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96 Eggs Set This Morning- Incubation Thread *WE'RE ON DAY 21*
- Thread starter PepsNick
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Does anyone plan to vaccinate their chicks?? Anything special you plan to do. I am thinking grow-gel, vitamins and electrolites in the water, and medicated feed with a dose of yogurt in the first couple days. Any other things I should be planning on? Not counting before they hatch, just thinking out loud. ......stan
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I did finely chopped boiled egg and electrolytes and vitamins the first few days. Medicated feed for the first few days but have been on non-medicated since. Seems silly to keep them on medicated all of the time. I now just have them on non-medicated chick starter and ACV in the water. Lots of threads on benefits of ACV in the water.
I only lost 1 out of 25 chicks that hatched (out of 30) and that was to an infection/stress due to dislocated tendon in the legs. poor guy.
I did finely chopped boiled egg and electrolytes and vitamins the first few days. Medicated feed for the first few days but have been on non-medicated since. Seems silly to keep them on medicated all of the time. I now just have them on non-medicated chick starter and ACV in the water. Lots of threads on benefits of ACV in the water.
I only lost 1 out of 25 chicks that hatched (out of 30) and that was to an infection/stress due to dislocated tendon in the legs. poor guy.
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I did finely chopped boiled egg and electrolytes and vitamins the first few days. Medicated feed for the first few days but have been on non-medicated since. Seems silly to keep them on medicated all of the time. I now just have them on non-medicated chick starter and ACV in the water. Lots of threads on benefits of ACV in the water.
I only lost 1 out of 25 chicks that hatched (out of 30) and that was to an infection/stress due to dislocated tendon in the legs. poor guy.
I vaccinate for Mareks as soon as the hatch is complete.
Medicated chick started is all I use. The "medication," is amprolium.
Oocysts are picked up by the bird and swallowed. An oocyst is a capsule with a thick wall protecting the parasites. They sporulate or become infective if moisture, temperature, and oxygen become conducive to growth. After a bird eats the oocysts, coccidia imbed in the intestinal lining and multiply several times, damaging tissue. Coccidia are parasites, so they get their nutrients from the chicken host.
Cocci and worms are horrible in my soil. I mean HORRIBLE! I have to use Corid (Amprolium) as soon as they hit the dirt. Amprolium is the ingredient in medicated chick starter. Problem with this is that Amprolium is a thiamine (vitamin B1) blocker. Really, chicks need all the B vitamins. (Do not give vitamins with B while using medicated feed or Corid). I use the 5 day treatment (5cc Corid per gallon of water) for 5 days, AND I also use medicated feed. Often times the amount in the medicated feed is simply not enough to prevent it. There are also other treatments (besides Corid) that are recommended to use on a rotation basis (as they tend to become immune to one or the other).
Sulfa drugs work too. But that is an antibiotic, and I do not use it.
Read about it here:
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4616
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/PDF/coccidiosis.pdf
This is typically what they look like with cocci (bloody poop is also a sign, but may be later stages).
I did finely chopped boiled egg and electrolytes and vitamins the first few days. Medicated feed for the first few days but have been on non-medicated since. Seems silly to keep them on medicated all of the time. I now just have them on non-medicated chick starter and ACV in the water. Lots of threads on benefits of ACV in the water.
I only lost 1 out of 25 chicks that hatched (out of 30) and that was to an infection/stress due to dislocated tendon in the legs. poor guy.
I vaccinate for Mareks as soon as the hatch is complete.
Medicated chick started is all I use. The "medication," is amprolium.
Oocysts are picked up by the bird and swallowed. An oocyst is a capsule with a thick wall protecting the parasites. They sporulate or become infective if moisture, temperature, and oxygen become conducive to growth. After a bird eats the oocysts, coccidia imbed in the intestinal lining and multiply several times, damaging tissue. Coccidia are parasites, so they get their nutrients from the chicken host.
Cocci and worms are horrible in my soil. I mean HORRIBLE! I have to use Corid (Amprolium) as soon as they hit the dirt. Amprolium is the ingredient in medicated chick starter. Problem with this is that Amprolium is a thiamine (vitamin B1) blocker. Really, chicks need all the B vitamins. (Do not give vitamins with B while using medicated feed or Corid). I use the 5 day treatment (5cc Corid per gallon of water) for 5 days, AND I also use medicated feed. Often times the amount in the medicated feed is simply not enough to prevent it. There are also other treatments (besides Corid) that are recommended to use on a rotation basis (as they tend to become immune to one or the other).
Sulfa drugs work too. But that is an antibiotic, and I do not use it.
Read about it here:
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex4616
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/PDF/coccidiosis.pdf
This is typically what they look like with cocci (bloody poop is also a sign, but may be later stages).
