Mareck's vaccine question

[sebright guy]

Does anyone vaccinate there small chicks with vaccine? I am hoping to do it when i hatch in january.
I would only sometimes hatch 4 chicks in a week.
I understand the vaccine come in an ice form?
Is there anyway i can save it on just a few chicks and then have to throw the rest of the vaccine away? I read it is only supposed to be thawed once then it is no good.
Any help or advice would be great.
Thankyou

 

[mypicklebird]

The only one I am familiar with that can be done at home is the Fort Dodge one, you can order it from Jeffers Supply, but it is better to find it locally at a well stocked feed store- as then you do not have to pay for a shipping cooler- which costs more than the vaccine itself. It DOES have to stay refrigerated, but it is not frozen. It also needs to be reconstituted (powder mixed with a solution) right before using. Once reconstituted- it is not good for very long, and what you don't use in a few hours needs to be thrown away. I know of some people who divide up the powder wafer, and divide the diluent, so they can stretch out the vaccine (the bottle has enough for 1000 birds- it is made for hatcheries)- but I don't do that- to much of a pain in the * and I don't have the means to keep the powder sterile, and the bottle only costs about 10$. Then again, I don't hatch out 4 chicks. I like to at least fill half of my little Hova Bator when I incubate.

 

[demikitten]

First State Vet Supply will send you stuff to separate it, but unless you're hatching 200 at once, you still waste a little. But better than the whole bottle. The vaccine is a pain, but well with it. Marecks can wipe out a whole flock.