The vaccine is only good for ONE HOUR after you mix it. Yes you can vaccinate older birds, but there is no research to back up whether it works or not. This is a herpes virus, with quite a few strains and seems, from flocks that are now infected, mutating and getting stronger.
There is much speculation on whether the vaccine we can buy, for back yard flocks, really works also. In the US, I have only heard of the turkey virus being used. Australia does use a chicken virus and maybe England? but not sure on the later.
As leadwolf said, you can pick this up anywhere...you go to the feed store or buy feed in a store, right? You most likely have come in contact with it. This is a very bad bad virus, and one you have it, no way to get rid of it, from your flock or your land!!!
Here are some of the top suggestions I have read to help keep your flock healthy and clean.
1. chicken math is a recipe for disaster, as you do not know where the chicks/chickens are coming from or their history and they could be infected and carriers, even if vaccinated, as the vaccine ONLY prevents the tumors from developing so the majority of chickens don't die from it, so might not even show symptoms.
2. practice biosecurity
3. maintain a closed flock
4. Isolate and keep all new chicks in quarantine for 2-4 weeks, longer is better
5. buy from large, reputable hatcheries, or breeders, or buy hatching eggs, would highly recommend BYC breeders!
Those are just a few of the suggestions I have read! There are more detailed ones on the following thread I put up below.
There is a thread on this forum in managing you flock, I believe it is called, can you vaccinate adult chickens for marek's . There are a lot of professionals on there and lots of people that are currently going through this disease that are teaching us how to be safe and have a healthy, clean flock. Please read if you want to keep your flock healthy. You can type in the name in the search box for the forum and the thread will come up.
If you remember nothing else, please remember this. A vaccinated flock CAN have the virus and be carriers, and the owner not even know it, not because the vaccine cause it, but actually hides the virus!!! Vaccination will not keep your flock from getting marek's disease, only the tumors that cause death and possible some or all of the other symptoms! Nor does it keep you flock from becoming a carrier!
leadwolf, thank you soo much for helping us learn!!! God Bless you!!!
There is much speculation on whether the vaccine we can buy, for back yard flocks, really works also. In the US, I have only heard of the turkey virus being used. Australia does use a chicken virus and maybe England? but not sure on the later.
As leadwolf said, you can pick this up anywhere...you go to the feed store or buy feed in a store, right? You most likely have come in contact with it. This is a very bad bad virus, and one you have it, no way to get rid of it, from your flock or your land!!!
Here are some of the top suggestions I have read to help keep your flock healthy and clean.
1. chicken math is a recipe for disaster, as you do not know where the chicks/chickens are coming from or their history and they could be infected and carriers, even if vaccinated, as the vaccine ONLY prevents the tumors from developing so the majority of chickens don't die from it, so might not even show symptoms.
2. practice biosecurity
3. maintain a closed flock
4. Isolate and keep all new chicks in quarantine for 2-4 weeks, longer is better
5. buy from large, reputable hatcheries, or breeders, or buy hatching eggs, would highly recommend BYC breeders!
Those are just a few of the suggestions I have read! There are more detailed ones on the following thread I put up below.
There is a thread on this forum in managing you flock, I believe it is called, can you vaccinate adult chickens for marek's . There are a lot of professionals on there and lots of people that are currently going through this disease that are teaching us how to be safe and have a healthy, clean flock. Please read if you want to keep your flock healthy. You can type in the name in the search box for the forum and the thread will come up.
If you remember nothing else, please remember this. A vaccinated flock CAN have the virus and be carriers, and the owner not even know it, not because the vaccine cause it, but actually hides the virus!!! Vaccination will not keep your flock from getting marek's disease, only the tumors that cause death and possible some or all of the other symptoms! Nor does it keep you flock from becoming a carrier!
leadwolf, thank you soo much for helping us learn!!! God Bless you!!!