Should I Vaccinate my baby chicks?

[speckledhen]

Others have said it and I will, too. Mareks vaccine does not prevent the disease, only the tumors associated with it. As for me, I have never vaccinated any chicks and never will. Mareks has never shown up here in the dozen years I've had my own flocks, but I never buy started birds, never trade birds, not even chicks. All are hatched here or came from direct hatchery shipments to local feed stores that had brooders (though that was years ago. Now I have breeder quality birds since they rarely develop reproductive malfunctions and live a whole lot longer and lay longer). I also practice biosecurity and there are no rats/mice in my barn, no wild birds nesting in there, etc.
It's up to you, but you just need to have all your facts to make your decision.

 

[LanityMom]

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

Why? I know absolutely nothing about vaccinating chickens. The thought never occurred to me. Does it pass into the eggs somehow? I hope that’s not a dumb question.

 

[LanityMom]

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

Why? Very curious. I’m considering taking in a pullet that’s been vaccinated. My own flock has not.

 

[Molpet]

Why? Very curious. I’m considering taking in a pullet that’s been vaccinated. My own flock has not.

The vaccine doesn't prevalent, it reduces symptoms.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous

 

[Folly's place]

That's why the I have new chicks from hatcheries vaccinated! I have home hatched chicks, not vaccinated, and hatchery chicks, vaccinated against Marek's disease at the hatchery, and isolated here for almost three weeks before going to my coop. If Marek's disease ever hits my flock, those chickens will not be likely to suffer and die of this disease, while my unvaccinated birds, the 'canaries in the coal mine', will develop tumors, and then i'll know what's here. I do necropsy birds who die unexpectedly, so again, I'll know.
It would be nice if a vaccine is developed that actually prevented this disease, but there's not yet, so helping infected birds to have a better, longer life, is a good thing, IMO.
When and if Marek's disease ever arrives here, no birds will leave to go anywhere else.
Mary