Peeps in Europe!

[abpatchy]

Finding a vet who deals with birds or even chickens is a difficult job.
I know from different forums that you don't have to vaccinate in Austria. When I went to the show in Wels they did require Newcastle immunization. So my guess is, unless you are showing you don't have to.
Contacting a breeding club would provide more infos if you want to vaccinate though.

 

[Erba]

When I got my "fake" Sussex hens from a chicken dealer they were only vaccinated against Marek's disease. I think that is the one you have to have, if you're gonna sell birds. I've heard it has to be given every four months though. It used to come in a year's dose..wonder why they changed it...NOT! That really sucks for hobby chicken breeders that don't belong to a club for whatever reason.

Anyway none of my chickens are vaccinated. Might look into it though. I had a farm vet in the next village that used to come and treat my horse. I'll have to ask him if he does chickens. Or I can ask my chimney sweep, who he uses. To my surprise, he also runs a small business for eggs.

 

[chickengr]

in greece only registered farms must vaccinate chickens against marek's and newcastle's. I do not vaccinate my chickens and never will. I do not take antibiotics myself.

 

[BDutch]

When I got my "fake" Sussex hens from a chicken dealer they were only vaccinated against Marek's disease. I think that is the one you have to have, if you're gonna sell birds. I've heard it has to be given every four months though. It used to come in a year's dose..wonder why they changed it...NOT! That really sucks for hobby chicken breeders that don't belong to a club for whatever reason.

Anyway none of my chickens are vaccinated. Might look into it though. I had a farm vet in the next village that used to come and treat my horse. I'll have to ask him if he does chickens. Or I can ask my chimney sweep, who he uses. To my surprise, he also runs a small business for eggs.

This is what I have learned (please correct me if it is not correct).
A chicken that is vaccinated against Marek carries the disease. The vaccinated chicken doesn't get sick but can infect you're flock. Especially young chicks get infected and sick with Marek disease. It's awful if you have young chicks and one after the other dies young.

There is another Marek diseases that also infects mature chickens (sudden death).

If you have the normal Marek disease in you're flock you can only add vaccinated chick(en)s or adult chickens.

If you have a small flock , like natural breeding and hatching, and don’t want to pay for the vaccinations, it is best to start with a whole new flock. Without vaccinated chick(en)s. It’s expensive to vaccinate a small flock.

Vaccinations are not obliged in the Netherlands.

 

[abpatchy]

Marek vaccine can only be given to a small chick. And only if it has absolutely no contact to adult chickens or lives inside a coop where adult chickens used to be.
I will have my chicks vaccinated. I paid 500Euros for my 10 chickens. Those chicks will be too precious to me to lose them to Marek.
If I had just chickens for laying and meat would I vaccinate? Probably not.

 

[Papa John59]

When we bought our ladies, they were 5 months old and already vaccinated. Since we are not breeding, and in time, when we need to replace them. I will buy the replacements all together at once. So if they are vaccinated or not, it really doesn't matter to me.

 

[Perris]

I paid 500Euros for my 10 chickens.

did you buy champion show winners? I had no idea chickens could even be that expensive!

 

[BDutch]

Marek vaccine ..... I paid 500Euros for my 10 chickens. Those chicks will be too precious to me to lose them to Marek.
If I had just chickens for laying and meat would I vaccinate? Probably not.

did you buy champion show winners? I had no idea chickens could even be that expensive!

I paid something like €30 for my first chicks when I started with backyard chickens. A few chicks suddenly died and I bought a few more for €15. After that my broody Dutch hatched chicks. First hatch from eggs fertilised by my rooster. And a few years later I paid another €10 for fertile eggs. Never needed a vet (until now).

 

[abpatchy]

did you buy champion show winners? I had no idea chickens could even be that expensive!

Well, the first chickens I bought from a breeder in my area. He has made it all the way to european champion with his chickens. Then I'm breeding a breed that is not very common as a matter of fact it is considered endangered. I was just lucky enough to live in the area where he lives and that he was willing to give me chickens.
The second batch I bought were at a show and no they were not winners but they had enough points to be classified as "winners". And you always pay more at a show. But I had more choices of what to buy.

Chickens can be even more expensive than that. I have seen well over 150 Euros per chicken at a show.

 

[chickengr]

once I paid 70 eur for a british araucana roo. he is far away from champion. soon after I got him the hen died. I have no other hen for him. bad luck.