Marek's vaccine?

[Wonderling]

I just had 2 chicks hatch yesterday, we have them on medicated chick feed with broody silkie/polish mama taking care of them (she hatched the big chicken eggs). There are still eggs under the other broody hen that could also hatch at any time. How important is giving the Marek's vaccine right away? Can I wait a few days in case more hatch so I can give it to them all at once? Is giving the Marek's vaccine a MUST? From what I understand it makes them not have symptoms but they can still become carriers. I'm still new to this so I wanted to ask.

 

[Cyprus]

Personally, I feel the Mareks vaccine is a bad idea. It is really no good for anyone involved and there is no reason a chick must be given it.

 

[Folly's place]

It's a good idea, IMO, but difficult in small home flocks. The vaccine comes in 1000 dose vials, and can be carefully split into four amounts and mixed that way. It then must be used up within an hour or so, and therefore is expensive to use. I thing Jeffers has it for mail order.
Then the chicks need to be totally isolated from possible exposure to the virus for about two weeks, so they can build immunity to the disease effects (tumors that cause the fatalities).
If you have Marek's disease in your flock, the vaccine is pointless with broody hatched chicks, because they are already exposed. Only incubator hatched chicks may benefit, if you actually have good isolation facilities available.
What I do, is have purchase chicks from hatcheries vaccinated, and raise them away from my flock for two to three weeks. I also have home hatched unvaccinated birds, who are the 'canaries in the coal mine' so I'll know if Marek's disease ever happens here. So far, so good...
Mary

 

[Parront]

If you know that Marek's is in your area and a problem, then the vaccine is a good idea. The nice thing about using a broody hen is the immunity is passed to the chicks -- now I know that this is gross to some -- by the chicks eating the poop of the broody. The broody is immune, or she would not have survived. She has anti-bodys and (often) also the virus is shed, too. Think "Typhoid Mary", she lived through the epidemic, but passes it to others. Lots will not let the vaccine on their property, since they have not had the problem. Read about this at: https://www.sandhillpreservation.com/poultry
" We do not vaccinate day-old poultry. We do not have Mareks problem here and do not wish to bring the vaccine on the farm. Our goal is to produce birds that can withstand common environmental stresses.We do annual tests on the breeders for pullorum-typhoid and Avian Influenza. Our goal is to send you the healthiest birds we can.

 

[Folly's place]

Vaccinated chicks do NOT bring Marek's disease to your farm!!!
People who have an infected flock have two choices; either only buy vaccinate chicks raised separately, or raise chicks from their surviving birds, and over time and deaths, have a flock who does pretty well. And hopefully, never send birds off their farm, or do anything to infect other flocks. I certainly don't want mine infected!
Mary

 

[Parront]

Vaccinated chicks do NOT bring Marek's disease to your farm!!!
People who have an infected flock have two choices; either only buy vaccinate chicks raised separately, or raise chicks from their surviving birds, and over time and deaths, have a flock who does pretty well. And hopefully, never send birds off their farm, or do anything to infect other flocks. I certainly don't want mine infected!
Mary

This is exactly my point. If you have the problem, vaccinate. Some respected breeders do not vaccinate, and make a point of telling their buyers that they do not. Glen Drowns, author of "Raising Poultry" published by Storey, has my attention as an expert. So, If you have had Marek's, get vaccinated chicks! Otherwise, don't. You do not need it.

 

[Folly's place]

I buy vaccinated chicks as ' doing the best I can' in case Marek's disease does arrive here; at least some of my birds will have some protection. It can't be done after exposure, and so I'm being proactive, with a very inexpensive option. Being lucky enough to have no near neighbors bringing home random source birds, or whatever, may fail someday.
Mary

 

[Parront]

Chicks hatched on the property by a broody, probably are not in need of vaccination, to answer the original question.

 

[Parront]

I buy vaccinated chicks as ' doing the best I can' in case Marek's disease does arrive here; at least some of my birds will have some protection. It can't be done after exposure, and so I'm being proactive, with a very inexpensive option. Being lucky enough to have no near neighbors bringing home random source birds, or whatever, may fail someday.
Mary

The best we can do is the best we can do. Not visiting with other bird owners, practicing bio-security as best as we can, and keeping up with what is happening is what we can all do to protect our birds.

 

[Cyprus]

I have had Mareks and do not get vaccinated chicks. Nor do I vaccinate my own hatched here in incubators (never had a broody).
And not a one chicken has fallen ill from Mareks since the original case.