Vaccination and De-beaking?

I for one do not vaccinate and I would never debeak a chicken. Debeaking is done in high volume hatcheries where the birds are caged all the time. Not in backyard flocks.

 

from Kansas and If buying chicks vaccinations are options. de-beaking, I agree ewwww! Not my chickens. I'm hatching my first batch and I did check here and a majority of the people here don't vaccinate their chicks. I agree with cluckychick de-beaking shouldn't be needed for the backyard flock.

 

Debeaking is mutilation, IMO, and only used when the management practices are substandard, ie, crowding, inadequate food, etc. So far, I have never had mine vaccinated for cocci or mareks or anything.

 

Hi
From what I 've read. Alot of people do not vaccinate. This is a large hatchery practice. Their food (depending on what you buy) has antibotics in it already. In my opinion, your best defence is to keep your birds clean and away from other birds, and use good quarenteen (spelling?) practices when introducing new birds to your flock.
As far as debeaking...........The beak is the most sensitive part of a chicken. I would NEVER do it. It is done at places that have alot of chickens in cages to prevent canabialism as the post before mine said.
Best of luck with your birds.
O and by the way welcome!!!!
You can find out about all of this in different threads on this site. Very useful info. that will help you make an educated decision.

 

I want to clarify that starter feed doesn't have any antibiotics, per se. The meds in it are usually amprolium, a thiamine blocker. That allows them to develop a natural immunity to the protozoan that causes cocci that lives in the soil. I have seen bacitracin and erthopabate listed, but that is in small amounts to supplement the thiamine blocker, not to actually treat a disease other than that.

 

Quote: I agree

 

I agree with the other posts. I have never had mine debeaked or vaccinated. I do feed my chicks medicated Starter/Grower feed. All of my birds are healthy and happy.