Marek Vaccine

[JacinLarkwell]

When you said from at least one unvaccinated parent are you still in your second generation? Have you hatched any of your send generation offspring successfully?

I’ve noticed my vaccinated offspring do better than my unvaccinated offspring as I haven’t had any of my unvaccinated offspring make it either.

I have several generations, some of my birds are 10 years old now. My flockmasters are almost all unvaccinated though, as well as the majority of my hens. Only the ones I got from some hatcheries are vaccinated, including the birds that brought it into my flocks. I do not, and will not vaccinate what I or my hens hatch so every bird that is hatched here is unvaccinated.

 

[BonnieBlue]

My girls are unvaccinated.

The coop was brand new. It is on a site that has never had chickens on it at all. Below was what the hatchery recommended regarding Mareks, and it appeared that I did not meet any of the standards. The girls stay in their run or coop. No free ranging.

Should my small flock be ok, given all of the conditions and circumstances? Also, if I bring more chicks in to expand the flock, should they be vaccinated?

 

[Stephine]

You have a good chance at being ok without a Marek‘s vaccination, at least for now. Still the virus can be brought in on your shoes or the shoes and clothes of visitors, from wild birds, on the wind from neighboring infected flocks… so there’s bo guarantee. Vaccinating for Marek‘s will not introduce Marek‘s disease to your flock. I don’t know why Ideal writes this.
Like most things in life, there is no absolute certainty and we all kind of muddle through and do the best we can according to our own judgement. I have had vaccinated birds and unvaccinated birds. I have lost a lot of chickens over the years to all kinds of issues. Somebody said „where there’s livestock, there’s dead stock“. There’s only so much we can do. But I definitely feel worse losing animals to issues that I could have prevented. I lost two young pullets to Marek‘s this year, because they were unvaccinated. There was nothing I could do for them and it was so sad.
So, unless you are stellar at keeping up biosecurity, I would get vaccinated birds, there is no downside to it, if you have the option. If you have your heart set on buying from a breeder that doesn’t offer vaccines, that’s a different issue. It might be worth it to you to try.

 

[BonnieBlue]

You have a good chance at being ok without a Marek‘s vaccination, at least for now. Still the virus can be brought in on your shoes or the shoes and clothes of visitors, from wild birds, on the wind from neighboring infected flocks… so there’s bo guarantee. Vaccinating for Marek‘s will not introduce Marek‘s disease to your flock. I don’t know why Ideal writes this.
Like most things in life, there is no absolute certainty and we all kind of muddle through and do the best we can according to our own judgement. I have had vaccinated birds and unvaccinated birds. I have lost a lot of chickens over the years to all kinds of issues. Somebody said „where there’s livestock, there’s dead stock“. There’s only so much we can do. But I definitely feel worse losing animals to issues that I could have prevented. I lost two young pullets to Marek‘s this year, because they were unvaccinated. There was nothing I could do for them and it was so sad.
So, unless you are stellar at keeping up biosecurity, I would get vaccinated birds, there is no downside to it, if you have the option. If you have your heart set on buying from a breeder that doesn’t offer vaccines, that’s a different issue. It might be worth it to you to try.

Early on, I started questioning it, but then would say "they're the experts". I have never had chickens of my own before now.

I'll just have to hope for the best, and when I get in a position to get more, get vaccinated.

 

[Stephine]

If your existing flock is older than five months, and they haven’t been exposed to Marek‘s they will be immune for life, without vaccination. So there’s something you don’t need to worry about.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If your existing flock is older than five months, and they haven’t been exposed to Marek‘s they will be immune for life, without vaccination. So there’s something you don’t need to worry about.

Please explain this statement. Thanks!

 

[Stephine]

Please explain this statement. Thanks!

Not sure what you mean - explain why? or where I saw this? I have read this from different reputable sources. If young birds are not exposed to Marek‘s until they are at least five months old, they will not be affected by the virus afterwards.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Not sure what you mean - explain why? or where I saw this? I have read this from different reputable sources. If young birds are not exposed to Marek‘s until they are at least five months old, they will not be affected by the virus afterwards.

Oh, where you saw the information. Do you have links to the papers/articles? I find the concept of immunity interesting.

 

[Stephine]

Oh, where you saw the information. Do you have links to the papers/articles? I find the concept of immunity interesting.

Ah, okay! I have seen it in different places for avian medicine online, but here it is in Gail Damerow‘s „Chicken Health Handbook“.

 

[BonnieBlue]

Ah, okay! I have seen it in different places for avian medicine online, but here it is in Gail Damerow‘s „Chicken Health Handbook“.

I'm trying to understand that. Natural immunity comes from exposure. But if isolated and do not get exposed, they do not come into contact with the virus to develop the antibodies.

What am I missing here?