Merrick Vaccines for Chicks

[Blue_Myst]

For those of you who have had your chicks vaccinated for Merricks, do you know if you can house them with full-grown chickens who have never been Merricks vaccinated? What I mean is, can Merricks-vaccinated chicks pass on the disease to un-vaccinted adult birds?

Thanks!

 

[Judy]

They can all become infected with, and shed, the marek's virus. The vaccine only prevents the growth of tumors from the virus. So I would put them together.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps030

 

[bburn]

Quote:
So I was jsut looking all this up because I have eggs in the incubator. DO I vaccinate my baby chicks when they are born? Or just the stuff in the water? Not wanting to make any mistakes here!

 

[FMAFarms]

I asked this question once, myself. If your older chickens are Marek's free and you have no Marek's in your property, then go ahead and put them together.

 

[Blue_Myst]

So vaccinated chicks can't shed the virus? That's good to know, thanks everyone!

My birds haven't had any experiences with Merek's as far as I know, even though we have a large population of wild birds. I've been lucky, I guess.

 

[FMAFarms]

Quote:
It's best to vaccinate chicks for Marek's when they are born, although they can be given the vaccine at any age as long as they have not been exposed to the disease. But it IS an injection, just beneath the neck skin (some here have given it in the upper thigh). There are some vaccines that are given in water -- Newcastle comes to mind -- but Marek's is via needle.

 

[bburn]

Quote:
It's best to vaccinate chicks for Marek's when they are born, although they can be given the vaccine at any age as long as they have not been exposed to the disease. But it IS an injection, just beneath the neck skin (some here have given it in the upper thigh). There are some vaccines that are given in water -- Newcastle comes to mind -- but Marek's is via needle.

THAT is what I wanted to know. Thank you. Will start looking for the vaccine this week. Have until the 12-13 to find it! My DGD is going to get a lesson on what it take to take care of your animals on this one. We do what we have to do to keep them healthy.