Rebuilding my Farm

[Wickischickies]

I am so excited they are hatching!!!! How long before you will know they are clean? I will keep you updated on the Vaccine.

 

[Wickischickies]

I left a message with the Michigan rep with Merck. So far I found out that the vaccine comes in 10/2000 doses and is sold to vets. So the 2000 doses are separated in 10 vials to treat 200 birds each (that's not too bad). You mix one vial with water in a sprayer and spray the chickens with it. The chickens need to breathe in the mist for it to be effective. The chickens have to be 6 weeks old and/or 4 weeks before laying in order to vaccinate. I am waiting to find out the cost. Once the packet is mixed it must be used immediately. I'm praying it isn't too expensive

and the company will let me purchase it since I'm not a vet.

The breed I like is $8 to $10 per chick and $20 for adults. Losing as many as I have this year to this disease (that I bought as adults) plus the vet bill for the sick chicks ($140) and having the flock NPIP certified ($109), I'm at a huge loss for just starting out.

When I find out the price of the vaccine, split it between the 10 packets, I will compare it with the cost incurred this year and the cost of restarting our flock. My hubby is a business man who compares the risk/benefits to the cost before making decisions will have to be convinced it will be a worthy investment.

This is what I found so far:

Indications
MYCOVAC-L

vaccine is indicated for the vaccination of chickens at six weeks of age or older for protection against clinical signs of MG.
Administration and Dosage
The time of administration should be determined by the degree of MG exposure, type of chicken being vaccinated, and the current management procedures. MYCOVAC-L

vaccine is approved for use via fine spray at 6 weeks of age or older.
Vaccination
The best protection is obtained when the vaccinated chickens have time to develop immunity prior to exposure to MG. Avoid the use of any medications effective against MG for 5 days before or after vaccination. Good management practices are recommended to reduce the exposure to MG for at least 3 weeks following vaccination. Birds should be maintained in a proper environment with good management at all times to maximum vaccine efficacy.
Caution
1. Refer to the package insert for specific directions.
2. Do not medicate chickens with antibacterial drugs--especially chlortetracycline, oxtetracycline, and sulfonamid--5 days prior to or after vaccination.
3. This vaccine should not be administered within 2 weeks of any Newcastle, bronchitis or laryngotracheitis vaccination.
4. All susceptible birds on the same premises should be vaccinated at the same time.
5. Do not dilute the vaccine or otherwise stretch the dosage of the vaccine.
6. Use entire contents of the vial when first opened.
7. Do not vaccinate chickens within 21 days of slaughter.
8. The 6/85 strain is not pathogenic for turkeys, but care should be taken to maintain tight biosecurity during the application of the vaccine and when handling vaccinated chickens.

 

[Farmerboy16]

Thanks for the great info, Wickischickies!

I have over 20 chicks hatch, its hard to count them in the hatcher! lol

I have been emailing the vet at MSU, and this is what I have to do with my chicks-
I have to wait 21 days before the chicks are old enough to be swabbed, then I have to send the swabs in the overnight mail to MSU to be tested. Then I will know in 2 weeks if the experiment works. That is 5 WEEKS total to wait for the results! But it will be so worth it when I get the results.

 

[Wickischickies]

I really hope it works!

 

[chicken grandma]

I am praying for you both

I hope you are able to get your flocks/farms free of MG.

I also had respiratory disease in my flock. I took a different road. I euthanized and incinerated all my chickens and I am waiting a year before buying or hatching more.

I felt the wild birds in my area may be carrying it. I hope by waiting, and getting chicks from a tested MG free flock and vaccinating new chicks before putting them outside, that I can be MG free next year.

I just wanted to share my way of coping with MG as another alternative for people. We were told at M.S.U. that MG can travel a half mile in the air, so unless your farm has miles of space, even one chicken on the farm can cause all the others to come down with MG.

 

[Shamrock4]

Ouch.
A year ago I had a minor cold in my flock (treatable) and I lost 3 chickens, but I cant imagine what it must be like to actually lose everything. I hope you will be able to rebuild your flock to what it once was. Good luck.

 

[Wickischickies]

Very sorry Shamrock4.

 

[Wynette]

Ouch.
A year ago I had a minor cold in my flock (treatable) and I lost 3 chickens, but I cant imagine what it must be like to actually lose everything. I hope you will be able to rebuild your flock to what it once was. Good luck.

Shamrock - chickens don't get colds. They contract respiratory illnesses that are contagious. If they are treated & survive, they then become carriers.

 

[Shamrock4]

I understand that many resperitory infections leave the chickens carriers for life, but not all. The infection my chickens had had was treatable, and believe me, I did my reaserch, i know what i had and my birds are not carriers.

 

[Farmerboy16]

I had gotten 26 chicks hatch on Easter.

Also, I had brought a swab kit from the the animal clinic for $8.50. It has about 5 to 10 swabs with the culture tubes. The test for each swab is $18.00, so that is a whole lot cheaper than doing the blood test route! Yay!