Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[MaryKate]

Another question - I am a bit afraid to ask because I probably should have checked it more thoroughly with the breeder I purchased from. He states on his website that all chickens are fully vacinated. Should he provide a certificate for this? I didn't get one. I wasn't too impressed with the set-up at the farm and probably should have gone elsewhere. Second question - is it a one off vacination against salmonella or does it need repeating, if so how often? Hopefully I am posting this in the right section.

[Chucky Mama]

You wont get a certificate for this as this is not standard practise. Vaccination does not provide lifelong protection and getting garden hens vaccinated is not a viable prospect as the vaccines come in mega bulk intended for use in commercial set ups. I don't know many, if any of us that get ours vaccinated. It can be done if you have a commercial breeder nearby that will tag your hens onto their vaccination days but this is a rare possibility.

 

I am afraid that if you are not happy with a breeder's set up you do need to walk away You are not alone though, fingers crossed that your chickens are healthy and that you don't have any problems with them

[Redwing]

If they are pure breeds chances are they wont have been vaccinated, as CM says its not really viable for the small scale breeder. Most people who breed the pure breeds actually believe that its better to have a naturally resistant flock but as the general public are often reassured by the fact that the chooks are vaccinated some will lie and say its been done when it hasnt

 

There is nothing wrong with having an unvaccinated bird as long as its strong, fit and healthy

 

If the seller bought in hybrids to sell on then chances are they will have been vaccinated at the hatchery

[MaryKate]

Thanks Chucky Mama and Redwing. My two chooks seem absolutely fine - so I am reassured by your comments. The seller was recommended to me by a neighbour but I probably won't go there again as I just wasn't impressed with his blase attitude towards his birds (kept in a very small concrete yard). Trouble was I had paid up front - how naive can one get!! They probably have been vacinated as I have spoken with my neighbour who says the farmer buys in his point of lay hens from a larger breeder.

[Space Chick]

Vaccinations aren't beyond the realms of possibility for small scale keepers. I have hatched this year, and have hatched Silkies, as I have lost unvaccinated Silkies to Mareks previously, I enquired at my vets about getting a Mareks vaccine. It wasn't easy for my vet to get hold of, and did come in a batch of 1000 doses, but I personally felt that £50 price tag was worth it to give me peace of mind for the 12 chicks I had, and when you break it down to less than a fiver per chick it didn't seem bad even though there were 988 doses wasted