4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[ChrisEllis]

Hi,

 

When about do we have to start vaccinating, i have read so many different sites telling me different things and the only way you can ever find out is by asking someone with experience...what vaccination do they need and when do they need them...also where is the best place to get them because i have seen so many adverts in my practical poultry book telling me that their own stuff is the best...But who's really is the best?

 

Thanks

[Egluntyne]

The cost is prohibitive for back yard chickens. Most of us don't bother.

 

It is really only essential in large scale breeding situations.

[Parsley]

After losing one of my girls at only 22 weeks to a virus, my vet suggested that if I wanted to vaccinate there was a vet about 10 miles away who did all the commercial flocks in the area and who may be willing to "add on" a few chooks to his big orders.

I have not contacted them as my other three are all fine and I think I was just very very unlucky but it could be worth bearing in mind as there must be vets in a lot of the country that do this.

[cluckingmad]

Hi Parsley,

 

Must admit, I am utterly loopy about my girls and they're ALL vaccinated The four Omlet ladies came fully vaccinated, the ex-batts we assume were (its too much of a risk for the farmers NOT to vaccinate them s disease would spread like wildfire in those conditions...), and our 4 new babies are too...

 

The advice I was given was that all chicks should be vaccinated against Mareks disease at hatching, and against infectious bronchitis. The other vaccinations (newcastle disease, avian encephalomyelitis, etc) aren't always done as they are live vaccines given in the drinking water, good for large numbers of birds, not really efficient for a small flock.... anyway, one potential issue with live vaccines is that the bird could technically pass the infection on to unvaccinated birds - the risk is incredibly small as the vaccinated bird will mount an immune response towards the vaccine and destroy the bacteria etc, so will carry immunity but not the bug (sorry, am an imunologist and we don't know when to shut up..!)

 

Having said that (and having seen a bird die of encephalomyelitis, not one of mine I have to add, at a vets were I was wokring years ago...) I err on the side of caution and get all my birds fully vaccinated. The Wernlas collection near Ludlow fully vaccinate all their birds, and they're always worth a visit

 

but make sure you take a larger carrier than you think you'll need.... those hens have a habit of creeping up on you and being too adorable to leave behind!

[Parsley]

Thanks cluckingmad. I got my ladies at 9 weeks old so had assumed that it was a little late to vaccinate and being all pure breeds from small hobby breeders they had not been done at hatching.

The vet said that Spice "probably" died of a virus that the Baytril could not affect but to be honest I lost faith when they said they had never wormed their garden hens and did not see much point!

Thankfully, I now have the name of another practice that specialises in exotics and sees a lot of chooks so know where to go next time I have a problem.

[The Dogmother]

Mine are all pure breeds, so have never been vaccinated. Over the years, I have only ever had one die from anything, which they might have been vaccinated against and she brought it in from outside the flock.

 

As Egluntine has said, provided you have good husbandry, it really isn't necessary to vaccinate backyard flocks. The only reason that most hybrids are done is because they are reared in such large quantities that it becomes financially viable, plus the fact that they often got to larger, more intensive flocks.

[Lewis]

It can get very expensive for just 3 chickens, as you have to buy a large dose which costs around £30.

 

I'd maybe vaccinate agains Mareks with your Silkies. Have a look online for a local exotics vet and give them a ring