Vaccines ? Do you vaccinate? if so what types?

[WhisperingWinds]

Well so far I have not given my chickens any vaccines... actually had not thought about it, till I was reading about buying baby chicks from hatcheries and they offered vaccines.

I am not a strong advocate of vaccines, so I am wondering what others do or do not do and why?

Thanks for your thoughts!!
~Stacey~

 

[leadwolf1]

I would vaccinate for Marek's. Had I to do it over again I would never have brought an unvaccinated chick onto my property...As a matter or fact, I would probably have not purchased any chicks except from a hatchery or fertilized eggs from a reputible source. Having dealt with Marek's for the past year and lost 40+ birds, I would give anything to be able to start over again.

 

[WhisperingWinds]

Is Mareks something that has to be done as a new born chick or something you vaccinate on older chickens?
If chickens are older and all are healthy... should you just vaccinate new babies brought in?

 

[leadwolf1]

They are normally vaccinated as day olds..but, you could still vaccinate older birds. It has been shown to provide immunity in older birds as well as day olds.