Mycoplasma Vaccine - Anyone do this? Pros vs cons?

[JacinLarkwell]

I don’t know anything about the vaccine except what I can read on the Zoetis site.
It is always advisable to quarantine even healthy looking chickens that you bring in. The exception is day old chicks from a hatchery which are most likely to be disease free.
MG is one of the major reasons to quarantine. It can have a slow incubation (up to 35 days I believe) so you need to set up a quarantine that will work for that long.
That said, if after a period where the incoming chickens seem healthy I have shortened the quarantine after getting a negative throat swab PCR test for MG.
The test isn’t perfect, but combined with a couple of weeks of quarantine, and healthy looking birds, I personally feel comfortable reducing quarantine below a month, and the fact that my starting point is a month will tell you I am risk averse when it comes to disease!

Not to pull away from the main topic, can I ask where you get the throat swabs? Or is it something you can only get through Npip?

 

[NanaK]

If you have, please share if it was difficult to administer the vaccine/if there happened to be any side effects? I just don’t want to regret vaccination.

I choose not to vaccinate my flock.
I'm not against vaccination in general but after researching I decided against it for my birds.

I only bring in hatching eggs or day old chicks. Chicks are quarantined over 30 days far away from my flock. They are slowly introduced to outside as well. I do not bring in adult birds. I don't wear my street shoes in the coop or run. This has worked for me.

Research each vaccine. The Marek's Vaccine has to be handled in a specific way. There is a bit involved make sure you understand it. I believe cost is high if you want to do it yourself.

It's good to look out for your flock. Most of all don't forget to enjoy them!

 

[Rosie85]

I choose not to vaccinate my flock.
I'm not against vaccination in general but after researching I decided against it for my birds.

I only bring in hatching eggs or day old chicks. Chicks are quarantined over 30 days far away from my flock. They are slowly introduced to outside as well. I do not bring in adult birds. I don't wear my street shoes in the coop or run. This has worked for me.

Research each vaccine. The Marek's Vaccine has to be handled in a specific way. There is a bit involved make sure you understand it. I believe cost is high if you want to do it yourself.

It's good to look out for your flock. Most of all don't forget to enjoy them!

Thank you! I’ll continue to research just in case/still have to finish proper fencing before I can let them outside anyhow, but I do love these chickies so much already! Getting so many beautiful egg colors

You can tell I’m a little paranoid/just want to make sure they are always healthy and never compromised!

It sounds like chances of them getting an illness from birds that fly by or the soil they scratch around in are slimmer than I initially thought when reading disturbing posts on Facebook regarding mycoplasma, so I’ll remain optimistic they will stay safe here.

 

[Rosie85]

Coccidia live in the soil (and in the intestines of every higher living animal). They are essentially every place on the planet humans have been. Your birds will always have them, its only a problem when their bodies can't keep them under control.

Which is why many starter feeds have amprolium in it. Disrupts the coccidia's ability to thrive, gives the birds a leg up aon getting their ssytems in oreder before the coccidia have a chance to try and overwhelm them. I don't use it currently, but have in the past. Now I do innoculation by brief exposure - moving a bit of outside dirt into the brooder box after the first week.

That’s a great idea! This was another one that was concerning to read about, so I’ll keep that in mind for chicks I hatch from their eggs this spring. Would you recommend medicated or non medicated feed for chicks? These year olds from last spring I used medicated feed and they all grew up just fine, but I saw conflicting opinions on best feed online as well. Thank you!

 

[RoyalChick]

Not to pull away from the main topic, can I ask where you get the throat swabs? Or is it something you can only get through Npip?

I go to a commercial lab that is based on Texas. They sell you a pack of swabs for about $20 and then when you need to test a chicken for something (Marek’s, MG etc.) you swab the chicken’s throat or vent (or both) and cap it off and send it to them.
Their website lists all the tests they do and you can call them about others. I think Coryza wasn’t on the list but they can do it.
This is the lab I have used. I have had a good experience with them several times but I am sure there are other labs.
Some State labs in the US will do testing as well.
https://www.vetdna.com/

 

[Shadrach]

The disadvantage of having vaccinated birds is you may never see any signs that they are carrying the disease.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I go to a commercial lab that is based on Texas. They sell you a pack of swabs for about $20 and then when you need to test a chicken for something (Marek’s, MG etc.) you swab the chicken’s throat or vent (or both) and cap it off and send it to them.
Their website lists all the tests they do and you can call them about others. I think Coryza wasn’t on the list but they can do it.
This is the lab I have used. I have had a good experience with them several times but I am sure there are other labs.
Some State labs in the US will do testing as well.
https://www.vetdna.com/

Oh awesome, thanks

 

[JacinLarkwell]

The disadvantage of having vaccinated birds is you may never see any signs that they are carrying the disease.

This. My homegrown birds are little coalmine canaries since they aren't vaccinated and my purchased chicks are.

 

[Rosie85]

This. My homegrown birds are little coalmine canaries since they aren't vaccinated and my purchased chicks are.

This is very useful insight! More and more I’m leaning toward not vaccinating my first group now after everyone here easing my mind. Despite my paranoia with things they might come into contact with when I let them outside of their coop and run for the first time, I also want them to enjoy their lives, you know?

Has anyone here ever had a chicken come down with either Mereks or mycoplasma, and if so, what did you do? Most things I’ve read are to cull the entire flock which is why I’m hyper paranoid and at first thought I wanted to vaccinate them all, but if they all are vaccinated and can still get these illnesses, what’s the point to vaccinations for flocks at all?

Thank you all though! I genuinely appreciate these insights and encouragement

 

[Rosie85]

The disadvantage of having vaccinated birds is you may never see any signs that they are carrying the disease.

Very good point! I’m just questioning the use of vaccines at all with everything I’m learning now