What's the deal with chicken vaccines?

[jerabu]

I have heard about them, but being new to poultry (soon anyways) should I get my chickens vaccinated? Why or why not?

 

[foreverlearning]

It really is a personal choice. I don't because I live in the country and have the only fowl around me, I have a closed flock, and I know that my property has been clean from everything for 30+ years. I am also surrounded by family owned cattle, swine, and horse farms and I give them eggs so I don't expect anyone near me to get any anytime soon. If I lived close to other fowl raisers I would because there are somethings that can be transmitted across large areas by the wind and you can't control how others raise theirs or where they get them from.

 

[jerabu]

What are the vaccines for? I have heard salmonella...which isn't going to be a problem for me.

There is nobody in my family with immune problems, and that is as far as I am likely to hares eggs. Nobody else in my neighborhood has fowl of any type, but wild birds abound, and are a possible vector that could be carrying it around from almost anywhere.

 

[foreverlearning]

Merreks, cocci, and fowl pox are the most common. Wild birds bring a risk of lice and mites only if they are not chickens (prevent with DE, wood ash, and dust bath area. Treat with sevin 5%). Salmonella is natural in all chickens and is only a problem if their system is overloaded, no need for vaccination. Cocci is found in the soil and is more common in already infected soil and really wet and hot areas. The vaccine does not fully function for 3 weeks and does not guarantee they don't get it but makes it easier on their immune system to deal with it if they do (treat with corid if they get it). If you get the vaccine for cocci then feed unmediated feed only as the medicated feed already has it in it and it can void the vaccine. Merreks is one that you should get if you plan on getting any chickens in the future from other flock owners instead of a hatchery. It can be transmitted threw the air and the only way to get rid of it is to cull, clean the ground, and let the ground rest for 6 months. Fowl pox is transmitted by mosquitoes and can turn into wet fowl pox (very bad). The vaccine helps them deal with it like the chicken pox vaccine does for us. However if dry fowl pox is caught and treated in time it is easy to get rid of (antibiotics, cleaning area, draining any growths) and won't turn into wet.

 

[jerabu]

Thanks for all the info! There are a LOT of mosquitoes where I live, and parts of my yard are very wet (hence the mosquitoes) so we have chosen a dry, high area for the coop and run. Already prepared with wood ash and DE on hand, we use it to keep problem insects populations around the house in check (we have a lot of ants, too).

Can these vaccines be purchased OTC, or are the by prescription only?

 

[foreverlearning]

In the states you can buy them at your local feed store or online. Keep in mind that some feed stores do have to order it, I prefer local mom and pop feed stores where I can find them. This is the trusted site for the chicken whisperer: http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/store2/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=231 You can do it at home and it includes all the information to do it correctly. There are two different pox ones, one for younger birds and one for older birds.

 

[ByrdWc3]

Our chicks were purchased from a local hardware store, they seemed more knowledgeable and caring of the chicks compared to TSC, and were told to use medicated feed. We have used the medicated feed but would like to move toward a natural or organic feed in the future. After a random 24 hour stomach bug my boyfriend and I looked into Salmonella poisoning and vaccinations. What are the drawbacks and risks? I am fully capable of taking on the at home vaccination if thats doable and worthwhile but I wanted to see if any advice on effectiveness and side effects could be passed my way.

My thoughts were that salmonella is natural in their digestive tract (as E. coli is in ours) and is only a problem if handwashing hygiene or low immune systems were involved...

I'm all for a vaccine if my chickens will thrive and friends/family can be more at ease around my little ladies.
They are 2 months old this week (old picture)

THANK YOU!!! Wendy

 

[dawg53]

Medicated feed has a minute quantity of amprolium in the feed to help build resistance over time to cocci infections, and that's it. Chickens also have ecoli bacteria as well as cocci in their digestive tract and if they get out of control, immediate treatment is required.
Like with any animal, personal hygiene is a must at all times. It's also important to ensure foods are properly cooked at recommended temps.
Most backyard chicken owners dont vaccinate or never had their birds vaccinated for anything, including me.
However, it might be best for you to call your local extension office or state agriculture department and find out what poultry diseases are prevalent in your area, then vaccinate accordingly. For example; here where I live, some folks vaccinate against fowl pox due to heat, high humidity and a lot of rain.
Here's a couple of links for you that will help you regarding vaccinating:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps030
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vm062

 

[chickisoup]

Ok, my 2 cents here from PERSONAL experience. First, many years ago, long before we actually got into keeping chickens, a "friend" of my hubby's ordered a bunch of chicks from a feedmill. He insisted we take a few for which we were totally not ready for (Just moved onto the property and hadn't even built the house yet, living in a mobile) and my daughter had just given us a new puppy. Long story short, it was warm so the little birds were kept in a pen on the lawn. Puppy loved the new little chicks. Puppy got salmonella from the chicks and nearly died by the time the vet figured out what was wrong. Many dollars later the pup recovered, the young chickens went back where they came from.

Fast forward to spring 2007. Still have the pup, now 9 or 10, I develop Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. I am not able to clean our cat box for months, dr's orders. 3+ years ago we built a coop and took in our first chickens, 4 horribly treated ladies that never got completely healthy but had good lives while they lasted. Point? Told my Onc, we had chickens and he laughed. I have had NO problems from my girls (now have 3 one year old sex-links, 1 crazy mutt that was hatched out from a neighbor's egg under my battery that went broody 2 years ago and a front bedroom full of Aussie chicks) and have been in remission now for two years. I use a bit of common sense of course, being a former farm girl and aware of animals and their "bugs", but I have had NO problems form my little flock in any way with illness other than catching a serious case chicken math.