I'm looking at getting a few more hens in a few weeks. I'm tempted with some bantams or purebred but seems most places don't vaccinate them. Would this be a huge issue. If so will most vets be able to vaccinate against maraks at least?
Mixing Unvaccinated with vaccinated
- Thread starter Bickerton
- Start date
Margaid
Well-known member
There's a place in Shropshire that sells pure breeds which are vaccinated against Mareks
http://www.thegobbett.co.uk/Chicken%20Prices.html
http://www.thegobbett.co.uk/Chicken%20Prices.html
valeriebutterley
New member
I've been told/always understood that it is OK to introduce vac to non vac hens after a few weeks, having kept the vac. ones away from the non vac flock.
Am I wrong, or have been misinformed or misunderstood?
Am I wrong, or have been misinformed or misunderstood?
My inderstanding is that POL pullets are either vaccinated, or not, by the POL stage, and you just have to act according to what you perceive the risk to be. I don't think its an option for the vet to vaccinate older birds, as I believe they have to have their vaccinations at certain ages, when they are chicks, like children do. In ay case, vaccines come in large batches which cannot be stored once opened and are expensive for the full suite if only one or two doses are used, which is why many small private breeders don't use them routinely. When you buy a typical hybrid layer POL, she will have been reared in a large commercial setup where all the chicks are fully vaccinated as a large group at the appropriate ages. I know some private breeders do vaccinate, at least for Mareks, and I think Foxy would be able to advise about this.
Just remember that yes, there are always going to be potential problems in introducing any new birds to an established flock, and the possibility of vaccine crossover is only one of these. As.always your choice of good healthy, well-reared stock is of the first importance. At least, commercial hybrids have been reared carefully,they wouldn't find a large-scale market if they weren't fully vaccinated against a whole range of possible diseases. So, as a hobby keeper who just has a few birds mainly as pets and for eggs, they tend to be an excellent choice health wise, and if you just stick to fully vaccinated hybrids, there should be no problems. Similarly, if you can find a good private or smaller-scale breeder of really healthy stock, there is no reason why it shouldn't be perfectly possible to mix vaccinated and unvaccinated birds with no problems at all. My own small flock of mixed birds has so far stayed healthy through several generations of imports, and I have been advised by Nick at Chalk Hill Poultry that the dangers of vaccine crossover problems are very small compared with other potential problems from newly- imported birds.
Just remember that yes, there are always going to be potential problems in introducing any new birds to an established flock, and the possibility of vaccine crossover is only one of these. As.always your choice of good healthy, well-reared stock is of the first importance. At least, commercial hybrids have been reared carefully,they wouldn't find a large-scale market if they weren't fully vaccinated against a whole range of possible diseases. So, as a hobby keeper who just has a few birds mainly as pets and for eggs, they tend to be an excellent choice health wise, and if you just stick to fully vaccinated hybrids, there should be no problems. Similarly, if you can find a good private or smaller-scale breeder of really healthy stock, there is no reason why it shouldn't be perfectly possible to mix vaccinated and unvaccinated birds with no problems at all. My own small flock of mixed birds has so far stayed healthy through several generations of imports, and I have been advised by Nick at Chalk Hill Poultry that the dangers of vaccine crossover problems are very small compared with other potential problems from newly- imported birds.
foxy
Active member
There shouldn't be any problems with mixing vaccinated with non vaccinated as longs as flocks of origin are heakthy and free of disease.
Ooh Margaid. That farm that you posted the link to looks good 
I've heard of men talking about tool porn before (think pictures of chainsaws, SDS drills & all sorts of other kit that they'll mostly never use); this looks like the poultry-keeper's equivalent!
Do they keep all of the different breeds in runs with labels to tell you what they are? It'd be more use, to the likes of me, than a trip to Stoneleigh. I can feel a weekend in Shropshire coming on :lol:
I've heard of men talking about tool porn before (think pictures of chainsaws, SDS drills & all sorts of other kit that they'll mostly never use); this looks like the poultry-keeper's equivalent!
Do they keep all of the different breeds in runs with labels to tell you what they are? It'd be more use, to the likes of me, than a trip to Stoneleigh. I can feel a weekend in Shropshire coming on :lol:
Margaid
Well-known member
Yes the last time I was there the breeds were all separated. I haven't bought any birds but my friend has. The birds she bought are in with her flock of Houdans and there haven't been any problems with vaccine crossover. Not sure what they keep in stock, or what they'd have this late in the year, so probably worth a call first if you're travelling a distance.
Margaid
Well-known member
Glad you like it Bickerton. If I have to give up poultry keeping temporarily and then decide to start again that's probably where I'll go.
Let us know what you decide to get.
Let us know what you decide to get.
Having seem the birds, so long as they are still in stock when I go my iintention is to get a dark Brahma, salmon faverolle, araucana, and a silver Wyandotte
There was another bird that looked like a darker fafaverolle and was told it was a Cockerell but doesn't look like the ones in the pictures.
There was another bird that looked like a darker fafaverolle and was told it was a Cockerell but doesn't look like the ones in the pictures.
foxy
Active member
Good choice Bickerton, if you want to know more about faverolles colours then you can have a look at my website. Brahmas and faverolles get on really well, and dottes too for that matter, araucanas? hmmm a bit too bonkers for my liking!
foxy
Active member
Bickerton said:
Ahh yes Bickerton, you mean Appenzellers? Yes they are pretty bonkers too, beautiful birds though with a fascinating history...
http://poultrykeeper.com/chicken-breeds/appenzeller-spitzhauben-chickens
oops...well off thread I notice..
Yup that's the one!
Gotta wait till beginning of November to have time off to introduce em properly. Also trying to make a timed door latch powered by a disco ball motor too ad it's dark when wifey leaves now and my secure run will be too smallfor 8
Gotta wait till beginning of November to have time off to introduce em properly. Also trying to make a timed door latch powered by a disco ball motor too ad it's dark when wifey leaves now and my secure run will be too smallfor 8
foxy
Active member
Well with the appenzeller I wouldn't worry so much about closing up..they will just roost up high in a tree...you have been warned! 