Kathy,
Can you tell me more about the Mareks vaccination? I would like to do that but was told that it was not 'practical' for the backyarder as it can only be bought in doses of 1,000, and it does not keep. It must be used within 24 hours of opening, and vaccination must be done in the chicks first 24 hours. As for the worms, I'm in Florida and know all about that!! My ordered chicks were vaccinated for Mareks and cocci, I think it is a very good preventitive measure. Just do not know about home hatched chicks. I will use the medicated feed for the first 8 weeks to build immunity for Cocci..........stan
Can you tell me more about the Mareks vaccination? I would like to do that but was told that it was not 'practical' for the backyarder as it can only be bought in doses of 1,000, and it does not keep. It must be used within 24 hours of opening, and vaccination must be done in the chicks first 24 hours. As for the worms, I'm in Florida and know all about that!! My ordered chicks were vaccinated for Mareks and cocci, I think it is a very good preventitive measure. Just do not know about home hatched chicks. I will use the medicated feed for the first 8 weeks to build immunity for Cocci..........stan
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I did finely chopped boiled egg and electrolytes and vitamins the first few days. Medicated feed for the first few days but have been on non-medicated since. Seems silly to keep them on medicated all of the time. I now just have them on non-medicated chick starter and ACV in the water. Lots of threads on benefits of ACV in the water.
I only lost 1 out of 25 chicks that hatched (out of 30) and that was to an infection/stress due to dislocated tendon in the legs. poor guy.
I don't do the vitamin/electrolyte thing unless it's really necessary. I mean, if there is a lethargic chick I will. But nah, for the most part, I don't. They get fresh water daily, and it is really all that they need. At least, that's how I see it. I do, however, put ACV in the water. All of my chickens have ACV in their water. I read good things about it, and they like it.
Kathy, you said that you vaccinate for Marek's. I thought that you bred for resistance? I asked Cyn about it and she showed me your thread. Also, I have read that the Marek's vac only prevents against the tumors and some symptoms that come with Marek's, but not really the disease. Is this true? How I see it is that your bird can still get the disease, but you are less likely to know?
Thank you,
Nick
I did finely chopped boiled egg and electrolytes and vitamins the first few days. Medicated feed for the first few days but have been on non-medicated since. Seems silly to keep them on medicated all of the time. I now just have them on non-medicated chick starter and ACV in the water. Lots of threads on benefits of ACV in the water.
I only lost 1 out of 25 chicks that hatched (out of 30) and that was to an infection/stress due to dislocated tendon in the legs. poor guy.
I don't do the vitamin/electrolyte thing unless it's really necessary. I mean, if there is a lethargic chick I will. But nah, for the most part, I don't. They get fresh water daily, and it is really all that they need. At least, that's how I see it. I do, however, put ACV in the water. All of my chickens have ACV in their water. I read good things about it, and they like it.
Kathy, you said that you vaccinate for Marek's. I thought that you bred for resistance? I asked Cyn about it and she showed me your thread. Also, I have read that the Marek's vac only prevents against the tumors and some symptoms that come with Marek's, but not really the disease. Is this true? How I see it is that your bird can still get the disease, but you are less likely to know?
Thank you,
Nick
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Nick, I see you're using Geneses (I actually looked up the plural of "genesis" - odd...). Anyway, do you leave yours on the factory preset temperature of 100.5 or turn it down to the 99.5 folks recommend for forced air? I'm on my first hatch, but I get nervous every time I peek in and see how warm it is...
Thanks, and good luck on your hatch!
Thanks, and good luck on your hatch!
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If your chicks were vaccinated for cocci, then do NOT use the medicated starter. That will nullify the vaccination.
Mareks vaccine has to be used within 1 hour of mixing it. The bottle is for 1,000 doses and costs around $15. I buy a new bottle for each hatch that I have.
The Delaware Club vet wrote this:
If your chicks were vaccinated for cocci, then do NOT use the medicated starter. That will nullify the vaccination.
Mareks vaccine has to be used within 1 hour of mixing it. The bottle is for 1,000 doses and costs around $15. I buy a new bottle for each hatch that I have.
The Delaware Club vet wrote this:
DOCTORS ORDERS
Dr. Julie
Do you recommend vaccinating the flock? If so, which ones and at what ages?
Poultry vaccines are, generally speaking, a better tool for managing disease that is already present in a flock than they are at preventing disease from getting into the flock. The best way to prevent disease from entering a flock is through good biosecurity, which we can talk about in more detail another time.
One drawback to the use of vaccines in small flocks is the way that they are packaged and sold. Because most poultry vaccine is used by large commercial producers, it is packaged in hundreds or thousands of doses, which is not cost-effective or convenient for vaccinating small numbers of birds.
For these two reasons, I emphasize biosecurity and good management practices over routine vaccination for backyard flock owners, with one exception Mareks disease vaccine.
Mareks disease is caused by a virus, and it is a very common, highly contagious disease of chickens worldwide. Apparently healthy, but infected birds can carry and shed the virus their entire lives. The virus is spread in feather dander and transmitted by inhalation. The infection can cause tumors, paralysis, and suppress the immune system of chickens that are usually older than three months. When Mareks disease gets into a previously uninfected or unvaccinated flock, an epidemic can occur, killing up to 80% of the chickens. Once an infected bird enters a farm, the virus is usually there to stay, unless all of the birds are the removed, and the environment is decontaminated.
