Vaccinations for Show Birds.

[Ryu]

I'm just wondering what everyone else is doing. The chicks in the incubator are (hopefully) destined to go to shows.

Mareks?

Newcastle-Bronchitis?

Coryza?

Any downsides to vaccinating?

Thanks!

 

[MoodyChicken]

Definitely vaccinate for Marek's Disease.

IB might not be a bad idea too, but it's really your decision. Mortality after vaccination is common and birds are carriers. But it's a super common virus, so if you're going to show your birds it's likely that at some point you will get it. You choice, I've never vaccinated my birds and I have shown for 6 years.

Don't vaccinate for anything else unless you have a current problem with the disease. Once again, they'll become carriers after vaccination...

 

[Ryu]

I just talked to the guy at First state vet. He is recommending Marek's, LT, and Corzya for show birds. None of those make the birds lifetime carriers or infectious to other birds.

He said that there are some problems with the Newcastle-Bronc. So I think I about it. But above plus Fowl Pox if it is a problem in your area is what he recommends for show birds.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Most of the people I know who show do not do ANY vaccinating. I don't.

In general we prefer to breed for resistance.

 

[Ryu]

I'm not trying to mandate anything for anyone else, just trying to protect my flock.

I want to show, I know these diseases are out there, and there's cheap effective vaccines available--for me it's a non-decision.

I vaccinate my horses, dogs, cats...why not my chickens?

 

[Black Feather]

I vaccinate for ILT ( infectious laryngotracheitis )

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I never vaccinate my birds for show either. Like Sonoran said, we try to breed for disease-resistance.

 

[Ryu]

I agree about breeding strong, healthy birds, but most of what we have are rare breeds= a lot of time and $$$ to get good birds.

We quarantine new birds coming in, and have identified a number of breeders with carrier flocks of some pretty nasty stuff. Their 'resistant' birds aren't really resistant, they are asymptomatic. Once they are put under stress, new surroundings, new food, ect. they show full symptoms of the disease they carry within a matter of a few days.

There have been only 2 breeders I have bought from whose birds did not require medical intervention or needed to be culled while in quarantine.

So I don't really buy the breeding for resistance line anymore--I've seen way too many sick birds to believe it.

 

[bantamgal]

I think its best to breed for resistance. It makes a hardier breed. Instead of vaccinating for Mareks one could keep a few turkeys with their chickens, and have a natural resistance to the disease.

I know someone who shows a lot and picked up a nasty case of Laryngo (ILT) at a show. He vaccinated his birds after the fact with fairly good success.

It would be great to have enough birds so that one or two dying wouldnt be a big deal, but that is not always the case. And it always seems like the best ones die.

 

[Black Feather]

You have to realize thought that resistance is not something an animal is born with in many instances. You develop resistance by being exposed to the elements in your environment, both good and bad. It's like you getting the cold, once you've had it your body develops a resistance to it and until that virus mutates again into a strain the body does not recognize you will not get sick from the same strain again. The white blood cells recognize the attacking strain and launch a counter attack before the virus can make you sick again.

Vaccination simply introduces a dead version of a virus, or a modified live virus into the system of the bird so that the white blood cells can develop a 'template' if you will to help combat that virus in the future. This same process would happen if the bird were exposed to the virus in small quantities in the natural environment and survived the infection. The birds has now developed antibodies. This will happen whether it's by natural exposure, or through vaccination.

The advantage of the vaccination is that the exposure is very controlled and the bird is likely to survive the infection. In the natural environment this may not be the case.

Many years ago when Europeans first landed in America they brought disease that the Native people could not fight off and they died in huge numbers. The native people were strong, fit and healthy and yet they still scummed to the common cold, and flu. If they had been vaccinated they may not have.

I guess my point to all this is you can breed fit, healthy, strong birds, but it doesn't necessarily mean they will be disease resistant....especially if they have never been exposed to the disease before and had a chance to build up an immunity. This is what vaccination does, it kick starts the immunity process.

Just something to think about.
Urban Coyote