Vaccinations -do you or dont you?

[firstbatch]

Brand new to raising chicks but hubby and kids are all for it! Pay tons of money for organic eggs. Been reading and reading and curious about vaccinations. Particularly coccidiosis and marek's...would the eggs still be considered organic? and does the vaccination carry over into the meat- cause if we have chickens for eggs, we will be also having chickens for meat We raise or hunt all our meat currently, dont like the idea of eating vaccinated chickens, but dont know much about what they do to the meat/eggs and how imperative the vaccines are done. Thanks for any help you have to offer.

 

[canada-goose]

I've never vaccinated. Keeping your birds clean and well cared for works as well as (or better than) vaccination, in my humble opinion.

 

[bock]

I have a small flock and I never bother with vacinations. Have fun!!

 

[chauqg]

I have had my birds vaccinated. I vaccinated for marek's; I did not want to take a chance on raising 25 birds for 5 months and possibly loosing any to a condition that could be easily "nipped in the bud". Vaccinations help the birds to develop their own resistance faster.

I dont believe chick vaccinations can affect organic issues unless they are given near or while the birds are laying eggs. My birds were vaccinated when they were 1 day old. They were fed medicated feed for the first 8 weeks to help their natural resistance to coccidiosis to develop. All chickens carry coccidiosis and must develop an immunity early, otherwise you can loose the entire flock.

I do not sell my eggs as organic, because the requirements are too far reaching into soil history, bedding, environment in addition to feed and its organic nature, and the birds themselved. Suppliers are only required to report what they put into their feed. They are not required to report what their suppliers might have put into the ingredients they supply. THis is the law! SO, I chose not to sell organic eggs, but I do sell Grass Fed-Free Range eggs.

Our eggs are wonderful; very allergic neighbor children and adults have embraced the natural range fed eggs. They are very satisfied.

I would vaccinate!

There are a series of posts where person lost multiple sets of chicks... She did not vaccinate! The belief was that there was environmental contamination of some sort from the first batch (or older flocks in the same coop) that vaccination could have prevented.

Not worth taking the chance!!!! You are investing time and money why take a chance on wasting both?

 

[Illia]

The only vaccinated birds I have are my hatchery girls. . . All the rest of mine are not vaccinated.

 

[Avla]

You can get a medicated feed if you are worried about vaccinations, I feed my chick Manna Pro.

 

[attached_mama]

No, I will not vaccinate my chickens, but then again, I have a HUGE issue with many vaccines in general:/

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:

I agree.

 

[txchickie]

Quote:
Same. Vaccines are not something I would give to my chickens, among other things.

 

[firstbatch]

Thanks for all of your input. It was very helpful. Exactly the reason I sent in the question. I have no idea how to use these forums, have never tried before. Thanks for making it 'easy'. Now we just need to pick out some chicks