Do chicks need immunizations?

[gpamela3499]

Mods: Please move this if it is not in the right spot I did not know where to put it.


Hi
I have 11 chicks about 6-8 weeks old. I have 8 different breeds. I will be doing community service by taking my babies to visit the elderly.

Do I need (for the safety of the folks I visit and my babies ) to have any special health concerns or should I get them shots etc.?

They live in a coop or in a fully enclosed run that wild birds can not enter.

At the preschool we make sure that the children wash hands before and after handling the chicks so that the chicks can not incubate a disease (that the children can catch) that the next child will come in contact with (but is not harmeful to the chickens).

Also I need some very low cost chicken diapers.


I might want to buy an apron to match my chicks too just for fun.

I am doing this as a volunteer so I would like to be as low cost as posssble and as safe to the elderly as possible.

All info and comments will be most appreciated.

Pamela

 

[speckledhen]

Most vaccinations are given at hatch and just a bit after. The general rule is that unless there is a particular disease in your area, dont vaccinate. I have never vaccinated any birds in the several years since I began with chickens. No illness so far except cocci and that is a pretty common chick ailment in the first few weeks of life and not a "carrier" type disease. Kids washing hands before and after handling birds is a great thing--protects them both.

 

[gpamela3499]

Any other advise for making this a positive experience for the elderly.

Oh yeah we did have West Nile just down river from here that a lady had. Is there a vacination for that?

 

[gpamela3499]

I just wanted to see if anyone else had information or a place I could get real cheap chicken diapers

 

[speckledhen]

Dont know about the diapers, but to my knowledge, there is no West Nile vaccination.

 

[SophieLain127]

you can always contact the health department. They would be able to tell you. I live in Columbus OH and I have to have my hens vaccinated just to own them. If you contact the health department they would be able to give you lots of advice.

GL

 

[Nostalchic]

There is an equine vaccine for West Nile, but none for humans, nor chickens. Chickens may harbor the virus though they don't get sick from it, and there are flocks that are monitored during the season along with the mosquito populations to determine the prevalence in our area, but West Nile infection in humans requires a vector (ie: mosquito) - it is not directly transmitted from person to person, horse to person, or bird to person, but bird to mosquito to human.

 

[gpamela3499]

Thank you so much Nostalchic I learn so much from this forum. I would call the health department but I have a speakeasy coop for my flock.... SSSSSShhhhhh You know what I mean, They might take my question and address then bust me for my illegal chicks.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
That's bizarre. Against what specifically? Are there lots of big poultry operations right around you?

Pat, just curious