OK to add UNvaccinated chicks to vaccinated ones?

[Sunny Side Up]

Please tell me what you think. I just got 36 chicks from McMurray Hatchery last Sun. They were all vaccinated for Mareks & Coccidiosis. They are all doing fine.

I have a friend who wants me to raise some chicks for her. She has difficulty tending to young chicks' needs. She wants to buy 10 chicks from a reputable local feed store and have me raise them with my other chicks When they're about 3-4 months old she'll take half of those grown chicks and let me keep the others.

But these new chicks haven't been vaccinated. I had heard that it could be a problem, that the unvaccinated ones could catch the illness from the vaccinated ones. I don't want my friend's chicks to get sick, and I don't want to be caring for sick chicks. Raising them separately isn't an option, I have far too much else to do.

Please let me know what you think about this. Thank you!

 

[Wildflower_VA]

I don't know the answer to the vaccination thing, but your friend can buy started pullets if she can't tend to little chicks. Older chickens have a lot of needs, too. I would worry that a person who couldn't tend to chicks wouldn't be able to tend to a flock outside in a coop where so much can go wrong.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Oh she's doing fine with her grown chickens, and also keeps a nice garden and now bees too. She has reasons why she prefers not to raise chicks, I forget if it's for their safety, or warmth, or something. It's not always possible to buy started chicks or POL pullets in every breed, she wants to add blue-laced red Wyandottes now.

I don't mind doing this deal with her, we both benefit from it. I just don't want to mix these chicks if it's going to risk their health.

 

[gale65]

I don't know about marek's but chicks that have been vaxed for coccidiosis should not have medicated feed and chicks that have not been vaxed may need it (some feed it, some don't). So it also depends on what you're feeding. If you feed medicated feed to vaccinated chicks (for coccidiosis) the two cancel each other out.

 

[Arielle]

If you feed medicated feed to vaccinated chicks (for coccidiosis) the two cancel each other out.

X2

Mercks, no problem. The medicated feed for the vaccinated chicks is the problem--the medicated feed negates the vaccination.

I had my first batch vacinated for cocidia, but no ither hatchery vaccinates.

SO I have several pens for different feeds. Wish vaccine was available for on the farm use--it's not.​

 

[PickingUpChicks824]

I was under the impression that Marek's can be a problem. A vaccinated chicken is very unlikely to contract Marek's and suffer the consequences of the disease but can potentially be a carrier and shed small quantities of the virus into its environment. I believe the virus can be shed two ways: feces and feathers, feathers being the more virulent/harmful form. Adult/vaccinated birds shed the virus in the feces I believe. The shed virus will not affect vaccinated birds but can be harmful to unvaccinated birds. This is the reason why it is important for backyard hatched birds to be vaccinated: the older birds (already vaccinated) can shed virus and pass it on to the young.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The Marek's vaccination is not a problem. They use Turkey Marek's as the vaccination. It does not prevent Marek's. It prevents the lesions that cause the damage from forming. The vaccinated chicks cannot give Turkey Marek's to the other chicks.

The vaccinated chicks can still catch Marek's. They can still give Marek's to other chickens. But the vaccine has absolutely nothing to do with that. All the vaccine does is protect them from the symptoms. They will not give Marek's top other chickens because of the vaccine.