Marek's Vaccination

[Kimiko]

Get the vaccine. There is NO reason not to do it.

I ordered chicks, paid for the vaccine and watched them die (or had to kill them) one by one at 5-8 months of age. On necropsy: Marek's.

Apparently, there was a screw up at the hatchery and they weren't vaccinated after all.

You DON'T want to go through that especially if you have kids. You raise them, handle them and build the coop. Watching them die or culling them wasn't the end I had in mind. It's certainly worth $0.25 in my mind not to have to worry about it.

Wild birds can bring it in your yard, if anyone near you has chickens they can spread it. Get the vaccine.

 

[Oceanseve]

I honestly don't think any of ours were vaxed, we bought two month old pullets and a handful of chicks last year. After combining the two (once the chicks were big enough), the chicks died one a week, save one chick and the two pullets, then the pullet started going paralyzed, and then the last chick. We have one pullet left at the end of last summer. So you could always not vax your first flock, see what happens. Since we are pretty sure it was marek's after the pullet's symptoms, we are vaxing this year (and I am anti vax in every other instance) If you choose not to just be prepared you may lose the flock, but just cause you don't doesn't mean you will. I totally understand where you are coming from, you want "natural" chicken/eggs, no hormones, antibiotics, medications etc, so give it a try and if they all die, you know for next time.

 

[mahen8622]

um no offense but how was that even a QUESTION?! better safe than sorry my mom always says lol

 

[Momo]

I lost most of my small flock of young chickens to Marek's. I would recommend getting yours vaccinated. It's actually perfectly natural, as the vaccine is simply a non-virulent strain of the virus, something they could have picked up on their own (for example, some people keep a few turkeys around because they carry a non-virulent strain of Marek's that is picked up by the chickens, effectively innoculating them against the disease-causing virus). The only unnatural part about the vaccination is the fact that it's injected under the skin.

 

[chickens egg me on]

Just wanted to thank you all for posting on this disease. I have chicks due on the 25th and am comfortable with needles so I esp. appreciated the link to where I can buy the vaccine. No question that vaccination must be done. It is just too risky otherwise. Best to all and thanks again.

 

[Smoky73]

If you read my 'How I raise chickens" page on my website, I have a tutorial on how to vaccinate for Mareks. Its in the brooder section.

http://www.silverpulletpoultry.net/howiraisechickens.htm

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Believe it or not, I had the same incident which my two spitzhauben pullets and two Welsummer pullets died from Marek's and they were vaccinated. Was not too happy about it. They got it from the wild birds that came and went and used the coop all winter, had to chase them out every darn morning and before I know it, I was losing birds. Finally all is settled, everyone is immune to it. Every bird I get from the hatchery must be immunized and the ones I've hatched out, its a gamble.

 

[horsejody]

Even if you get the vaccination, the chicks must be under a strict quarantine for at least ten days. They can't be in the coop. They have to be in an uncontaminated enviroment. Don't even wear the same clothes while taking care of the chicks that you wore outside or in the coop. The vaccine virus is in a race with the actual Marek's virus to see which hits the body first. Don't let the real virus get a chance to get in before the bird has complete immunity.

 

[spook]

If you have in your area Merrick's problems in your area, vaccinate, but remember, when you do not have issues with it you will be making your birds contagious. You could possibly give it to the wild birds in your area jeopardizing your neighbors flocks.
Think twice about any vaccine. Contact your local diagnostic testers, talk to them about your situation and why you think you should/shouldn't and see what their professional opinion will be.
Like having NPIP tested birds, small flock owners do not need to, but your wise to have them done so that you know where your birds stand in the health for the US.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
Not true