For your own peace of mind please read

[Omran]

Hello everyone, I know that most of you know this, but it is just a reminder, when you order new chicks make sure you get them vaccinated, I learned my lesson the very hard way, last year I bought 15 pullets they were not vaccinated, and for that I had the biggest problem with the chicken since I had them, after vet visits and tons of $$$ spend finely I went to the Ag department and they made lap test on 4 of them and they had that marek deseas, the results I was so upset I got red of the entire flock and startedall over again.

It is ok now because I learned my lesson, from now on, no more chicken or chicks from the guy down the road, unless they are trusted breeders and certefid, or they vaccinate thier chicks.

hope I don't make anyone mad at me after reading this thread,I just wanted to get this out of my chest.

Omran.

 

[redhen]

very good advice!

 

[Eggzactly]

thanks for the advice

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Vaccinating 1 day old chicks is really hard on them. You can wait a few weeks and go to the state vet and have it done. It will cost more, but you will not loose as many.

Cackle hatchery will vaccinate, but they tell you that it is very hard on them and you will loose a greater percentage than if you did not vaccinate.

 

[Mahonri]

Very timely advice. And most hatcheries only charge 10 cents a bird. Well worth it.

I personally vaccinated all of my chicks this time around on day 3 and they are all healthy, happy and growing like crazy! Wasn't hard on any of them.

 

[tim_TX]

I always vaccinate and seldom have more than 3% casualties, which is probably as good or better than many folks have with non-vaccinated chicks. Many times I do not lose a single bird [post shipping] out of batches of 50-100. Those that are lost in shipping are usually victims of piling on.

 

[cluckylisa]

Where do you get the vaccine? I ordered my chicks vaccinated, but if next time I get some from a friend who let's her Buff Orps hatch sometimes, I'd want them to be vac'd.

 

[Omran]

Quote:
I think the poultry supply stores carry it, but I don't know how hard to do the job, this time I got all my new chicks vaccinated from the hatchery.

 

[journey11]

I know, I was skeptical at first that they were just trying to make me paranoid in order to squeeze a few extra dollars out of me! So I went online and did a little research, and also checked with my county extension agent (a very good resource for many things) and found that the peace of mind was definitely worth it. Consider it a chicken life insurance policy!

 

[mendogurl]

how old should they be ?