Vaccinated or not?

[Missyka]

I purchased some chicks from stock and field who get their chicks from townline hatchery. The guy at the store said they’re vaccinated. I don’t know if I believe him, from what I’ve seen most stores sell unvaccinated chicks. Does anyone know for sure?
Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

I purchased some chicks from stock and field who get their chicks from townline hatchery. The guy at the store said they’re vaccinated. I don’t know if I believe him, from what I’ve seen most stores sell unvaccinated chicks. Does anyone know for sure?
Thanks!

Vaccinated for what? You can never really know if they were vaccinated.
Even if you ordered them directly from the hatchery you don't KNOW. I would like to think that if you ordered them that way, they would be vaccinated but let's face it, hatcheries make mistakes all the time. Like forgetting to put the heat pack in the box with the chicks in an April shipment from Ohio to NY. Happened to me.

 

[Missyka]

Vaccinated for what? You can never really know if they were vaccinated.
Even if you ordered them directly from the hatchery you don't KNOW. I would like to think that if you ordered them that way, they would be vaccinated but let's face it, hatcheries make mistakes all the time. Like forgetting to put the heat pack in the box with the chicks in an April shipment from Ohio to NY. Happened to me.

Mereks is what townline offers so I’m assuming that.

 

[Missyka]

Vaccinated for what? You can never really know if they were vaccinated.
Even if you ordered them directly from the hatchery you don't KNOW. I would like to think that if you ordered them that way, they would be vaccinated but let's face it, hatcheries make mistakes all the time. Like forgetting to put the heat pack in the box with the chicks in an April shipment from Ohio to NY. Happened to me.

By the way, we’re dobe lovers too!

 

[DobieLover]

Mereks is what townline offers so I’m assuming that.

Some hatcheries also vaccinate for coccidiosis.

 

[DobieLover]

By the way, we’re dobe lovers too!

Do you currently have any?
I've rescued 6. Bella, the girl in my avvy, is the most recent. I got her after Christmas last year. She'll be 5 this August. She's an awesome girl!

 

[Folly's place]

Most feed stores don't order Marek's vaccinated chicks, very true. I'd want to call Townline and ask if your feed store had their chicks vaccinated, because it does seem unlikely.
When I order hatchery chicks, i pay to have them vaccinated against Marek's disease, and I fervently hope that it's been done. Odds are, yes, and it will only become obvious if the actual disease ever hits my flock.
I also leg band my birds for ID, and vaccinated birds wear their leg band on their left legs, unvaccinated birds on the right.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

And yes, your Dobe is very nice!
Mary

 

[Ridgerunner]

I looked up Townline Hatchery. They say they offer Marek's vaccination as a special service. That translates to "If you pay us extra will vaccinate them". Did Stock an Field pay them extra to vaccinate them? I have no idea.

I've talked to people at feed stores that know and understand chickens, I've talked to some that don't even come close. I've talked to salesmen in all kinds of businesses that will tell you the truth as they know it, others that will tell you what you want to hear. I have no idea who you talked to.

The best I can do is suggest you talk to the manager of Stock and Field that ordered the chicks and ask them. See if you believe him/her. If they paid Townline to vaccinate them I'd think they were actually vaccinated. Mistakes can happen but the real question is whether or not they were supposed to be.

 

[Missyka]

I looked up Townline Hatchery. They say they offer Marek's vaccination as a special service. That translates to "If you pay us extra will vaccinate them". Did Stock an Field pay them extra to vaccinate them? I have no idea.

I've talked to people at feed stores that know and understand chickens, I've talked to some that don't even come close. I've talked to salesmen in all kinds of businesses that will tell you the truth as they know it, others that will tell you what you want to hear. I have no idea who you talked to.

The best I can do is suggest you talk to the manager of Stock and Field that ordered the chicks and ask them. See if you believe him/her. If they paid Townline to vaccinate them I'd think they were actually vaccinated. Mistakes can happen but the real question is whether or not they were supposed to be.