oh man, how bad did I mess up and can this be fixed?

[AthensFlock]

I just had my first successful hatch and sold the entire clutch... And now I realized I didn't vaccinate for Mareks... I could kick myself!!! The chicks arent a week old, can I still vaccinate? Should I refund the buyer and keep the chicks? Should I cull the lot (really don't like this option).... I can't believe I forgot to do this!!!

 

[Pyxis]

I believe they can still be vaccinated, but it's not as effective as vaccinating early. May I ask why you would have to cull just because they aren't vaccinated? They don't need to be. I have plenty of adults not vaccinated and I never vaccinate any chicks I hatch.

 

[AthensFlock]

Pyxis, just wasnt sure as some people seem to treat it as a vaccine necessary for existence. I didnt want to give them to their new owner if they were going to just get sick and die. I'm new into raising poultry, and feel guilty for not doing it "right".

 

[Pyxis]

You're not doing it wrong None of my birds have been purposely vaccinated, and if any are, I don't know about it, and they'd be the layer birds I picked up in the feed store. Marek's is a bad disease, but birds don't need to be vaccinated for it to survive. As long as they aren't going to flock carrying Marek's, chances are they'll be perfectly fine. Birds vaccinated for Marek's actually still get Marek's, they just aren't as affected by it. The vaccine is actually made from a turkey virus that is similar enough that it offers resistance to the disease, but birds who come into contact with it still contract it, they just aren't as affected.

 

[AthensFlock]

WONDERFUL NEWS!!!! Oh, thank you so much!!! My little ones are so active and perky I would've hated to think I had done something to harm them! I've farmed for years, but I never learned the art of not getting attached... These boogers are adorable!