Before Mareks disease vaccine was introduced in the 1970s, the disease had a major negative impact on U.S. poultry farms. Unfortunately, the disease still causes a lot of unnecessary suffering and death in backyard flocks whose owners arent aware of the nature of the problem or the availability of a vaccine. Mareks disease vaccine does not prevent chickens from becoming infected with the virus, but it does reduce the amount of virus transmitted by infected birds, and it does a good job of preventing birds from developing illness.
Mareks disease vaccine is given to chicks prior to hatching (in-ovo) or to day-old chicks. If you purchase day-old chicks from hatcheries, I highly recommend that you ask the hatchery to vaccinate them for you before theyre shipped. Most will do this for a small charge. If you hatch your own chicks, you can purchase and administer the vaccine yourself; it is not difficult. It is frustrating that the vaccine usually comes in 1,000 dose vials and must be used on the day its mixed; that means that those of us who hatch a small number of birds will toss out a lot of unused vaccine. At about $20.00 per 1,000 dose vial, youll have to decide if it is cost-effective for you. One option would be to coordinate your hatches with other flock owners so that you can share the vial and share the cost.
Other vaccines for fowl pox and a variety of poultry respiratory diseases are available, but I believe that these vaccines should be used only if a flock is experiencing a problem and a specific diagnosis has been made. Your veterinarian (if you can find one to treat poultry) or your state veterinary laboratory can help you with testing for flock problems. The most information can be gained from necropsies (post-mortems) of affected birds immediately after death.
Dr. Julie
Dr. Julie
Do you recommend vaccinating the flock? If so, which ones and at what ages?
Poultry vaccines are, generally speaking, a better tool for managing disease that is already present in a flock than they are at preventing disease from getting into the flock. The best way to prevent disease from entering a flock is through good biosecurity, which we can talk about in more detail another time.
One drawback to the use of vaccines in small flocks is the way that they are packaged and sold. Because most poultry vaccine is used by large commercial producers, it is packaged in hundreds or thousands of doses, which is not cost-effective or convenient for vaccinating small numbers of birds.
For these two reasons, I emphasize biosecurity and good management practices over routine vaccination for backyard flock owners, with one exception Mareks disease vaccine.
Mareks disease is caused by a virus, and it is a very common, highly contagious disease of chickens worldwide. Apparently healthy, but infected birds can carry and shed the virus their entire lives. The virus is spread in feather dander and transmitted by inhalation. The infection can cause tumors, paralysis, and suppress the immune system of chickens that are usually older than three months. When Mareks disease gets into a previously uninfected or unvaccinated flock, an epidemic can occur, killing up to 80% of the chickens. Once an infected bird enters a farm, the virus is usually there to stay, unless all of the birds are the removed, and the environment is decontaminated.
Before Mareks disease vaccine was introduced in the 1970s, the disease had a major negative impact on U.S. poultry farms. Unfortunately, the disease still causes a lot of unnecessary suffering and death in backyard flocks whose owners arent aware of the nature of the problem or the availability of a vaccine. Mareks disease vaccine does not prevent chickens from becoming infected with the virus, but it does reduce the amount of virus transmitted by infected birds, and it does a good job of preventing birds from developing illness.
Mareks disease vaccine is given to chicks prior to hatching (in-ovo) or to day-old chicks. If you purchase day-old chicks from hatcheries, I highly recommend that you ask the hatchery to vaccinate them for you before theyre shipped. Most will do this for a small charge. If you hatch your own chicks, you can purchase and administer the vaccine yourself; it is not difficult. It is frustrating that the vaccine usually comes in 1,000 dose vials and must be used on the day its mixed; that means that those of us who hatch a small number of birds will toss out a lot of unused vaccine. At about $20.00 per 1,000 dose vial, youll have to decide if it is cost-effective for you. One option would be to coordinate your hatches with other flock owners so that you can share the vial and share the cost.
Other vaccines for fowl pox and a variety of poultry respiratory diseases are available, but I believe that these vaccines should be used only if a flock is experiencing a problem and a specific diagnosis has been made. Your veterinarian (if you can find one to treat poultry) or your state veterinary laboratory can help you with testing for flock problems. The most information can be gained from necropsies (post-mortems) of affected birds immediately after death.
Dr. Julie
Hey guys.. Need some help/advice. This is only my second hatch. For my first I used fresh eggs and hand turned 3x per day. THIS hatch has shipped eggs and I'm using an auto turner so it is different. I candled tonight (day 7) and saw "development" in a lot of eggs. Now, this is the different part. With the first eggs I could see the embryo which looked like a spider and then the black eye spot etc. I can't this time. These I can see veins and darkening toward the large end. I cannot see the "spider" at all though. Is it just in a central place that I can't see this time due to the position in the turner?!
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Is it possible you are candling this time earlier than with your last batch? As long as you can see veins, it should be good. I just candled at Day 10 and it looked "spiderish" with veins. That's the only thing I can think of.
Is it possible you are candling this time earlier than with your last batch? As long as you can see veins, it should be good. I just candled at Day 10 and it looked "spiderish" with veins. That's the only thing I can think of.
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