[ayrt1010]

I'm sorry if this has already been discussed, but should I vaccinate the(hopeful) chicks that are due next week. It has been suggested to use Paracox and to get some to give at a day old is this right? I'm new to this game!!

[Fowlman]

No need unless you are hatching hundreds just use medicated chick crumb.

[suziequeue]

I seem to remember from previous threads that you can only get it in bulk (e.g. hundreds of doses at a time) which makes it not cost effective for a small holder.

I wanted to do mine but it was impossible to get just the six doses I needed. I meant to pop down to my local chicken farmer to get some off him but the chicks are all fine anyway :-)

[Fowlman]

Doses come in batches of 1000 suzieq but arent expensive. Unless you move birds around a lot there really isnt any need to vaccinate, good husbandry should be enough. In over 35 years of keeping fowl i have only had one occasion of cocci in my birds. Vaccines are only really practical when you have 1000's of birds in close proximity.

[chrismahon]

Vaccines are more trouble than they are worth in my opinion. You are effectively introducing strains of IB, ILT and Mareks into your flock and your birds are contagious to any unvaccinated. So once you have started you have to continue. You won't be able to buy in any unvaccinated birds which restricts your choice in the future to hybrids only.

[Fowlman]

Vaccines are more trouble than they are worth in my opinion. You are effectively introducing strains of IB, ILT and Mareks into your flock and your birds are contagious to any unvaccinated. So once you have started you have to continue. You won't be able to buy in any unvaccinated birds which restricts your choice in the future to hybrids only.

   Good post chris.