[pinksponk]

Hi,  I am just about to take up keeping chickens at home.  I have bought a coop, done quite a bit of research and think Im ready to get some chooks.  My only worry is about vaccination.  Should I ensure that my chook supplier has had them vaccinated or should I get unvaccinated chooks and take them to the vets ?  Or do I not bother with vaccination at all ?

[Casey76]

If you get POL hybrid pullets from a reputable breeder they are normally vaccinated against the major nasites, but this would really only be true of large scale breeders.

Vaccination of chickens can be a long, complicated and expensive rocess, ans some are given as eye drops, some are injectable, some are given in the water etc.  Normally vaccines are only available as 1000 dose vials, which can be prohibative if you only want to vaccinate a small number of hens.  Also, some vaccinations are given at a day old, and again after a certain nulmber of weeks, some are given at increaseing ages, and some are only given once the pullets are about 16 weeks old.

All in all, I wouldn't worry one way or another.  If you buy unvaccinated pullets, then they would remain unvaccinated. 

However you have to be careful when mixing vaccinated and unvaccinated pullets, as the vaccinated ones may still shed live virus which can cause active infections in the unvaccinated pullets.