Mareks vaccine questions

[StelleKitten]

I just noticed that the hatchery does not do the mareks vaccine for banty chicks. I was wondering if there is a way to get one for the chick after delivery. Also if I cannot get the vaccine, could my banty chick get mareks and give it to the rest of the flock. Or will having them vaccinated work good enough?

Stelle Kitty

 

[leadwolf1]

Wow, that's a loaded question..I will take them one at a time.

Yes, you can find the vaccine for after the chick arrives. But, you have to buy it in a 1000 doses. Several places have it for sale. It must be kept refrigerated and you do it yourself, at home.

Yes, your bantam could get Marek's and the rest of your flock would be at risk. There is a low chance of this if you do not bring in any other birds. If you are planning on not getting any other birds or just ordering them from the hatcheries then, I would say that you would be safe without having this little guy vaccinated.

The vaccine is only 90% effective and only protects the birds from developing the tumors associated with the disease. It does not prevent them from getting Marek's or from becoming carriers.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

 

[StelleKitten]

Ouch! I don't need 1k doses. Just 1. Lol! And I don't plan on getting anymore chickens from others unless I get one from this site a few years down the road. So I think I will go with the no vaccine for the one little bird. (My husband wanted one he could get attached to, that would never wind up in the pot, his favorite color is blue and he likes really fuzzy things... hence the blue silkie) Could my birds from the hatchery get it? My landlord down the road has chickens as well. I know they have bought chickens at flea markets and whatnot so I don't know the status of their birds. Should I really worry over a chicken that will likely not be with the other birds? If it's a girl I plan on using her as my broody chicken when I decide to hatch, but if it's a boy.... I don't know what to do with a male fluffball. But he wouldn't be in the house! Lol.

 

[leadwolf1]

Marek's is in the air, soil, feces and saliva of infected birds. Mouse/rodents can carry the virus from place to place as can wild birds that are carriers themselves. One chicken will not be happy being kept alone. Why not get at least two fluffballs? I have a pair of silkie roos that are best buds

Be very careful if you decide to get birds, other than eggs, from anyone. I hate to say it but, there are unscrupulous people on here, also. And, some that just do not realize that they have Marek's in their flocks..or, other carrier diseases.

 

[StelleKitten]

Hrm. So maybe I should change my question to, "Does anyone have 1 does of mareks vaccine that I can buy from them in September?"

 

[leadwolf1]

That's impossible unless you live really, really close. Once reconstituted, the vaccine is only viable for 1 hour. It must be kept at a temp no higher than 80 degrees.

 

[StelleKitten]

Crud. This is a lot more complicated than I thought.

 

[leadwolf1]

If it's any consolation, I purchased 1000 doses and only used 2. That's 15 dollars per chick and they both turned out to be roos

 

[StelleKitten]

Oh! So it's not that expensive? I thought it would more expensive like cat and dog vaccines.

 

[leadwolf1]

Nope, not expensive at all...none of the chicken vaccines come close to costing what dogs/cats/horses and such cost.