Vaccinating for Mareks

[RosemaryDuck]

Hey all! Would just like some information. I recently hatched out 2 chicks. I'd like to vaccinate them both for Mareks, but I'm just wondering about a few things.

-Where is a responsible, safe place to get the vaccine from? (Where would you recommend?)
-When is it safe to give them the vaccine?
-Do I have to give it to them again in a few years?

Thanks in advance!

 

[sloanbychoice]

I'm not sure where you are geographically, but here it only comes in 1000-dose bottles. I believe it's supposed to be given at just a couple of days old.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can google for sellers for it. It has to be given early and before they're exposed to any other chickens. There's no "booster" shot for it.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I get mine from ValleyVet or Jeffers Pet.
It is about $30 a bottle. Only comes in the 1000 dose bottle. I have vaccinated as few as 2 chicks with a whole bottle. It has to be used within 2 hours of mixing it up. You have to buy the 25 or 27 gauge needles and syringes for the injection, as well as a single 18 gauge needle to draw up the vaccine. I vaccinate all my chicks. It is definitely not cost effective though.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

I get mine from ValleyVet or Jeffers Pet.
It is about $30 a bottle. Only comes in the 1000 dose bottle. I have vaccinated as few as 2 chicks with a whole bottle. It has to be used within 2 hours of mixing it up. You have to buy the 25 or 27 gauge needles and syringes for the injection, as well as a single 18 gauge needle to draw up the vaccine. I vaccinate all my chicks. It is definitely not cost effective though.

Ouch, that's a bit ridiculous . You'd think they'd make like a 30-40 bottle dose for us non commerical farmers. But I do really want them to be safe. Better $30 now then Mareks later!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ouch, that's a bit ridiculous . You'd think they'd make like a 30-40 bottle dose for us non commerical farmers. But I do really want them to be safe. Better $30 now then Mareks later!

That's the main reason most people don't vaccinate at home - just not cost effective and you can't store the vaccine either, so it'd need to be purchased each time you got more chicks.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Ouch, that's a bit ridiculous . You'd think they'd make like a 30-40 bottle dose for us non commerical farmers. But I do really want them to be safe. Better $30 now then Mareks later!

I agree! I have vaccinated mine as late as 10 days of age, as I was waiting for more to hatch. You have to be super careful not to cross contaminate the chicks from the rest of the flock and they can not have been outside or on the ground at all. Make sure you change your clothes, wash hands (we are all doing that a 1000 x a day these days anyway) and you have to wait 2 weeks minimum from the time you administer the vaccine until they can go outside on the ground.

 

[wolfwalker]

I'm going to post a link to a company that sells the 1000 dose vial with the tools and such to spilt it into fourths. It runs 50$ but that equals out to 12.50$ per split and drops the amount to 250 doses not as much waste that way.

http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/...s/mareks-vaccine-split-pack-1000-dose-en.html