Frustrated with SELLERS regarding Marek's Disease Vaccine!

[Sitka]

Even the hatcheries that will vaccinate for Marek's often say something like "not necessary for small flocks." I'm not at all surprised that the small flock owners and breeders you've encountered don't have it done. I don't think it's a red flag, but as posted above, their laughing at you is not good business.

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

The pupils mishapen. I havent done the light responsive test, but I assume.

 

[dundeechickens]

Thank you everyone! Your input was valuable and consistent with everyone else I spoke with. I did find a small hatchery in the area. Very approachable, so we'll see how good the stock looks when we go to pick out our girls on Monday. He answered all of my questions and he was enthusiastic and accommodating, so I definitely feel there is some credibility to his role here. We will see...

 

[bishopschickens]

Good luck with your new birds and sorry you were laughed at by the sellers. For ourselves we do not vaccinate either but thats by choice. Oh yeah welcome to BYC also!

Brandon

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Quote:
You will be hatching your own by this time next year! welcome.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Ahhh yeah, unless there was an injury, that's one of the biggy signs of the optical forms of it.

If it's any consolation, my optical marek's bird lived for years and years with only that form of it. As it effected only one eye, he had no issues. He died of old age at at least 10 years old this year. A number of my other birds weren't vaccinated and I only had one other case over the years.

In retrospect, as he was "active", I'd have vaccinated all my new chicks. And because it can stay active for a long time, I will continue to do so with any chickens that come in who aren't vaccinated.

But really of all the forms of it, if I had to pick one, ocular would be the one. I'm sorry you have one though. That's where I think Dr. Peter Brown's article on vaccination comes in so handy - we assume that vaccination does it for the birds, most of us. But it's not that simple.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
When you go, disinfect your shoes before you go in, and disinfect your shoes before you get back in your car. You neither want to carry something of yours there, nor do you want to bring something of theirs home (or something from someone else who went to get chicks - you never know what type of problems other people have who are seeking new babies).

Biosecurity is always a good policy.

 

[Shared Acres]

Quote:
What vaccinated feed is that? Most feeds are medicated, not vaccinated to cause illness on purpose? I'd like to know if there's something new on the market.

I agree - buy from hatcheries of NPIP certified flocks. That won't help against Mareks, but it does show that the people are attentive to their flock.

You can vaccinate birds are adults but even vaccinations won't prevent Mareks if the birds are introduced to active Marek's virus as a high threat before the vaccination has taken hold. Marek's is effective, if used correctly and given time to act, in helping prevent the major problems of Mareks (tumors, eye problems) from happening.

Here's an article you might find useful:
http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/poultry-health/mareks-disease.html

Sorry, it wasn't vaccinated feed, just medicated, a miswording on my part!

And THANK YOU, I did think that NPIP was for Marek's, but I would think that people who are being tested are at least watching for that stuff.

I will be retested in the new year, just to be safe.

 

[allison finch]

As far as I know, medicated feed only helps prevent cocci, not anything else. True?

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
It depends.

Most medicated feeds contain "amprolium" which is an anti-protazoa med given in amounts only enough to allow chicks to get some exposure to cocci so that they can develop their own immunity. It's a coccidiostat - in other words, doesn't kill all cocci (or the birds would never develop an immunity), it just keeps numbers down. It has no activity against bacteria, and it cannot prevent coccidiosis if environmental factors (wetness, warmth, droppings, etc) cause cocci to bloom in high numbers. That's not its design.

Other feeds may contain BMD - bacitracin, or other antibiotics. Large-scale poultry houses tend to medicate as a control measure with antibiotics because their birds are all so closely kept and thousands upon thousands of them. It's not a method we'd want to use in small operations. And it doesn't innoculate against the bacteria - there are no bacterial products in it.

So yes and no.