Vaccinations and introducing a new bird

[ChelsieW]

Hey all,
Hope someone can help me. I have raised my all hen flock from chicks. I got them all vaccinated and fed them unmedicated feed. We're thinking about adopting a 12 week old rooster from someone I know who has a few too many roosters. He's a sultan mix (pic of cute boy attached) and so far very gentle disposition. We just want a man around to help protect the ladies. Her flock was UNvaccinated and she fed them medicated feed. I'm wondering if I need to vaccinate him belfer introducing him to my birds and if so, what do I buy? Also, will I need to quarantine him? She has also raised a small flock all from chicks and they're very well cared for. I just don't want to introduce anything dangerous to my birds. Where all of mine are vaccinated, should it be okay? We are also going to inspect him for lice and mites but honestly, she's a good chicken mom. Her whole flock seems very healthy.
Just needing some advice. Thank you in advance.

 

[Sequel]

Hi! I started with chickens vaccinated for Marek’s but last year added 3 pullets that were not. 2 of them died from what the vet said was likely Marek’s, though I didn’t have them necropsied. People hatch their own chicks all the time and do just fine but that sure wasn’t my experience. I’m going with vaccinated ones in the future. Good luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yours are vaccinated for what? If your fear is coccidiosis I really don't think it'll be an issue.

And what do you want to vaccinate him against? Marek's and coccidiosis vaccines are done right after hatching.

Medical quarantine is always a good idea but can be hard to pull off if you don't have the proper set up for it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...nderestimated-part-of-raising-chickens.67097/ If you cannot feasibly set up for it and are willing to take the risk, you can skip ahead to starting up with integration.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have no experience with the vaccine - a lot depends what you vaccinated for...the medicated feed/ non medicated - is really a non issue at his age.

But while the risk of disease is real there are ways to reduce it. And getting a rooster from another hobby chicken people who like you, raised up chicks, WITHOUT adding chicks or birds from a swap or auction have probably not been exposed to very much disease.

So taking a bird from this situation is probably pretty low chance. It is lower yet, if there have not been birds on the property before those people started. The difference in getting birds from someone like me, who have had birds for more than a decade, there could be something in my soil that does not bother my chickens but might yours.

So well kept birds, without strange bird introductions should be pretty safe. However, the risk is real. If you loosing a bird or several would cause you to go into a depression, or suffer a financial hit, then you should not add birds t your flock. A lot of people do not add birds to their flock except as chicks.

Mrs K

 

[ChelsieW]

I have no experience with the vaccine - a lot depends what you vaccinated for...the medicated feed/ non medicated - is really a non issue at his age.

But while the risk of disease is real there are ways to reduce it. And getting a rooster from another hobby chicken people who like you, raised up chicks, WITHOUT adding chicks or birds from a swap or auction have probably not been exposed to very much disease.

So taking a bird from this situation is probably pretty low chance. It is lower yet, if there have not been birds on the property before those people started. The difference in getting birds from someone like me, who have had birds for more than a decade, there could be something in my soil that does not bother my chickens but might yours.

So well kept birds, without strange bird introductions should be pretty safe. However, the risk is real. If you loosing a bird or several would cause you to go into a depression, or suffer a financial hit, then you should not add birds t your flock. A lot of people do not add birds to their flock except as chicks.

Mrs K

I have no experience with the vaccine - a lot depends what you vaccinated for...the medicated feed/ non medicated - is really a non issue at his age.

But while the risk of disease is real there are ways to reduce it. And getting a rooster from another hobby chicken people who like you, raised up chicks, WITHOUT adding chicks or birds from a swap or auction have probably not been exposed to very much disease.

So taking a bird from this situation is probably pretty low chance. It is lower yet, if there have not been birds on the property before those people started. The difference in getting birds from someone like me, who have had birds for more than a decade, there could be something in my soil that does not bother my chickens but might yours.

So well kept birds, without strange bird introductions should be pretty safe. However, the risk is real. If you loosing a bird or several would cause you to go into a depression, or suffer a financial hit, then you should not add birds t your flock. A lot of people do not add birds to their flock except as chicks.

Mrs K

Hey,
Thank you for the detailed response. So, we have vaccinated all of our birds as chicks from the hatchery. So, Mareks and .... etc. Lol. I can't remember all that they vaccinate for but we have raised all.of our hens from chicks from a hatchery and gotten any vaccines that they offer.
This person did the opposite. She didn't get any vaccinations but fed all her chicks medicated feed until they were old enough for flock or layer feed.
So, here is my question...
If he is carrying something like Mareks for example, it would only affect him, right? Since mine have been vaccinated? Or is there still a risk of introducing something. I don't know how effective these vaccines are.
I would risk getting him if the risk is only to him and not to my flock.
Also, someone said I should quarantine him for 5 to 6 weeks. Frankly, if that's the case... I don't want to do it. Too much work for one bird.

 

[ChelsieW]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but if you vaccinate all your birds as chicks like I have and another person with a small flock has done the same, is the medical quarantine still necessary?

Sorry... I'm just trying to understand the whole vaccination thing and the quarantine thing.

We are very attached to our hens. They're pets as well as livestock so I don't want to be stupid and regret it later. I would love to take this little guy but now I'm having second thoughts and wondering if I should forego having a roo until I get chicks again sometime in the future.

 

[aart]

If he is carrying something like Mareks for example, it would only affect him, right? Since mine have been vaccinated?

Not necessarily, there are different strains of Mareks,
Plus I believe the vaccine just suppresses symptoms and doesn't prevent them from being carriers.

 

[aart]

I would love to take this little guy but now I'm having second thoughts and wondering if I should forego having a roo until I get chicks again sometime in the future.

Excellent idea!

Sorry if this is a dumb question but if you vaccinate all your birds as chicks like I have and another person with a small flock has done the same, is the medical quarantine still necessary?

Sorry... I'm just trying to understand the whole vaccination thing and the quarantine thing.

Not all diseases can be vaccinated against,
and there are other pests, internal and external, that can't be vaccinated against.
Even a strict and effective quarantine might not exclude all risk.

 

[ChelsieW]

Excellent idea!

Not all diseases can be vaccinated against,
and there are other pests, internal and external, that can't be vaccinated against.
Even a strict and effective quarantine might not exclude all risk.

Thank you for taking the time with me.

 

[rosemarythyme]

She didn't get any vaccinations but fed all her chicks medicated feed until they were old enough for flock or layer feed.
So, here is my question...
If he is carrying something like Mareks for example, it would only affect him, right? Since mine have been vaccinated? Or is there still a risk of introducing something. I don't know how effective these vaccines are.
I would risk getting him if the risk is only to him and not to my flock.

Medicated feed in most cases is strictly for coccidia so Marek's is really the main concern here.

As far as how the vaccine works: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/ - the section titled VACCINATION is the one you'd be most interested in.

I will say if you know the other chicken owner pretty well and their flock is well maintained, in good heath, and has not suffered from unexplained deaths (this is assuming they didn't just get the birds a couple weeks ago of course), he's unlikely to be a carrier of anything. But there's always some level of risk so it's really up to you to decide if you want to do it.