Question on vaccinating chicks for Mareks on multiple hatches

[Chickenhorselady]

Hello so I just vaccinated my 4th hatch yesterday for Mareks ive always kept them seperated for at least 2 weeks but now I have my final hatch for the season that I will vaccinate tomorrow. I am running out of places to brood my chicks I am wondering if anyone has ever put them together when you are vaccinated within days of each other. I will go buy a new brooder plate if I have to but it would be much easier to just vaccinate and toss them in with the others that I just did yesterday. So they would be almost 2 full days about. Thank you.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I am wondering if anyone has ever put them together when you are vaccinated within days of each other.

The key is that none which are vaccinated are exposed to outdoors or adult chickens (dander/dust) for at least that 2 weeks.. but virus free vaccinated (or not) birds hatched from the same flock may be mixed together without issue.

The vaccine does not spread the virus or prevent it but just hides its symptoms.. when all things come together good enough for it to "work" or be effective.

Best wishes on your vaccines and happy hatching!

 

[Chickenhorselady]

The key is that none which are vaccinated are exposed to outdoors or adult chickens (dander/dust) for at least that 2 weeks.. but virus free vaccinated (or not) birds hatched from the same flock may be mixed together without issue.

The vaccine does not spread the virus or prevent it but just hides its symptoms.. when all things come together good enough for it to "work" or be effective.

Best wishes on your vaccines and happy hatching!

Ok thank you! Some eggs are my own then some I order in. I just didn't want the 3 day old chicks to "shed" mareks dander to the newbies before their body gets a chance to absorb the vaccine.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Ok thank you! Some eggs are my own then some I order in. I just didn't want the 3 day old chicks to "shed" mareks dander to the newbies before their body gets a chance to absorb the vaccine.

The vaccines are not live chicken virus.. they are usually a turkey version or something to that effect. See the vaccine section in the following article.. if you've never read or seen it yet.. it's informative..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[Chickenhorselady]

The vaccines are not live chicken virus.. they are usually a turkey version or something to that effect. See the vaccine section in the following article.. if you've never read or seen it yet.. it's informative..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

Thank you that was a good read! So what I gather is it is safe to put freshly vaccinated chicks with older vaccinated chicks lol

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thank you that was a good read! So what I gather is it is safe to put freshly vaccinated chicks with older vaccinated chicks lol

If the older vaccinated chicks have been kept very isolated from any possible source of Marek's it is pretty safe.