Question about Vaccinations

[FamFitz]

There are several threads on this subject. I tried to read through several to find an answer to my concern, but I'm not sure I got a clear answer. Hoping someone can help by giving it here.

I have 6 chicks and plan to go up to 11 in the next couple of weeks. They were purchased from 4 different feed stores. All the stores said they sexed their chicks and 2 of the feed stores said they vaccinated and that any store that would pay for sexing would also pay for the vaccine. After getting the chicks, I realized I never confirmed with the other 2 stores that they were indeed vaccinated. I called the two stores and the 3rd one said yes (and gave the same "we pay for sexing so we pay for vaccinating) but then the 4th store said that they opt out of the vaccination.

I'm kicking myself for not asking at the store and BEFORE getting the chick (#RookieMistake). But, now that I have 4 chicks w/o vaccination and 2 with (will be a total of 7 with when I get the rest of my chicks over the next two weeks) I am just stuck with what I have (thinking I'll stick to all vaccinated from here on out). I am wondering, should I prepare myself for losing the 4 that aren't vaccinated or could things turn out just fine? I don't really want to have a flock of 15, but if I am going to lose some due to the vaccination situation, I'm wondering if I should just get more? (Side Note: I'm also paranoid about my pullets being roo's and that my ideal flock size will go down, but I decided to not get more as a just in case and if I get rosters to instead wait till next I can get more of the breed that turned out to be roo's.)

If it's a factor, I don't have older chickens (so this is the 1st flock, they won't be introduced to older birds). However, the coop that I have was on the property when I moved in and housed chickens prior (don't know how long ago - at least a year or more and probably more).

 

[farnorth]

Last summer I got chicks and I did not have them vaccinated. I have a coop that has had 2 flocks of chickens prior to these chicks. I know the first flock of 6 I had came from a farm and were also not vaccinated I rehomed them at about 18months old and none of them ever got sick or died.. The 2nd flock I got as adults, from 2 different people and I have no idea if they were ever vaccinated or not....one of them had distorted pupils in it's eyes and I thought it was possibly a Marek's survivor. But none of the other chickens ever got sick and none of them died on me. After coming here and reading about Marek's.... I prepared myself for the fact that I should have vaccinated and that all of my new chicks were probably going to die...and that I had simply been very lucky no to have any sick chickens in the first 2 batches.... But they didn't, they didn't get sick, and they didn't die. They are now 8 months old. I lost one recently but it was not Marek's. they have always been lively and healthy.... You just might be okay....others have not had the same results as me but it's not a certainty that they will get Marek's and die.

 

[FamFitz]

Very reassuring to hear your chicks all did/are doing well without vaccinations. I think I'm less worried about the idea of "do they need vaccinations" vs. the fact that I have some that have it and some that do not. I heard the ones with the vaccines can shed the disease to ones who were not vaccinated. If all my chicks were V'd I wouldn't be worried. If none of them were, I probably wouldn't be as worried, maybe just concerned in the back of my mind. But since I have nearly ½ V'd & ½ Not, I'm worried.

Course, I think I've panicked every time I read something new about raising chicks. Panics so far have included the vaccinations, pullets actually being roosters, heat lamp temperature, the age range of my chicks, chicks surviving the 1st few days, chicks surviving in general, and how to best socialize them.
Clearly, I am a worry wart.

 

[farnorth]

Yep, that's my worry too...if ordering chicks and having them vaccinated will they shed the disease to those who are not vaccinated. But I know there are many many people on here who have ordered vaccinated chickens from hatcheries but then also mix in chicks that they are hatching themselves at home in incubators and under broodies and those chicks are obviously not vaccinated and I'm not reading that most people seem concerned by this mixing of vaccinated and unvaccinated.

 

[FamFitz]

I have been kind of getting the same impression from threads I read (that it happens, and no one else seems panicked about it). Was just hoping to confirm I wasn't reading what I wanted to hear (that all is fine) and that it was actually that way.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Shew, ok, calm down, its going to be okay!
I have never, in the 10 or so years I've kept chickens, had one vaccinated. I can't say what happened to them before they got to me, but I've never done it or specifically requested it when I've ordered from a hatchery. I've lost a few birds here and there throughout the years, some of them under odd circumstances, but I've never had a full blown outbreak or illness in my flock, mostly things like laying related issues. The opportunity has certainly been there. When I first got them, I was buying them all willy nilly, wherever I could find them. Maybe I got lucky, who knows, but I'm alot more careful about those things now, knowing what COULD happen and trying to be prepared for it. And I think that's all you can do, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Now, I'm not saying no one anywhere should ever get their chicks vaccinated. There are certain places that certain diseases are more common. Those places should definitely take every step possible to prevent illness. A simple call to your local agriculture or health department will tell you if/which diseases are a possibility in your area.
Anyway, good luck with your chicks! Enjoy them!

 

[FamFitz]

Thanks! I feel a lot better hearing from people who have "been there/done that" and haven't had a straight up death plague to their flock due to Marek's.