Vaccinating babies

[Orpingtons Mom]

I recently lost two hens to (I think) Marek's. Besides being saddened, I am now in a dilemma.

After speaking to my department of agriculture (VDACS) AND UGeorgia Poultry Science department manager, every chicken on my property has Marek's and it's just a question of 'how long' before it kills them. She did not even recommend wasting my money on testing.

Plus, as I searched throughout BYC, I found many threads on suspected Marek's, and confirmed cases.

Realizing I basically have a ticking time bomb, can I ask everyone what are their vaccinating practices? These are the basic ones I have found:

• E.Coli: Given at one-day-old.
• Marek’s Disease: Given at a day-old subcutaneously.
• Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro disease): Given from 10 – 28 days old in water.
• Infectious Bronchitis: Given at 16 – 20 weeks of age with eye drops or as a spray.
• Newcastle Disease: Given at 16 – 20 weeks of age in water or eye drops.
• Fowl-pox: Given at 10 –12 weeks of age as a wing web.
• Laryngotracheitis: From 4 weeks of age with eye drops.

What do you do? And what are your thoughts?

 

[CreveChris]

We are about to vaccinate our hatchlings for Marek's. The flock was day-old vaccinated by the breeder and their chicks are 1-3 days old. How the heck do you vaccinate at one day when they don't all hatch the same day?

We've isolated them in the brooder in the laundry room away from the flock and are practicing stringent biosecurity. The vaccination kit is the the fridge and we still have 2 unhatched eggs.