hatching eggs and existing chicks

[funnyfarmmama]

Ok... I have 26 chicks that I had ordered online. I payed to have them vaccinated for Coccidiosis and Marek's disease. My question is this; I have eggs in my incubator how do I protect them from these diseases?

 

[MommaHen23]

The experience I have had is that, inside the egg the babies are fine. It's outside the egg that worry comes about and action can be taken. Unless they have been subjected to harsh bacterial conditions.

Hope this helps!!

 

[giasmom]

Did you order those from McMurrays ? I think they are one of the only ones that offer the cocci vaccine. Did they tell you to be sure not to feed medicated chick starter if they have been vaccinated for cocci ?? If you feed medicated starter somehow it will nullify their vaccine. You can purchase vaccines to give to your new chicks as they hatch. I think this must be done as day olds (not totally for sure tho). Otherwise the medicated feed will proctect against cocci but not the Mareks. But if you have some with this vaccine and some without, what will you feed ? Medicated ? Un medicated ? Thats going to be confusing.

 

[funnyfarmmama]

First, no they haven't been subjected to harsh bacterial conditions, so I am assuming they will be fine till out of the shell.

Next, yes I ordered them from McMurray's. Yeah they said not to feed medicated starter, which we haven't been doing. I didn't think about protecting the chicks that come from the incubator. I guess I will have to look into getting vaccinations to give them. I don't want to chance giving the older ones the medicated feed. Thank you for your help.

Now, can anyone tell me where I might get the vaccincation online?

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
Medicated feed doesn't actually protect against cocci, but helps. It's designed to allow the birds to have a little exposure to cocci so that they develop their own immunity without coming down with the actual illness.

I hadn't heard that about the cocci vaccine and medicated food, but it makes sense I suppose.

And incidentally, chickens can still get coccidiosis even if vaccinated. The vaccine contains three of the most common of about eight cocci species, the ones your bird are most likely to encounter. However, if they encounter enough cocci oocysts to overwhelm the vaccine (in warm wet conditions, not very clean conditions, or if their beneficial bacteria in the gut are overwhelmed) they can still get it. So you want to pay careful attention to those conditions and eliminate them from your raising pens.

As for your babies, you could vaccinate for both. However, raising the babies all with probiotics can help with preventing coccidiosis if you keep the brooders all good and dry and clean. I'd use medicated feed for the hatchlings and not put them together in case your new babies shed oocysts from their vaccine (don't know if that's possible). They should be apart anyway for a good while. Your hatched babies can carry things vertically transmitted.

 

[funnyfarmmama]

Thank you for your input, this has helped me understand what I am dealing with.

I was going to keep them separated for a while because of age difference. Our babies are 6 days old and the egss won't hatch till the 27.

So, I guess we better get busy on another box, and find somewhere else to keep them. Don't want them both in the dining room.

 

[giasmom]

I believe you can order the vaccines online from McMurrays.

 

[threehorses]

First State Vet is another place to get them:

http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/store/index.php?cPath=25&osCsid=ec303d61160dfc1b79d726bc33817492