vaccinated or unvaccinated chicks to anyone else without making them aware (my neighbor keeps selling chicks to people because he thinks its ok since he vaccinates).