Do you vacinate for Mareks?

[artathart]

So I was wondering.....Is there a way to vacainate for Mareks one chicks have hatched? All my current chicks were vaccinated by the hatchery.

 

[StormyMoon]

I don't vaccinate but I don't plan on bringing in chickens from an outside source either. Its up to each person.

Someone who has vaccinated will chime in soon I am sure

 

[llaaadyel]

After hearing so many horror stories about the disease, I decided to vaccinate the chicks I am getting next week.

E

 

[MustLoveHens]

I have all my hatchery chicks vaccinated. The ones I incubate I don't. The main reason is that the vaccine comes in a vial designed to vaccinate a multitude of chicks, ie 1,000. Once opened the vial is only good for a very limited amount of time. If I recall correclty 48 or 72 hours. Then you have to toss the vaccine. Since I only hatch a small amount I'm comfortable with not vaccinating my hatch.
The hatceries have a lot more chicks and chickens and I feel better having them vaccinated. Especially since they are traveling through Postal Space. A note here is that you have to ask for the hatchery to vaccinate or they will not. The cost of this adds a little to each chick since they charge "per chick". I have seen chickens die from Marek's and it sucks. Especailly when kids are involved so the 10 or 12 or 18 cents extra is more then worth it to me.

 

[juliette2009]

I don't, but I hatch out my own chicks.

Juliette

 

[teddiliza]

I do vaccinate my own chicks since I plan on showing them. It's darned expensive, but I'd hate to see the few that I raised to adulthood and want to keep for breeding catch Marek's from a show and die before they could perpetuate themselves. Plus I hear it is heartbreaking to watch the decline of your chicken. So yes, personally for the $40 or so for the bottle, needles, cooler they ship it in, and shipping, I think it's worth it for my own flock-- so I try to plan big hatches since the vaccine- like the other person said- is only good for an hour. For me a big hatch is anything more than 10.