Should I vaccinate my week old chicks for marek's?

[BarelyBirding]

So I just got 12 little chicks in the mail on Thursday. I must note that this is my first time having chickens, but not birds. I keep pigeons as pets. I had already purchased the vaccines for them before I ordered. I ordered from Ideal hatcheries, and their website told me its best not to vaccinate since its a live virus and you'd be introducing marek's to your property. There has never been any chickens on my property before (to my best knowledge) as I live in a residential area (but I have enough land to keep backyard chickens in accordance to city ordinances). I would like to vaccinate them as I don't want anything to happen to them when they get older or if i decide to add more. But i'm a little worried for a few reasons and I wanted to get advice from people who've had chickens much longer than me and are more experienced lol.

So, to vaccinate or not to vaccinate?
My concerns are; what is the likelihood that my chickens will eventually get mareks from my residential backyard? Has anyone ever experienced their chickens getting diseases from their yards without ever having chickens? Also, I noted before that I have a pet pigeon, I have never read or heard of pigeons getting or transmitting mareks disease but I wanted to ask if anyone has exerienced that or heard of it happening before. I know they can transmit other diseases to each other, but Ive never heard of mareks in pigeons. I just want to make sure that all of my birds are safe.


Thanks for reading! Also any other advice you want to give to a first time chicken keeper is also appreciated.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Welcome to BYC! And congrats on your first post. My first batch of chicks were vaccinated against it just because I never knew anything and still don't. I have stopped doing that since then and have not experienced issues except predation. I am sure Marek's is a real thing somewhere and for someone. Please shoot us some pictures of your cuties.

 

[BarelyBirding]

Welcome to BYC! And congrats on your first post. My first batch of chicks were vaccinated against it just because I never knew anything and still don't. I have stopped doing that since then and have not experienced issues except predation. I am sure Marek's is a real thing somewhere and for someone. Please shoot us some pictures of your cuties.

Thanks!! What sort of predation do you get? my yard is fairly secure and my dog gets anything that goes back there as far as possums, raccoons, or rats. I am concerned about aerial predators though as there is a mess of kites, hawks, and crows that nest all around my neighborhood. I see them everyday in the sky above my house. I am Planning on having a fully enclosed run, but I was going to let them free range with supervision.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
I'm very suprised (stunned!) that someone at Ideal told you that the Mareks vaccine would introduce this disease to your property. That's just not true at all. It's not the chicken form of Marek's disease at all, and no problem for your birds.
It will not prevent chickens who are exposed to Marek's disease from becoming infected, but it does help prevent the tumors that kill the infected chickens.
If you practice good biosecurity (look it up!) and are fortunate to have no neighbors who bring infected birds nearby, your flock may avoid this entirely. We have here, thankfully, due to being careful, and lucky.
Here chicks hatched by broody hens aren't vaccinated by me, but chicks from hatcheries do get their vaccines at the hatchery before shipping. Our unvaccinated birds would likely get sick if Marek's disease ever arrives here, and then we will manage somehow.
Pictures of your coop? Approximately where are you, and what chicks did you order?
Mary

 

[BarelyBirding]

Welcome!
I'm very suprised (stunned!) that someone at Ideal told you that the Mareks vaccine would introduce this disease to your property. That's just not true at all. It's not the chicken form of Marek's disease at all, and no problem for your birds.
It will not prevent chickens who are exposed to Marek's disease from becoming infected, but it does help prevent the tumors that kill the infected chickens.
If you practice good biosecurity (look it up!) and are fortunate to have no neighbors who bring infected birds nearby, your flock may avoid this entirely. We have here, thankfully, due to being careful, and lucky.
Here chicks hatched by broody hens aren't vaccinated by me, but chicks from hatcheries do get their vaccines at the hatchery before shipping. Our unvaccinated birds would likely get sick if Marek's disease ever arrives here, and then we will manage somehow.
Pictures of your coop? Approximately where are you, and what chicks did you order?
Mary

Thanks for the great info,
I have two coops, one I havent put together yet, but its 8ftL by 4ftW with 6 12x12 lay boxes. then I have one of the small ones you buy from tractor supply that are like 6x4 with 3 lay boxes. they are going to be set up in an enclosed run that's 16x25 and 6ft tall. Outside of that, my entire back yard is fully fenced 6 and 8ft around. I live in Texas near louisanna. Its very hot and wet here so I'm always worried about sickness. No nearby neighbors have anything except dogs, but a home a few blocks away used to have goats and geese. I got 2 black stars, 2 easter eggers, 2 australorps, 3 polish, 2 crevecoeurs, and one sultan. I'm very concerned with the health of my chickens, I want them to live full and happy lives, so I want to make sure I'm doing things right.