AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Just thought there would be a lot of people like me who haven't got a 1000 chooks & want to do the right thing by our birds & vaccinate them.
So here goes:-
Can I get smaller amounts of vaccines? & from where?
Is it something we should all do? Pros & cons.
How do you vaccinate & where & of course how often?
What about cost sharing?
Does it stop birds getting things or only lessen the symtoms?
Can't think of any thing else right now.

Hi Lou, check out this Thread: http://www.australianpoultryforum.com/v ... sc&start=0

Should answer many Questions, if not ask away and we'll do our best




Thanks
P.A

Just wondering who out there vaccinates a small number of chooks & where you source your vacc from?

Hi Lou,

That thread that PA put up pretty well covers previous discussions on here.

A summary:

I vaccinate my small flock. When it is pekin breeding season here, a couple of the bigger breeders let me tag along on their vaccination days. I pay them a small fee per chick (and help them catch their hundreds!! ). If you can make friends with some local breeders (of anything) that can help.

Out of season I was lucky enough to have our local avian vet vaccinate 4 chicks for me (total $9.90 plus consultation).

Personally, I have decided to hatch all out-of-season chicks at a local hatchery which vaccinates chicks against Marek's and fowl pox for 30 cents per chick. They won't vaccinate chicks hatched outside the hatchery, however (due to disease control).

I know some breeders don't vaccinate and instead allow natural immunity to build up in their flock to that resultant birds become naturally resistant.

I have a problem here at the moment in that all of my flock is vaccinated but I have just purchased some Belgians that aren't (they are under 6 months of age) but they are okay here so far. However I have also just purchased three new pekins (all vaccinated) but the breeder had a bird die of Marek's on his property (a bird he bought that he thought was vaccinated but wasn't!). Now I can't let the new pekins come in contact with my unvaccinated Belgians as they are still young and may be susceptible to disease potentially carried by the pekins. If the Belgians had been vaccinated it wouldn't be an issue.

If you do have to buy the vaccine yourself it is about $120 per vial from the vet, but you just need to make sure it has been handled/stored properly and it needs to be used within an hour or so of being made up.

Hope that helps a bit.

Deb

Thanks Deb yes that helps a lot, it gives me some idea of prices. There is a bird vet in Toowoomba I'll ring him out of curiosity but I know he charges $70. for a bird consult so it could be an eye opener but like I said now I have an idea of price.

I don't know any breeders around the place but I am just joining the Darling Downd poultry club so that might give me some leads.

Where do the chooks have their injection?

Some in the back of the neck just under the skin, although the vet injected them in the leg.

Joining the poultry club is a great idea - someone there is sure to help!

Deb

as with human vaccination , vacinating stock is a debateable issue---just curious why is vaccinating "the right thing by your birds"????

what is it you are planning to vaccinate for and why?----are your birds at risk of the deseases?once you decide on the vaccination track, you are pretty much stuck on that path-----mixing vaccinated and non vaccinated birds can be problematic-----and some people believe vaccinated hens should not hatch and rear chicks. big decision----do some research and make up your own mind

personally have not vaccinated any of my birds , during breeding season I hatch a clutch of chicks every 9-10 days---I have a total of 70 birds most of which have been bred on my previous property---my flock is relatively healthy with the exception of a problem with fowl pox, I was hoping that my recent move would end that trouble, but have a significant mosquito problem from environmental issues that I can do nothing about, so have decided to vaccinate for fowl pox, before next summer, too many good birds combs have been spoiled for showing----- unlike the mareks vaccine, birds can be vaccinated at different ages so will not be a problem---

cheers pam

Well Pam I'm beginning to wonder myself, I don't know anything about it only what I have read this all very new to me, I breed & show dogs.

I have had people say not to start vaccinating as its ongoing etc etc so there is obvously 2 sides to the debate & I'll be doing a lot of reading & talking to people before I decide what to do. But I appreciate the honest opinion of someone that doesn't vaccinate, its good to know & it's no use me going off 1/2 cocked when I don't have a good understanding of the subject.

Well said Lou, there are two points of view on Vaccination, those that do and those that don't, reading up is the best option and deciding on your situation based on all the facts including the number of birds you intent on keeping i.e small or large flock ect....

We choose to Vaccinate.

Thanks
P.A