beginner's question: should I vaccinate the chicks I hatch?

[blefky]

OK, so I bought the incubator and turner, I'm reading everything I can find,and I'm in the process of locating eggs for a January hatch. I'm beyond excited! Two questions. First, I've been trying to determine/decide whether I should vaccinate any chicks I hatch for Mareks. I have a dozen birds that I ordered last spring from MPC, and I had them vaccinated (just for Mareks, not cocci). If I should be vaccinating new chicks, how do I go about doing that myself? How do I obtain/administer the vaccine? Also, all of the hygrometers I've looked at online seem to have way mixed reviews about the reliability of the readings, even after calibrating. Any advice on which ones seem to be reliable? Any advice on these questions - any advice you'd like to pass on about anything, really - is appreciated. Thanks! I can't wait to get started!

Oh, and you all were certainly right, this is totally addictive!

 

[barefoottrims]

why is there a problem with it in your area, I was told there wasn't a problem around here but I should atleast use a medicated chick starter on mine

 

[Annschooks]

This is an issue I have been looking into myself recently. Things will be different over here in the UK, but if you have a poultry friendly vets in your area then they will be happy to advise you. In the years I've been hatching, cocci is only an issue in young chicks. There are ways of dealing with this, firstly keep them very very clean and DRY.

Chicks play in their water wetting and soiling their bedding, left in that, will produce cocci. There are medicated chick crumbs which have variable success or there is Coxoid which over here is available over the counter. This is fine for very mild symptoms. For severe cases Baycox which is a vet script over here.

One of the vacs I've been considering for all my birds young & old alike is I.B, Infectious Bronchitis. This is a very distressing condition and could rip through a flock wiping them out quickly.

Mereks vac is highly important if you breed Silkies, they are very very prone to it. Two things I would recommend to you is firstly talk to local poultry vets they will advise what is available and what to vaccinate against as well as the means and timings. Second a good book on poultry diseases and signs symptoms.

Its fine talking about Cocci, but would you know what to look for in your chicks?

 

[blefky]

Quote:
There isn't a big problem here that I'm aware of - but from all of the BYC reading I've done, it seems to be that many posters feel that better safe than sorry is a good philosophy when it comes to Mareks. I've spent much time and considerable money raising my girls - not to mention I'm attached to them - and I don't want to risk having my flock wiped out. I'm sure others may have other opinions on that, that's just mine.