Where to get chicks vaccinated

[Annalisebloss]

where can I get pet chicks vaccinated in the UK? Every vet I’ve called has said no because they would have to order in more then they would use.

 

[lazy gardener]

What do you want them vaccinated for? Have there been any disease outbreaks? Generally, back yard flocks would only be vaccinated for Marek's disease. That is a leaky vaccine that does not prevent the disease, allows the bird to still be a carrier, and has shown that it causes the virus to mutate to a much more deadly strain. There are natural ways to help your birds to become resistant to Marek's dz.

 

[Annalisebloss]

What do you want them vaccinated for? Have there been any disease outbreaks? Generally, back yard flocks would only be vaccinated for Marek's disease. That is a leaky vaccine that does not prevent the disease, allows the bird to still be a carrier, and has shown that it causes the virus to mutate to a much more deadly strain. There are natural ways to help your birds to become resistant to Marek's dz.

As far as I know there’s a timed set of vaccines they can get such as mareks, newcastles etc. All of my birds are rescues and the adults came vaccinated but the chicks haven’t been & they’re 3 weeks old, I think they’ve supposedly passed the time in which to do mareks vaccination, what are the natural ways? I’d rather be safe then sorry.

 

[Peeperscreepers]

I am also interested in the natural ways to build resistance? Everytime I come on BYC I learn something new and beyond valuable!

 

[llombardo]

I think as in anything, diet and environment build the immune system.

I asked in a thread with no response, can chickens have Spirulina?

 

[lazy gardener]

Marek's is everywhere, so, all birds are exposed to it, yet not all birds get sick. And when birds in a flock do get Marek's, not all birds do. Kind of like a person being exposed to a cold. Exposure does not guarantee illness. If the person has a healthy immune system, they very well may avoid the cold. But, if their immune system is stressed, they will come down with a cold. It may be a cold of little consequence, or it may be more severe, lingering, leading up to bronchitis, or pneumonia. Same virus, different response.

To build a healthy immune system, you need a healthy gut. For chickens, this involves giving them a healthy dose of beneficial organisms: bacteria and fungi from the soil. The best time to start this is within the first 2 weeks of hatch. Mama Broody Hen would have her babies out pecking around in the barn yard. Often their first treat will be a good dose of Mama Poop. Sounds gross, but many baby animals boost their gut flora/immunity in this manner. The babies will also pick up a few pathogens as they peck around the barn yard. Slow exposure to the pathogens in THEIR soil will help them to develop immunity to the pathogens they will encounter during their life time.

Stress reduction also plays a key role: avoid crowding. I sound like a broken record when I say that chickens need a minimum of 4 s.f. in coop and 10 s.f. in run per bird. Crowded chickens are stressed chickens. Stressed chickens are immune compromised chickens.

Diet: give them a good formulated feed that provides the correct nutrients in the correct proportions. Ensure that it is within 6 weeks of mill date. I use fermented feed. I may be biased, but believe that it does help with immunity. Access to a good varied free range. Good range will allow them to pick and choose their nutrients. If you can't free range, consider planting some grazing boxes with a variety of grains, cole crops and greens. Grow a garden, and see to it that they get a variety of fresh veggies daily. Can't grow a garden? Grow sprouts for them.

Natural immunity: Turkeys carry a less lethal strain of Marek's dz. Invite the wild turkeys to your yard. Simply having them pass through the yard may be enough to impart their immunity to your flock. No wild turkeys? See if you can find a local farmer who would give you a few buckets of turkey poo!

Keep a closed flock. Don't ever bring home a bird you feel sorry for. I keep a closed flock. Only hatching eggs or day old chicks from large scale hatcheries are allowed to join my flock.

Biosecurity: Got friends with chickens? Don't let them into your coop or run.

Culling: An oft repeated statement: 10% of the animals in a herd or flock carry 90% of the pathogens. Remove the weak links from your flock, and they will not be spreading their pathogens to the rest of the flock.

 

[lazy gardener]

I think as in anything, diet and environment build the immune system.

I asked in a thread with no response, can chickens have Spirulina?

I did a quick google search and found this article:

http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0375-15892016000100012

It seems that spirulina is being scrutinized as an additive to animal feeds now. It makes sense to me that addition of a small amount would go a long way towards improving egg quality.