vaccinate for Mareks after exposure?

[klf73]

I am having symptoms of Mareks in my chicks. If I vaccinate NOW can I save the rest of my babies????

 

[kelar]

How old are the chicks? What symptoms are you seeing that make you think they have mareks? It's possible to get mareks in young chicks, but they usually show symptoms at around 4-6 months of age. Exposure to the virus does not necessarily mean they will get Mareks. Vaccination should occur just after hatch, with every effort being made to keep them from exposure until immunity sets in within 10-14 days. You could vaccinate, but it will not protect those who have been exposed and are incubating the virus. If I was quite sure it was Mareks, I'd vaccinate all of the birds and with the next batch of chicks, make sure they are vaccinated and kept separated prior to exposure.