For people who have kept their hens rather than culling after a respiratory illness, did these hens ever transmit to chicks they brooded? If you vaccinate your birds against infections, do you let vaccinated hens brood chicks? There was an article in Backyard Poultry earlier this year about vaccinations and how they can cause a sort of latent infection in vaccinated birds that makes the birds carriers for life.
I am thinking of showing this fall for the first time and am pondering whether to vaccinate for ILT or not. I don't want to vaccinate my birds only to have them shed the virus later to chicks they may hatch. What worries me most is having a vaccinated hen shed a virus to her not-yet-vaccinated chicks.
I'd appreciate your thoughts and input!
I am thinking of showing this fall for the first time and am pondering whether to vaccinate for ILT or not. I don't want to vaccinate my birds only to have them shed the virus later to chicks they may hatch. What worries me most is having a vaccinated hen shed a virus to her not-yet-vaccinated chicks.
I'd appreciate your thoughts and input!
