Vaccinate or Not

[FortCluck]

My understanding is it can. Not necessarily CREATE a carrier but allow a sick bird to not show symptoms while still shedding (and thereby sharing) the illness.

That sounds... Pleasant... Not

 

[21hens-incharge]

Even some hatcheries, while offering the vaccinations, recommend small flock owners not vaccinate.

 

[FortCluck]

Even some hatcheries, while offering the vaccinations, recommend small flock owners not vaccinate.

Hmmm interesting

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I've had my chicks get a Marek's shot, a Bronchitis shot, the coccidiosis shot. I can't say if it helps or not I haven't had those birds long. I have gotten so many birds, so many different kinds I thought I probably should do something to prevent what I can.
I look at it like this I got vaccines, my kids got vaccines; however I don't elect to get these new nonsense vaccines and I let my kids decide for themselves if they want them or not (so far no to any extras lol). The chickens haven't told me whether they want them or not so I don't know if its important or not for me to continue. 21 peafowl, 30 ducks, 8 turkeys, 2 geese, and at least 100 chickens fyi.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I haven't just because it doesn't seem the benefits outweigh the extra cost. As others have said, the birds are still at risk for the disease Like to keep things as clean and simple as can be here.

That makes sense. I wish I knew that when I first got mine

Someone who has vaccinated PLEASE vote and tell us your experience with vaccinating. And what vaccinations you get...

@KDOGG331 didn't you vaccinate?

You can help me understand...

What did you vaccinate for and why?

Pros vs Cons?

Sorry, just now saw this.

Didn’t get the notification for some reason.

Anyway, I do vaccinate, yes but if I had a choice to start over I don’t think that I would.

I got my first chickens a little over 4 years ago and at the time, I think I had read something about wild birds carrying a lot of potential diseases and we have almost 3 acres and are set back in the woods soooo..... lots of birds. So I was a bit paranoid I guess and really didn’t know better and got the vaccine.

Fast forward to this past year when I went to add more birds and I had read an article that said vaccinated birds can potentially kill unvaccinated birds because they breed a hotter, more deadly strain of the virus since the host doesn’t die. So I somewhat had to vaccinate them since they were going to be living together and I didn’t want any to die. I added 5 new chicks in April.

I just hatched 9 Thanksgiving weekend and I did not vaccinate those ones but only because the vaccine is only sold in 1,000 dose vials and I wasn’t gonna buy that for 9 chicks. So I wanted to keep them away from my current chickens but realistically they are going to be going out there soon. Separate coop but hopefully they’ll be okay.

I ordered 9 more chicks to arrive in April (though I may cancel that order) and I did opt to vaccinate those ones too. Because I have vaccinated birds, I figure I kind of have to now. Except for ones I hatch I guess but I don’t plan on hatching often.

So I guess long story short I was a bit of a newbie and didn’t really know better and thought “vaccinate? Sure! Why not?” And/or thought you had to. I mean, they wouldn’t offer it if it wasn’t a good idea right? Or so I thought at the time.

But in retrospect, I wish I wouldn’t have because now I have to protect all future birds coming in and as has been stated, it doesn’t really protect them from anything.

I just checked the box for vaccination when I order them. I’m not even really sure what it’s for. I think Mareks.

I mean, I guess pros they won’t show symptoms of it/get sick? But cons are now every unvaccinated bird coming onto the property is at an even greater risk.

My understanding is it can. Not necessarily CREATE a carrier but allow a sick bird to not show symptoms while still shedding (and thereby sharing) the illness.

I’ve read it can produce a hotter, more deadly strain of the virus and kill any unvaccinated birds kept near them because normally with a super hot strain all the birds would die off too fast for it to spread but with the vaccine they are unaffected by it and therefore the virus can reproduce and get worse.

Even some hatcheries, while offering the vaccinations, recommend small flock owners not vaccinate.

Ideal has a box pop up and say they don’t recommend it for small flocks when you check that option and you can hit to do it anyway or not

 

[CSAchook]

Someone who has vaccinated PLEASE vote and tell us your experience with vaccinating. And what vaccinations you get...

My last batch of hatchery chicks were vaccinated for Marek's. I was splitting the order with my Dad and he has a Marek's positive flock. It was introduced to the property by wild birds. He now keeps a closed flock (once birds go in they never leave the property) but he would like his girls to live as long as possible. (For those that do not know, Marek's fatalities are most common in POL and very old birds.) Raising chicks and losing 30% of them at POL was depressing to say the least. And breeding for resistance is not an option for him because he lives in the city and cannot keep a rooster.

So the chicks I kept were also vaccinated. It left me with a mixed flock of vaccinated and unvaccinated birds which I had no problem with.

Coccidiocis was the only other vaccine the hatchery offered and I felt that was unnecessary for my climate and flock size.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Here’s some interesting (IMO. I’m weird lol) articles on it.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/...s-enhance-spread-of-deadlier-chicken-viruses/

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/07/could-some-vaccines-make-diseases-more-deadly

 

[Meg-in-MT]

My understanding is it can. Not necessarily CREATE a carrier but allow a sick bird to not show symptoms while still shedding (and thereby sharing) the illness.

That's interesting. I figured it was a bit like the flu shot. I always vaccinated for Marek's because it's a bit of a life changer when your flock contracts it, where coccidia is treatable. Always learning.

 

[ShrekDawg]

My last batch of hatchery chicks were vaccinated for Marek's. I was splitting the order with my Dad and he has a Marek's positive flock. It was introduced to the property by wild birds. He now keeps a closed flock (once birds go in they never leave the property) but he would like his girls to live as long as possible. (For those that do not know, Marek's fatalities are most common in POL and very old birds.) Raising chicks and losing 30% of them at POL was depressing to say the least. And breeding for resistance is not an option for him because he lives in the city and cannot keep a rooster.

So the chicks I kept were also vaccinated. It left me with a flock of vaccinated and unvaccinated birds which I had no problem with.

Coccidiocis was the only other vaccine the hatchery offered and I felt that was unnecessary for my climate and flock size.

I never knew all this. I am glad I have mine vaccinated then in a way since we have a ton of wild birds. I didn’t realize they could die so easily or so often.

The vaccinate or not thing is so tough. So many pros and cons.

Mine are pets so I want them to live a long time too. I have some almost 4 1/2 year old hens.

 

[CSAchook]

My last batch of hatchery chicks were vaccinated for Marek's. I was splitting the order with my Dad and he has a Marek's positive flock. It was introduced to the property by wild birds. He now keeps a closed flock (once birds go in they never leave the property) but he would like his girls to live as long as possible. (For those that do not know, Marek's fatalities are most common in POL and very old birds.) Raising chicks and losing 30% of them at POL was depressing to say the least. And breeding for resistance is not an option for him because he lives in the city and cannot keep a rooster.

So the chicks I kept were also vaccinated. It left me with a flock of vaccinated and unvaccinated birds which I had no problem with.

Coccidiocis was the only other vaccine the hatchery offered and I felt that was unnecessary for my climate and flock size.

To be clear, getting Marek's vaccinations doesn't prevent my Dad's birds from contracting Marek's. It just keeps them from dying of Marek's. They are still carriers for the disease which is why he keeps a closed flock.