So I've decided to buy feritle black australorp eggs and an incubator since black Aussies are very rare to find here, I've read up different caresheets on how to feed them and handle them and how to setup their brooder etc, but I can't find alot of information on ways to build up their immune system other than vaccines, mainly talking about mareks and coccidiosis, I know that adding a bit of apple cider vinegar can help prevent pasty butt, I'm trying not to use vaccines since I've read that they can be harmful on just not work at all, have also heard that if you add a tiny bit of backyard soil to their brooder for a few hours it helps them build a resistance to coccidiosis, I'd appreciate any help thanks
The way I build up disease resistance is the following
1) Hatch 10 chicks for every one that I need to build next year's breeding groups. I then focus on good vigor in my selection. I look for good growth rates because if they are ill or no resistent in anything in their environment it will hinder their growth. I look for good activity levels. My birds that is first off the roost in the morning and last to the coop at night and that stays our scratching in the yard when it is 100 degrees outside and 30 degrees outside while everyone else is in the coop loafing is the one that I want to breed. I also check for wind carrage, how they walk (i.e. the cockerels should strut not walk flat footed, etc.)
2) I don't breed anything that has ever had a major illness no matter how good they look or how strong they are when they get better.
3) I wait until birds are two years old to breed. Some weaknesses like heart defects, etc. don't show up in the first year. By waiting two years you ensure that only birds that can withstand the cold of the winter the heat of the summer the wet season (and the fowl pox it brings) etc. make it to the breeding pen. That weed out a lot of weakness from the flock.
4) I don't vaccinate. Well...when starting with a new breed I have vaccinated foundation stock because if they die they may be difficult to impossible to relpace, but their offspring is not vaccinated. Int he first year I might loose 20% of the flock or more to some type of weakness, but those that survive are hardier birds and pass that trait on to their offspring. It has been very rare in my experience to see any losses at to illnesses or weakness after the first year.
5) You could also try hen brooding chicks. I haven't been able to do a lot of that but some immunity can be passed from a hen to offspring through direct contact (this includes coccidiosis resistance). Good hens will also teach their chicks survival skills. One broody hen would pop her chicks on the head when they would eat out of the feeder because she was trying to get them to go out and forage with her and din't want them to stay in the coop eating from the feed bucket all day.
Note: I don't know of any way to build up immunity to Mareks. If you have it on your property be prepared to loose birds if you don't vaccinate for it. Even if you loose 80% of your flock you will still have 20% to work with and that 20% will be hardy and so there will be a lot fewer losses the following generation. I personally would vaccinate your first year for it if you have had losses to it on you property previously. Wait for the 2nd generation to try to build up resistance to it in you flock.
Yes the dirt in the brooder to build up resistance to coccidiosis helps. It works similar to the direct contact with a mother hen to get immunity method.
