Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Chicks?

[SunHwaKwon]

From My Pet Chickens FAQ:

Q: Why don't you offer a vaccine against Coccidiosis?

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A:

Coccidiosos is an infection caused by a protozoan, and it is found in most environments. However, the coccidiosis vaccine administered in the U.S. is unattenuated, meaning it is not weakened in any way, and can actually cause illness and retarded growth. We think it's a bad idea to cause the baby chicks to endure the extra stress of cocci vaccinations, since shipping is already stressful on the babies. It's for that reason we don't offer a vaccination against coccidia.

To offer extra protection against cocci, you can offer a medicated chick starter feed--this usually contains amprol, and helps chicks resist coccidia oocysts while they build up their natural immunity. Alternatively, you can simply pay extra attention to keeping their brooder clean and dry. The oocysts proliferate in wet environments. It's usually easier to keep a brooder clean when it has just a few backyard birds in it than it is in a factory-farm environment where birds are raised in the thousands with no individual attention to their welfare. However, some backyard keepers like the extra insurance medicated feed can offer.


The cocci vaccine is more aimed for the broiler industry.

As for Mereks, read this

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

Pay attention to this: Chickens will become infected with Marek's virus if exposed, regardless of vaccination. Vaccination only gives chickens a chance to built resistance and reduces the instances of symptoms developin

What does that mean? It means your birds could still get Marek's but rather than succumbing to it be asymptomatic, in which case you may think they are healthy and bring them to a show or swap or sell them, and pass the disease along to other birds, including unvaccinated birds you bring into your flock (or hatch).

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Vaccinated for what? Marek's? If so you don't need to keep them quarantined away from each other, the vaccinated chicks can't give marek's to the unvaccinated ones because they don't actually use marek's to make the vaccine, it's made with a turkey virus. This also means it does not stop your chickens from getting marek's, it just hopefully alleviates or lessens the symptoms if they do contract it.

I think you have answered my concern, but I will ask anyway just to be sure. I ordered chicks from Hoovers and they arrived today. The packing slip has been stamped "vaccinated for mareks" even though I did not request or pay for Mareks vaccine. I contacted Hoovers and they said they don't know but since it's stamped with that it's likely they are vaccinated. The rest of my flock is not vaccinated, and I actually ordered these chicks because I could get them unvaccinated, unlike if I get them from my feed store. I'm not quite sure what to do now. I suppose my main concern is for the health of my flock so mainly I just want to know if this will cause any issues once they integrated with the rest of my unvaccinated flock.

 

[donrae]

I think you have answered my concern, but I will ask anyway just to be sure. I ordered chicks from Hoovers and they arrived today. The packing slip has been stamped "vaccinated for mareks" even though I did not request or pay for Mareks vaccine. I contacted Hoovers and they said they don't know but since it's stamped with that it's likely they are vaccinated. The rest of my flock is not vaccinated, and I actually ordered these chicks because I could get them unvaccinated, unlike if I get them from my feed store. I'm not quite sure what to do now. I suppose my main concern is for the health of my flock so mainly I just want to know if this will cause any issues once they integrated with the rest of my unvaccinated flock.

I can't see how it would be an issue for your current flock. All it means is, if these particular birds are exposed to Marek's down the line, they won't be symptomatic and could infect other birds if exposed. But, if they're living with your flock, if they're exposed, your entire flock is going to be also, right? So your current, unvaccinated birds would fall ill, these vaccinated chicks would not. At that point you'd need to decide if you wanted to risk them exposing other birds, but hopefully it never comes to that.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I can't see how it would be an issue for your current flock. All it means is, if these particular birds are exposed to Marek's down the line, they won't be symptomatic and could infect other birds if exposed. But, if they're living with your flock, if they're exposed, your entire flock is going to be also, right? So your current, unvaccinated birds would fall ill, these vaccinated chicks would not. At that point you'd need to decide if you wanted to risk them exposing other birds, but hopefully it never comes to that.

Yeah, I see what you're saying. One of the reasons I did not want a vaccinated flock is that if my flock was hit by Mareks I would rather know. I hatch and sell a lot of chicks and started birds and I would not want to unknowingly be selling exposed birds. But my unvaccinated flock would act as sentinels (not that I wish harm upon them) so I suppose I feel okay having a few vaccinated birds in the mix. Thank you!

 

[Folly's place]

My flock includes both unvaccinated (Marek's disease vaccine) and unvaccinated birds. Any chicks that I order from outside are vaccinated, and isolated for about three weeks. Chicks hatched and raised by broody hens here aren't vaccinated. They are the birds who would get sick, if Marek's disease ever afflicts my flock, so I'd know what was happening. Through good biosecurity, and luck, it's been 25 years so far with no problems. May it continue! Mary

 

[SunHwaKwon]

My flock includes both unvaccinated (Marek's disease vaccine) and unvaccinated birds.  Any chicks that I order from outside are vaccinated, and isolated for about three weeks.  Chicks hatched and raised by broody hens here aren't vaccinated.  They are the birds who would get sick, if Marek's disease ever afflicts my flock, so I'd know what was happening.  Through good biosecurity, and luck, it's been 25 years so far with no problems.  May it continue!  Mary

Do you isolate for general biosecurity reasons or because of the vaccine?

 

[Folly's place]

Vaccines aren't instant fixes; the chicks need time to build immunity. Mary

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Vaccines aren't instant fixes;  the chicks need time to build immunity.  Mary

Of course... But they're building immunity to something that likely isn't present, right? Just like, I don't need to isolate myself for three weeks after getting a measles shot...I know we all have different ways of doing things though

 

[Folly's place]

I'm paranoid, and IF Marek's disease has arrived this year, the newest chicks will be protected. It's just routine management on my farm. When I do the best I can, there won't be any regrets if the S--- hits the fan. Mary

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I'm paranoid, and IF Marek's disease has arrived this year, the newest chicks will be protected. It's just routine management on my farm. When I do the best I can, there won't be any regrets if the S--- hits the fan. Mary

Very true. After I wrote that I kicked myself, thinking "well of course that makes sense because even if the non-vaccinated birds had Mareks they could stll be in the pre-symptomatic incubation period". I promise I'm a rather intelligent person, but it seems sometimes my brain only wants to work at 50%.