Mareks Vaccination Poll

[Intheswamp]

I don't hear much about vaccinating day old chicks that folks hatch. A year or so again I discussed this some and I'm just about as unsure as I was then.

I have several big breeder/broiler houses within a couple of miles of my location and I deal with some of the producers in the tire business I work at, thus my concern.

I'm thinking that the majority of people don't vaccinate, and I can understand why folks in urban areas may be less likely to vaccinate than their counterparts in the rural areas where large poultry houses may be located. It seems it would be more important for folks in areas such as I am that have a heavy poultry industry in the area.

Anyhow, I decided to set up a little online poll to hope to get some yes/no feedback.

Here's the link... Day Old Chick Vaccination Poll

I've never used this poll service before so I hope it works ok. I had to register to set the poll up but it looks like voters do not have to register.

POLL ENDS THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 28th!!!!
Give it a shot!!!! (oops, no pun intended

)

Ed

 

[apmorris]

One cannot purchase the vaccination for Marek's disease-it is stored in liquid nitrogen and is supplied in a 1000-dose container. Marek's vaccinations can only be given at a hatchery. I lost an 18-week-old rooster to Marek's disease once. The rooster was given to me when he was a chick and I had never heard of Marek's. Now, I only buy my chicks from a hatchery and have them vaccinated.

Sixteen hens, two roosters, twelve cats and a wonderful husband

 

[jerseygirl1]

Really? I think someone on here sells chicks that they vaccinate for Marek's themselves and charge xtra for it? I thought you could buy the vaccination for it, though it is a large quantitiy but storable

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I am pretty sure you can buy Mereks vaccine from jeffers livestock for less than $15. I also heard that keeping turkeys with your chickens can provide some resistance to Mereks because turkeys carry it in a form that does not cause the turkeys to get tumors/become ill.

 

[sbarab]

I saw directions on another site on administering the Marek's vaccine to chicks. It said the vaccine was packaged separately and must be added to a liquid media.

However, my chicks just hatched from my home bator last week and none of my local feed stores had the vaccine. The oldest feed store had never heard of Marek's before. They order from Ideal all of the time.

 

[alicefelldown]

Quote:
This is incorrect. Right now a lot of the normal online places to buy Marek's are on backorder (check this thread for ideas on where else to get it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=288589) but there are always other places or even calling your local vet and or feed stores to locate more.

Please don't spread misinformation. Quick googling shows handfuls of places that sell the vaccine.

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
I'm not a hatchery, and I've given my chicks AND chickens the vaccine. Quite simple actually.

 

[ISSOLA]

Marek's vaccine is not stored in liquid nitrogen.

The 1000 dose bottle (diluent) can be split in 4 separate bottles (you have to purchase sterile containers), and the lyophilized vaccine and be divided into 4 sterile vials. You need to have sterile gloves, sterile spatula (wipe with alcohol and let dry), and a good sensitive scale. These can be stored in a separate refrigerator (OSHA rules, do not store in food refrigerator) until you need to use it. When you need to use it, mix the lyophilized vaccine and diluent and utilize it within the hour. Hence, 250 doses each time you need to use it. Still a lot wasted, but better than not. I think there is also a expiration date.

The cost for buying the marek's vaccine from Jeffer's Livestock will come up to around $30-35 (with shipping).

Hatching your own eggs bought from breeders will, IMHO, always be more expensive. I have to look at it as a hobby, 'coz, thinking it "profitable" for me to have chickens would be foolhardy.

I will also always have to vaccine for Marek's since I started off with store bought chicks and they were all vaccinated. Hence my backyard is exposed. Besides, we have wild turkey walking around and they may carry turkey Marek's. I understand that wild turkeys can infect backyard flocks.

If you have always hatched on your own, and have but a few in your flock, some may argue that you don't have to vaccinate.

Some chickens are marek's resistant, but certain breeds are susceptible i.e. barnevelder. So if you don't want to vaccinate (cost), consider looking for resistant breeds.

 

[drom]

It's a very contagious, very common disease and I believe is a bigger problem with backyard flocks because backyard breeders don't vaccinate.
I would vaccinate.

 

[drom]

Quote:
I have given vaccines to my small animals (can't remember which vaccine it was) that had two vials; one dry and one liquid to mix. It's pretty easy.