Vaccinate or Not

[NHMountainMan]

But he vaccinates his red rangers...

I'm hoping to keep a stock of rangers to maturity, to see if I can incubate. Longer life= more risk of exposure and getting sick.

 

[CSAchook]

So you vaccinate? Does that mean you don't buy from others who don't?

Say a friend has chicks you want... You don't get them?

As I have explained several times already, I had a flock of mixed vaccinated and unvaccinated birds.

 

[FortCluck]

This is my first time ordering. I'm not vaccinating them to save the .50/bird. With a 6-8 week life before processing, doesn't seem to matter to me. They'll also be very far from my existing flock. No chance of contact, except for me going between the flocks... which as I type this means I'll be to cross contaminant...huh...?????

Even having them on the same property would be

You would have to change all your clothes and I assume shower before you go between the flocks.

 

[FortCluck]

As I have explained several times already, I had a flock of mixed vaccinated and unvaccinated birds.

Now I want to order vaccinated chicks just to see what happens in the future.

 

[ShrekDawg]

As I have explained several times already, I had a flock of mixed vaccinated and unvaccinated birds.

You may have said this before so sorry if I missed it but did your unvaccinated ones ever get sick from being near the vaccinated ones or were they okay? And did you house them together or just on the same property? I’m moving the chicks outside this weekend and they are, of course, not vaccinated so I’m a little nervous about putting them near my vaccinated birds but from what I understand, they should be fine?? And the fact I’ve had turkeys on the property should protect them from some strains of Mereks?

 

[FortCluck]

I'm hoping to keep a stock of rangers to maturity, to see if I can incubate. Longer life= more risk of exposure and getting sick.

Nice! I don't even know what breeds I'm incubating right now. I was given 3 dozen eggs from a guy who took 4 of my roosters. He just wanted some cockerels in return.

I'm thinking about ordering chicks that are vaccinated just to see what happens in the long run.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Now I want to order vaccinated chicks just to see what happens in the future.

I think if you hatched eggs from the vaccinated birds then the chicks should have immunity too? Or at least some immunity. I think @Mixed flock enthusiast said that?

 

[NHMountainMan]

Even having them on the same property would be

You would have to change all your clothes and I assume shower before you go between the flocks.

you're right. As I'm flipping back and forth between website's and BYC - it basically seems to me that the sole benefit of the vaccine is survivability of an infected bird. Been on MD, Penn State, Ms, UNH websites, all with some commentary about marek's. All confirm that Marek's has no human risk - in meat or eggs.

So - if I want the rangers, and existing / egg flock to survive - for me, I'll vaccinate. As the cornish won't survive, I'll save $.50/ bird. I may cross contaminate if I do have marek's in my flock, but as long as the cornish last 6-8 weeks, nothing to worry about.
Just my personal POV for my flock.

 

[FortCluck]

I think if you hatched eggs from the vaccinated birds then the chicks should have immunity too? Or at least some immunity. I think @Mixed flock enthusiast said that?

I'd have to get vaccinated birds first I've never put thought into chicken vaccines.

I vaccinate my dogs and cat, but never had a vaccinated chicken unless I was never told when I bought them.

The farm I buy from gets chicks from a hatchery... Now it's got me wondering if I do have vaccinated ones. Would a farm risk Marek's when buying large bulk of chicks every year. We are talking about thousands.

 

[CSAchook]

You may have said this before so sorry if I missed it but did your unvaccinated ones ever get sick from being near the vaccinated ones or were they okay? And did you house them together or just on the same property? I’m moving the chicks outside this weekend and they are, of course, not vaccinated so I’m a little nervous about putting them near my vaccinated birds but from what I understand, they should be fine?? And the fact I’ve had turkeys on the property should protect them from some strains of Mereks?

Well they all eventually got murdered by dogs so I have no long term results to discuss, but they did all live in the same coop. Here is my reasoning.

Mixed flock covered this very well, but I will add my two cents as someone who kept Marek’s vaccinated and unvaccinated birds together. The Marek’s vaccine does not give the chicken a transmittable disease. That is why all my chickens could be safely and happily housed together. The potential problem is that a vaccinated chicken can later be exposed to and contract Marek’s from another source and become silent carriers that spread the disease to unvaccinated birds. But honestly, given that Marek’s can live in things like feather dander for years, and we all know that dust goes everywhere, I am not convinced that housing the unvaccinated birds separately would prevent infection.