[plt102]

Hi there,

we are thinking about expanding our number of chickens next year and may occasionally go above the magic number of 49 birds. We are registered voluntarily but I understand as you have more birds than 50 you should have a vaccination program in place. We have 20 rehomed hens from an egg farm so I assume that they are covered and we have some of our own hens and bantams that we have raised from chicks. Would it be sufficient to vaccinate all new chicks or should I do the older birds as well? What age should I vaccinate them at and how do I get hold of the vaccines in very small amounts as I will only hatch a handful of chicks at a time. Should I just do Mareks and the other one (Costridium is it?) or are there other compulsory ones to do as well, such as salmonella? We will be mostly selling the eggs but will also sell the odd cockeral for meat and maybe a breeding trio or two of our bantams.

Any advice welcome. Thanks! Pip

[Barrett]

Pip good luck with getting the Vacs in small amounts I have around 20 at the moment and do like to hatch my own and would like to sell them and would also like to Vaccinate however, my local vet can only get the vacs in as small as 500 which is way to many for me. Sarah.

[chrismahon]

We are registered with animal wealfare. They have never mentioned an immunisation programme and I would not recommend it. Some vaccines are live (IB, ILT), put in the drinking water. It makes them infectious to any untreated birds and the older ones you have may not be able to cope. Generally only hybrids are immunised, Pedigrees are not. Pedigrees don't need to be treated as they are reared in small numbers in far better conditions. Hybrids are the opposite, bred in large numbers on a Commercial basis. For this reason I would alwys advise against mixing hybrids and Pedigrees. We got caught our with it and introduced IB and ILT simultaneously into our Pedigree flock. Stressful and expensive time for us.

[hughesy]

The commercial chicken industry vaccinate due to the fast and expensive potential spread of disease in their intensive systems. Birds kept in a non intensive smallholding, free range kind of way shouldn't need it.

[Victorian Farmer]

We breed 100 to 300 at a time we then vaccinate and sex .Iv had so much up set about cock birds I used to sell 25 chicks for £30 un sext people came back and give me hell so naw I pay 75 pence sexing and 1.50 for the vackcine and gas the cock birds the cost per chick is 4 pound sext happy chicks will sell the vackcine. It's best to get good solid stock .i would breed 50 hens and 5 cocks sell the hens that don't lay we'll and replace cock birds everey 18 months and stick to the same stock.