what if I get unvaccinated chicks???

[yomama]

Quote:
Thanks you very much for this site. I was leaning towards not bothering about vaccinating, but now I don't know. Being in the small animal vet business for over the past 12 years, I've seen too many times the horrible results of not getting a simple vaccine for your pet. Of course, that is cats and dogs. It just seems to me that paying a little extra for the vaccine now, could save me alot of money, time, and stress later, if they were to contract the disease. Not only that, the info I read stated that the risk of getting Marek's disease is usually gone by the age of 5 months. Therefore, if I chose not to vaccinate, I should keep the babies away from the older hens until then. Since Marek's can be transmitted through wind, I'm not sure I want to keep my babies inside for that long.

I just have the unfortunate luck that if something weird is going to happen to an animal, it is going to happen to my animal(s).

The babies at the feed store don't come till March, so I have some time to decide. For those of you that choose not to vaccinate, why? Are there cons to the vaccine??

Thanks!!

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Vaccines have not been around very long.
They are full of ingrediants that are know cancer causers, amongst other things.
At the time vaccines were "invented" disease had already been taken care of by about 90%, just by proper hygiene.

The more you vaccinate, the less chance anyone has of devolping a strong natural immune system.
Injecting chemicals into the bloodstream, to induce a hyper immune response at a time the body, be it human or not, is ready for it, does not seem at all like a very brilliant plan or solution.

The parents, be they human or animal, should be very healthy, in as natural a state as possible.
The offspring will be that much healthier, and more capable of handling sickness if and when it comes around.

75% of the immune system is in the gut. Good real food, and live probiotics, heal and maintain a healthy gut and allow the body to withstand viruses and bacteria without breaking down fully.

 

[GeneGoddess]

Quote:
Not to get too far off the subject, but vaccination has been around for at least 1000 years. There is documentation that it was practived in India in the 8th century. Variolation is innoculation against smallpox. There is a fascinating box about variolation (using a bit of smallpox "matter") as opposed to vaccination, (using a piece of cowpox "matter") called The Speckled Monster.

"Proper hygiene" is one reason that polio became the summer fear in the 40's and 50's: it tends to be a short, often mild illness as an infant - only when it infects you as an older child or adult does the risk of paralysis dramatically increase. When we cleaned up our own filth and excrement, we were infected less often as infants and more often as children and adults, with subsequent worse outcomes. We see the same thing with adult infections of chicken pox (Varicella) and mumps (current outbreak in Jersey...)

And, of course, if those who survive illnesses like smallpox, measles, diphtheria, etc survive to have children, while those who sicken and die (obviously) do not, the population will, as a whole, may develop a genetic make up provides a greater amount of disease protection. Much like bacteria evolve to become resistant to antibiotics (only those resistant survive!), humans are capable of the same thing. But I have a feeling that if I told a parent that I was not going to treat their child's illness "for the good of the species", I might get in a wee bit of trouble.

Regarding Marek's Disease, I'm planning to vaccinate. I've been told by neighbors with chickens that Marek's is common in my area.

 

[Missy3b]

Get chicks that have been vaccinated. I lost 4 chicks(6 months old) to Marek's that I purchased from my local feed store. Didn't think to ask at the time. Now I will always check first.

For the person that said they only do all natural, if you buy chicks, it doesn't matter how much care you give them. If they are infected, there is nothing that can be done. I had an autopsy done when my fourth one died and the vet said her heart, lungs and throat were full of tumors from Marek's. That's a hard, and expensive lesson to learn.

 

[KatieH]

I heartily second what GeneGoddess said.

 

[yomama]

Thanks so much for the info. I completely respect PaulaJoAnne's opinion, but I believe I probabley will vaccinate. I understand that there is much controversary as to whether vaccines are harmful or not. However, in my line of work, I have just seen too many animals suffer because their owners did not want to vaccinate, afraid it would harm their pet. These are animals that came from healthy parents, but one way or another were exposed to a deadly disease. I have actually had a client's puppy die in my arms while I was giving him a treatment, dieing from a disease that could of easily been prevented with a vaccine. Not to mention, the vaccines cost a fraction of what she paid for in hospitalization and treatments. I've also have had to assist in many euthinizations of cats, due to testing postive for diseases and eventually becoming ill, because of a compromised immune system. Something that could of been prevented by vaccines. I realize these examples aren't chickens, and some may feel that I'm being a little silly, but my chickens are just as important to me as my dogs, cats, goats,sheep,bunnies and finches. (I have alot of animals). I don't know how a chick's final days with Marek's are , but if I can prevent such turmoil with a simple vaccine, than I believe that is the route I will take. I'd imagine being filled with tumors would not be the most pleasant way to go. I guess I could see if Marek's has been in our area, just to be safe, but I still think I will vaccinate. Thanks so much everyone for
helping make my decision!!

 

[Mahonri]

All of my grown birds have been vaccinated but one (Barred Rock)

I probably should have had some vaccine for my chicks but I didn't and all are very healthy.

If you don't vaccinate, NEVER add adult birds to your flock from elsewhere, The can carry Mareks with them.

 

[seminolewind]

I think it all depends on the flock. If you have a closed flock, like just hatching eggs, then I wouldn't. But if you buy and sell from all different places, babies and adults, etc, then I think the risk is higher, and I would vaccinate.

 

[yomama]

Called the Dep of Ag this morning and spoke to the doctor that handles poultry. Apperently Marek's if very common in my area.

Guess that solves my dilema!!! Thanks again everyone! Really appreciate the input!

 

[chickenma]

Vaccination don't garantee your chick will not die. chicks can die from all kinds of things that the vaccination don't protect them against.
If you are having chickens sooner or later one will die and that is just part of life.
My chickens are non vaccinated and non medicated. If I compare them to other chickens , I can say that I have pretty strong and healthy chickens.
I use my chickens for meat and eggs so I try to keep them all natural.