At-Home Marek’s Vaccination Details

[backyardinosaur]

Hi everyone!

I would like to vaccinate my silkies against Marek’s because it makes me extremely paranoid, but it’s hard to find vets/farms that vaccinate in Houston.

Is there a good place to go for vaccinations in Houston that someone could recommend? If not, I’d like to buy an at home vaccination kit like this one. Would I need to buy syringes in advance and is it possible to give too much of the vaccine? Do I need nitrogen to keep it cool? I’m so new to keeping silkies, and (apart from the basic necessities) I’ve learned I have literally no idea what I’m doing…

Before this, I’d only ever had a rescued female Muscovy, and she was as tough as nails. I just want to take the best care of my flock!

Thanks everyone!
Lauren

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Hi everyone!

I would like to vaccinate my silkies against Marek’s because it makes me extremely paranoid, but it’s hard to find vets/farms that vaccinate in Houston.

Is there a good place to go for vaccinations in Houston that someone could recommend? If not, I’d like to buy an at home vaccination kit like this one. Would I need to buy syringes in advance and is it possible to give too much of the vaccine? Do I need nitrogen to keep it cool? I’m so new to keeping silkies, and (apart from the basic necessities) I’ve learned I have literally no idea what I’m doing…

Before this, I’d only ever had a rescued female Muscovy, and she was as tough as nails. I just want to take the best care of my flock!

Thanks everyone!
Lauren

I vaccinate all my chicks against Marek's disease. I have used Jeffers Pet and Valley Vet for the Mareks vaccine. The birds need to be 1-2 days old and not have been exposed to other birds or have been outside. So you basically need to have hatched them yourself. I have vaccinated birds as old as 2 weeks of age, if I am waiting for others to hatch. It requires rather strict biosecurity on your part, as the disease is spread through the bird's dander.
The vaccine is shipped to you overnight with icepacks and has to be kept refrigerated until ready to use. You can buy the needles and syringes from Jeffers Pet as well. There are several great "how to" videos on Youtube that explain and demonstrate how to do it.

 

[raingarden]

The trouble is, a vial of vaccine has a thousand doses and you only need a dozen or so. Once the stuff is opened and prepared it has a fairly short shelf life.

I think it is like the pox vaccine that uses the little two-prong needle that is stabbed through the webing in the wing.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

The trouble is, a vial of vaccine has a thousand doses and you only need a dozen or so. Once the stuff is opened and prepared it has a fairly short shelf life.

I think it is like the pox vaccine that uses the little two-prong needle that is stabbed through the webing in the wing.

True, it has to be used quickly once mixed.
It is administered though subcutaneously (under the skin) with a hypodermic needle and syringe in the back of the neck.

 

[backyardinosaur]

I vaccinate all my chicks against Marek's disease. I have used Jeffers Pet and Valley Vet for the Mareks vaccine. The birds need to be 1-2 days old and not have been exposed to other birds or have been outside. So you basically need to have hatched them yourself. I have vaccinated birds as old as 2 weeks of age, if I am waiting for others to hatch. It requires rather strict biosecurity on your part, as the disease is spread through the bird's dander.
The vaccine is shipped to you overnight with icepacks and has to be kept refrigerated until ready to use. You can buy the needles and syringes from Jeffers Pet as well. There are several great "how to" videos on Youtube that explain and demonstrate how to do it.

Thank you so much for the info! This is really helpful.

 

[chickfused]

The instructions say to burn the unused contents and bottle. I don't know how to burn liquid or glass. Boiling the virus away seems a bit crazy - can I just put an equivalent amount of bleach in the liquid? And bleach and boil the bottle before normal disposal?