Would it be beneficial to vaccinate for Mareks?

[EmmaRainboe]

I know it is beneficial for young chicks but is it possible to be beneficial for 4-6 months old? My birds weren't vaccinated and we plan on getting some hatchery chicks in the spring. I know the vaccine doesn't stop them from spreading it so should I vaccinate my older birds just incase? Or would it be pointless and they could just all die when we get new chicks? Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[LaFleche]

Some information on the topic: https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1002198#sec008

 

[Eggcessive]

It is probably too late to bother vaccinating the older birds, since Mareks is usually found in the environment. It won’t hurt them if you do vaccinate them though. I like getting my chicks vaccinated at the hatchery, since they have a stronger vaccine that is available to flock owners. I have both vaccinated older hens, and younger ones that I hatched here who were not vaccinated , and have never had a case. In some areas where the disease is very common, I would vaccinate all. Some people do not vaccinate at all, no matter what. There is a lot of debate on that subject.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

It is probably too late to bother vaccinating the older birds, since Mareks is usually found in the environment. It won’t hurt them if you do vaccinate them though. I like getting my chicks vaccinated at the hatchery, since they have a stronger vaccine that is available to flock owners. I have both vaccinated older hens, and younger ones that I hatched here who were not vaccinated , and have never had a case. In some areas where the disease is very common, I would vaccinate all. Some people do not vaccinate at all, no matter what. There is a lot of debate on that subject.

I might vaccinate just to be safe but I will have to see, it all depends on price. I wish I had gotten mine vaccinated at hatchery so I wouldn't have to worry about it but unfortunately I was unaware and uneducated on mareks so I got mine from a local breeder. I know a lot of people judge people who treat their chickens as pets but to me my chickens are pets with benefits so I want to try and make sure they don't get it.