We Can Change This!!

[Serrin]

We're over 77,000 strong here at BYC. That's a considerable figure, don't you think? And I'll come back to that in a moment....

Just a quick show of hands.....How many of us have a flock whose numbers even approach 1,000 birds?? Anyone? Anyone? Anyone? I thought not! And there in lies my problem. Just try finding a poultry vaccine, ANY vaccine that comes in more realistic quantities than 500-1,000 doses!

Marek's = 1000 doses per vial. Each vial is only good for a few hours once opened and mixed. Besides hatcheries, who ever faces those kinds of numbers?? Certainly not the average Backyard flock enthusiast, that's for sure! What a waste!! And if there's one thing that will ruffle my feathers quickly, it's waste. As Daddy always said, waste not, want not!

But what are you going to do? Usually, if you really want to protect the chicks that you hatch, you have to vaccinate them yourself. And toss out 988 doses of MD vaccine!

Well, this is where our 77,000+ strong membership comes in! What do you suppose would happen if the companies that manufacture just the MD vaccine, were to receive 77,000+ emails, letters or phone calls, suggesting that they package the vaccine in a more reasonable quantity? Like say, 25 doses? Maybe even 50 doses. Do you think they'd listen? I think they'd just about have to! In this economy, who is going to pass up 77,000+ possible new customers?

So who's with me? If response is great enough, I'll see about scrounging up the contact information to the various companies that produce the MD vaccine and post it here...... And if we're successful with that, we'll get to work on some of the other vaccines that come in ridiculous amounts! Nearly 78,000 members strong. Surely that's enough to move mountains!

 

[OlyChickenGuy]

I will absolutely support this! The ONLY reason I have not vaccinated my chickens is because at the MOST, I had twenty-eight chickens - and that was when they were chicks! I was surprised that only about five of them died, so I re-homed most of the others, and am now down to nine ( well, I guess back up to ten since last night taking on a chook to nurse back to health ). Nine chickens - even thirty - versus a 1000 doses?? Even 500??! Insane!

 

[jason_mazzy]

Like !

 

[gettinaclue]

I totally agree with this. I have 9 hens. Why in the world would I buy such a large quantity of doses?

 

[train2110]

I support this as well, we have nine chickens and have been thinking of increasing. Increasing not to 1000 or even 500, but MAYBE 20!

 

[HHandbasket]

Quote:
Whom do I write to, and where do I send the letter? I agree, this is a wonderful idea. We are doing our first hatch and have been looking for Marek's vaccine and cannot find it in reasonable doses, either. We have 12 eggs in the bator, and figure half will hatch (hopefully more, but let's just say)... I'm going to have 6 chicks that need vaccination, so what would I do with a 1,000 dose vial of vaccine?

Even so, vaccinating your chicks does not ensure they won't get Marek's, unfortunately. I had a RIR that we had to put down because of Marek's, and she was originally a feed store chick which supposedly had been vaccinated at the hatchery.

 

[Inkheart]

With Ya Serrin!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[spish]

i with you all the way but have been having a little think about this....

could they only sell it in large doses as that is cheaper to produce? if they had to make 'small back yard' flock size vials...the price is likely to be so high nobody would buy it anyhow??

 

[MuranoFarms]

I think one of the reasons this is sold in such large quantities is that it's only $20 for 1,000 doses. How much do you think they can charge for a 25 or 50 dose bottle? The bottle would cost more then the vaccine! Think about this: 1000 doses at $20 is .02 per dose. Even if they sold a smaller bottle for $5, you still have to pay for the cooler and ice packs to ship it. You're going to pay more for packing then for the vaccine itself. Many of us score the powder tablet and measure out the amount of liquid into a smaller container to mix 1/2 or 1/4 of the bottle at a time. That way it does only cost $5 each time we vaccinate and you don't waste the whole bottle for a few chicks.

I agree with you, most of us don't have that many chickens. Besides, who can give 1,000 vaccinations in 2 hours even IF we had that many birds? lol Since it goes bad after 2 hours, I run out of time after about 40 chicks.

While I agree completely that 1,000 doses is way too much to use, because of the inexpensive price I doubt there's anything that can be done about it. If it was $100 per bottle (well....vial and bottle) then I could see them changing it but not $20.

 

[MissJenny]

I am guessing even hatcheries don't hatch out 1000 chicks a day -- maybe the really big ones, like Tyson. I don't pretend to know how they do business, but I understand that hatcheries like Meyer actually subcontract to area farmers to supply one or two breeds. They don't hatch out anything themselves.

When I bought Ivermectin to worm my five little hens, I could have wormed every hen in my county. I agree, the sizes are absurd.

Jenny