Should I Vaccinate my baby chicks?

[Jayecookie]

If i were to order baby chicks from a hatcheries (which is probably going to happen cause I cant find local breeders) they offer a vaccine service for Mareks... Should I Vaccinate them?

 

[Spartan22]

All of the chicks I order from hatcheries, I get vaccinated since I don’t know what exposures and conditions they had. Now the eggs we hatched from the high quality local breeders we don’t vaccinate so far we had good luck, out of 16, which they are now 6 months old and all laying are all healthy and thriving.

 

[Molpet]

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous/

 

[Jayecookie]

this makes my choice very difficult

 

[lazy gardener]

Personally, I'd refuse to bring a chick into my flock that had received the Marek's vaccine.

 

[Folly's place]

My hatchery chicks are all vaccinated against Marek's disease, and my home grown chicks are not. The very best defense is to avoid the disease if at all possible!
If someday Marek's disease arrives here, my unvaccinated birds will get sick first (canaries in the coal mine!) and necropsies will ID the problem. I will be VERY unhappy, and then be stuck with that whole 'breeding for resistance' program.
There's research being done to improve the vaccine; may it help all of us!
If Fowl Pox arrives here, I will vaccinate for that, because it helps.
People who take birds to poultry shows, and commercial operations, vaccinate for many other diseases. I don't, and again, rely on biosecurity, good management, and good luck, to avoid all that stuff. Mary

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

I would vaccinate. Better safe than sorry!

 

[lazy gardener]

My hatchery chicks are all vaccinated against Marek's disease, and my home grown chicks are not. The very best defense is to avoid the disease if at all possible!
If someday Marek's disease arrives here, my unvaccinated birds will get sick first (canaries in the coal mine!) and necropsies will ID the problem. I will be VERY unhappy, and then be stuck with that whole 'breeding for resistance' program.
There's research being done to improve the vaccine; may it help all of us!
If Fowl Pox arrives here, I will vaccinate for that, because it helps.
People who take birds to poultry shows, and commercial operations, vaccinate for many other diseases. I don't, and again, rely on biosecurity, good management, and good luck, to avoid all that stuff. Mary

Marek's vaccine does not prevent the disease. What it does is prevent the lethal secondary complications of the disease according to my understanding. So, your assumption that your unvaccinated birds will be the first to get sick is IMO incorrect. The disease may be already present in your flock. And your unvaccinated birds could very well be infected by your vaccinated birds.

 

[Folly's place]

I have necropsied every sick/ dead bird here, unless obviously caused by a predator. So far, no Marek's disease! Of course the vaccine doesn't prevent infection, but it helps a lot in preventing the tumors that are caused by that virus, so more vaccinated birds are likely to live longer and be healthier. That's a big plus, IMO; preventing or slowing illness. Mary

 

[Lady of McCamley]

There's a lot of differing opinions on the Marek's equation.

Vets will tell you the best way to protect a flock is to vaccinate.

Breeders will tell you the best thing is to keep a closed flock and breed for resistance.

The vaccine is known to be "leaky" and problematic. It only prevents the secondary tumors, not the actual infection.

Many backyard keepers purchased feed store chicks that have been vaccinated and add to a flock that may be mixed with no vaccinations.

An unvaccinated chick cannot get Marek's from a vaccinated one. However, the vaccinated one can catch Marek's and share it without symptoms, being a carrier.

A vaccinated chick can also catch a different strain of Marek's than the vaccination's, and come down with full blown Marek's.

The best answer in my opinion is diversity. Have some that are bred for resistance, have some that have been vaccinated, breed from healthy stock on your property, only bring in small chicks thereby keeping a closed flock (no adults coming in, no adults going out). I've even made a point to purchase pullets from a turkey farm as I was pretty sure from the dynamics of the farm that those pullets have been exposed to the turkey virus and likely have an immunity to many Marek's strains from it.

So my thinking is diversity is the key. If/when Marek's hits, then you won't lose the whole flock. Keep a record of who is who to note when you lose a bird whether it was vaccinated or not.

That is just what I've done, and I've lost a few unvaccinated birds over the years, but only in isolated cases. No one else showed illness in any way.

No matter if vaccinate or not, you should limit, to the best of your ability, the presence of wild birds and rodents who can carry the virus into your flock from other infected flocks. Also keep your coops clean to avoid Darkling beetles who also can carry viruses on their little feet.

LofMc