Should my friend vaccinate her chicks for Mareks?

[Cowgirl71]

I'm planning to order about 45 chicks from two different hatcheries this spring. I'll be combining an order with a friend because I only want 17 chicks from a certain hatchery, not their 25 minimum. And we can save on shipping. But, my friend has always had her chicks vaccinated for Mareks. Except she bought 7 chicks from me last summer and raised them in her chick pen that she always raises her chicks in, and she didn't lose any of them to Mareks. And when her broody hens hatch chicks she doesn't lose any of them to Mareks either. So I'm wondering if it's necessary for her to vaccinate her chicks or not? I don't think she has to, but I'd feel awful if she didn't vaccinate per my request, and then lost most or all of her chicks. Would hatchery chicks be more prone to Mareks than hatched-at-home chicks?

I don't want my chicks vaccinated because I believe it's a pointless expense. I've hatched and raised about 50 birds in the last couple years (and didn't vaccinate them) and never had a problem.

But I wanted to double check here before I ask her about not vaccinating any of her chicks.

 

[CMV]

It's all a matter of personal preference. I don't think in good conscience you can ask her not to vaccinate her birds if that is her normal way of doing things. You could speak to her about it, but I would be hesitant to ask her not to do it just to save a few bucks because that would be the time her birds ended up catching Marek's.

I have hatchery birds, don't vaccinate and have never had a problem with it. I had a friend recently order some new birds and she asked me whether she should vaccinate them or not. I had this same discussion with her. She opted not to vaccinate, but I neither encouraged nor discouraged the vaccine.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Quote:
Exactly what I was going to say! I just looked it up and the hatchery's that I could find prices on were $.10 a chick to vaccinate. I wouldn't tell somebody not to vaccinate, simply because I would feel awful if the chicks got sick! I vaccinated all my birds at one point......now though I haven't gotten around to it because of the cold/snow and I haven't had any problems. That doesn't mean I wont have problems, I just haven't yet.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Thanks for the replies!

I was also planning to hatch a few chicks for myself and raise them along with the hatchery chicks. If I were to raise them with Marek-vaccinated chicks, would the un-vaccinated chicks get sick and die?

 

[MuranoFarms]

Quote:
Might they? Yes. WILL they.....not necessarily. I mentioned above about vaccinating my chicks. The last 2 sets hatched after that and I didn't vaccinate them. They are 2 and 3 months old now and perfectly fine. They are all in the same coop (although in smaller cages so they don't get picked on) but mama was in with the youngest set till 2 weeks ago. She had been vaccinated when she was young. Litter gets kickjed back and forth between the cages, they all run together on cleaning day....there has been plenty of exposure, but no sickness (knock wood! lol)