In OVO vaccination

[lazy gardener]

According to the bar graph in that study, air cell injection does not result in an appropriate uptake of the vaccine to be effective. The study indicates that the vaccine must be delivered directly into the amnion or into the chick it'self. That being the case, if I were vaccinating, I'd rather do it on a newly hatched chick than be drilling an egg, and hoping that I was able to hit the correct spot with the needle without rupturing a major blood vessel or causing injury to the chick.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you want to try it, I'd aim to get into the amnion.

 

[duluthralphie]

Yep......I am trying to figure out how to get it into the fluid without killing the bird now...Hence my need for duc eggs.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

OOOOH! This is good... have you seen this study? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03079450120078725 it has methods for manual in ovo vaccination.

"The manual in ovo vaccination method was validated in a pre- experimental trial involving 100 eggs and two operators. A small (1 mm diameter) hole was made in the apex of the air cell end of each egg and 200 m l vegetable dye injected into the relevant embryonic site via a needle inserted vertically through this hole. For IE injection, a sharp 21G ´ 1.5 inch hypodermic needle was inserted until the embryo was encountered and the dye injected into it. For EE injection, a 21G needle with the sharp tip removed was inserted through the hole, through the air cell membrane and into the extra-embryonic space to a depth of approximately 2.5 cm, carefully avoiding the embryo proper before dye was deposited. Eggs were subsequently broken out for determination of dye deposition site. The injection technique for both IE and EE deposition, for both operators, had an accuracy rate > 95%. This method was used in all subsequent experiments."

I just found this thread and am wondering how in ovo vaccination turned out for you two? I am about to vaccinate my second set of hatched under a broody eggs but I don’t know yet if the first set was effective as chicks are only five weeks old. Here’s a pic of the first set - all 12 hatched with no obvious problems from vaccination. Vaccinated on day 18.5 of hen incubation.

 

[casportpony]

Where would you inject the vaccine?

 

[duluthralphie]

Since it recommends doing the vaccination at 18 days of incubation, there is no need to seal the hole that is made for the injection.

I have made the hole into the air cell by gently twisting a tack or small drill bit against the shell by hand. The hole has helped me in hatching shipped Cream Legbar eggs.

Cool!


Thanks

How does the hole help eggs hatch?

 

[duluthralphie]

According to the bar graph in that study, air cell injection does not result in an appropriate uptake of the vaccine to be effective. The study indicates that the vaccine must be delivered directly into the amnion or into the chick it'self. That being the case, if I were vaccinating, I'd rather do it on a newly hatched chick than be drilling an egg, and hoping that I was able to hit the correct spot with the needle without rupturing a major blood vessel or causing injury to the chick.

You're right.

I am still thinking I want to try it.

Trying to get the vaccine just under the skin in a day old chick is not exactly fun. They move and the skin is so thin the needle will sometimes come out the other side of the skin.

I am not sure where to inject otherwise. If a machine can do it a person should be able to.

 

[R2elk]

Cool!


Thanks

How does the hole help eggs hatch?

Hatching shipped eggs at high altitude it lets the air into the air cell easier than trying to transpire directly through the shell.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

That makes sense.

I wonder if I make a hole and dunk the eggs in the vaccine what would happen... besides killing the chicks what could go wrong?

I might have to get some DUX eggs to practice on so there is no loss to mankind if they die..

 

[Leihamarie]

OOOOH! This is good... have you seen this study? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03079450120078725 it has methods for manual in ovo vaccination.

"The manual in ovo vaccination method was validated in a pre- experimental trial involving 100 eggs and two operators. A small (1 mm diameter) hole was made in the apex of the air cell end of each egg and 200 m l vegetable dye injected into the relevant embryonic site via a needle inserted vertically through this hole. For IE injection, a sharp 21G ´ 1.5 inch hypodermic needle was inserted until the embryo was encountered and the dye injected into it. For EE injection, a 21G needle with the sharp tip removed was inserted through the hole, through the air cell membrane and into the extra-embryonic space to a depth of approximately 2.5 cm, carefully avoiding the embryo proper before dye was deposited. Eggs were subsequently broken out for determination of dye deposition site. The injection technique for both IE and EE deposition, for both operators, had an accuracy rate > 95%. This method was used in all subsequent experiments."