How important is the Marek's Disease Vaccination?

[Anna-MN]

My opinion on the topic can be summed up in one phrase-

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[leadwolf1]

I like it...but, with Marek's, there is no cure...so the ounce of prevention is all we have.

My opinion on the topic can be summed up in one phrase-

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

[Anna-MN]

Sadly, yes, there isn't a cure. But that ounce of prevention could prevent pounds and pounds of hurt, loss, and future problems. It breaks my heart every time I see posts on here of people's worst fears being validated by others in the Diseases section. If only they had been vaccinated...

 

[leadwolf1]

Absolutely!!! I was just commenting so that people would know that there is no cure so, the vaccine is very important.

Sadly, yes, there isn't a cure. But that ounce of prevention could prevent pounds and pounds of hurt, loss, and future problems. It breaks my heart every time I see posts on here of people's worst fears being validated by others in the Diseases section. If only they had been vaccinated...

 

[Going Quackers]

Mareks is not coming only from exposure to infected chickens. Something else, possibly migratory songbirds or wild game birds are a vector. Keeping other poultry off and not showing may not protect as much as you like.

I am fully aware of that, however factors like whether you show and whether the home has had others chickens plays a role as well. Again, there is no 100% guarantee, even vaxed birds have had it, this is a choice that each has to make for themselves.

 

[Fur & Feathers]

had asked the chucks vet about this back when one of them had been born a bit undeveloped and was very ill [he is perfectly fine now and a big cheeky fella!],he said as a owner of only a few chucks there isnt any point in the mareks vac; he woud only bother recommending it in cases where there were very large flocks.
unfortunately science hasnt developed a completely accurate vac yet so am personaly not in a rush to buy something that will give a false sense of security and doesnt cure,plus as far as aware over here it is only sold in bulk not singles for mass flocks.

 

[nova022]

My opinion on the topic can be summed up in one phrase-

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I totally agree. I have vaccinated all my current flock and will do the same with any future flocks.

 

[WaterFowl209]

If you feed chicks medicated feed do they still need the meriks vaccinations

 

[cochins1088]

If I vaccinate my chicks, am I putting my older non vaccinated birds at risk since they would be carriers? And no, mareks disease isn't treated by the medicated feed.

 

[centrarchid]

If I vaccinate my chicks, am I putting my older non vaccinated birds at risk since they would be carriers? And no, mareks disease isn't treated by the medicated feed.

Are you certain vaccination makes birds carriers? What vaccination does in my understanding is that enables them to survive as carriers but does not make them so.