[Sassy]

Do ensure you don't mix vaccinated and non-vaccinated birds. It is not set in stone but hybrids tend to be vaccinated and pure breds don't.

[dbaggie]

Thanks for the heads-up - I presume getting ready vaccinated birds would be the best way to go but if I do ultimately acquire non-vaccinated birds is this generally quite cheap or expensive to get done yourself?

[joyfull]

most vaccines come in batches of 500 or 1000 so this is why small companies and back yard breeders dont vaccinate. There are also so many vaccines that the cost of administering them all would be prohibitive.
The majority of vaccinated birds are those deemed for the large egg producers.

[hen addict]

I keep hybrids and did a lot of research into the " mixing of vaccinated and unvaccinated birds" my particular subject at the time was mareks disease. this is what I believe to be accurate as I understand it,

The risk of unvaccinated birds catching any disease from vaccinated birds from the actual vaccine it's self is a myth.

The problems arise when a vaccinated bird comes into contact with the "live infectious virus" from a source of  unvaccinated birds
The vaccinated bird will show little or no symptoms because the vaccine prohibits the disease from developing in that bird.
 However once that bird has been exposed to the live virus it becomes a carrier, and that's when the problems arise in mixing birds. The unvaccinated bird will only then catch and develop the disease from a vaccinated bird.
It's always a risk mixing these birds unless you know for sure one or the other has not been exposed to infection. An infected unvaccinated bird, can ruin a whole flock of vaccinated birds. I think it's a 50/50 risk and wonder whether the whole vaccination program is worth it?

[joyfull]

sadly some birds that have had the mareks vaccine can still develop it if the vaccine has not been administered within the very short timescale from when the vaccine has been opened, which is one hour, also if the vaccinated bird comes into contact with a high concentration of birds with mareks then they can still get it.
Any bird that recovers from mareks will become a carrier and risk infecting any bird it comes into contact with.

[hen addict]

sadly some birds that have had the mareks vaccine can still develop it if the vaccine has not been administered within the very short timescale from when the vaccine has been opened, which is one hour, also if the vaccinated bird comes into contact with a high concentration of birds with mareks then they can still get it.
Any bird that recovers from mareks will become a carrier and risk infecting any bird it comes into contact with.

Yes I agree so is it really worth vaccinating in the first place? I wonder if the impact on small scale keepers is worth the risk. As I'm mareks free I'm going to gradually replace my birds with birds I hatch myself and keep to doing that and hope for the best as it  one risk less of introducing it from another source.

[joyfull]

I have had ex batts and non vaccinated birds together without any problems, most vaccines now are not live vaccines so the risk of passing anything on are very small and even then any problems with them being live is short lived. I don't know how long any vaccine remains active as they are usually given to birds that will be culled at around 72 weeks and I very much doubt that any bird will be re-tested to see if they are still covered by the vaccine at that age. When I used to breed I never vaccinated.
If your birds free range or have a run which isn't covered with a solid roof then they are at risk from any diseases any wild birds that visit are carrying.

[Sassy]

Vaccines are vital for the hens that are kept in appalling, non-natural conditions such as caged birds. With good housekeeping it is usually possible to keep birds well. As Joyfull points out they are at risk from wild birds, as they have been since time began.

Personally I would choose to keep pure bred non vaccinated birds. You get bigger yolks in my experience.

[hen addict]

It's a really interesting subject.
I would be very interested in forum members opinions on the natural resistance of pure bred unvaccinated birds? Is it possible that a naturally developed resistance would be passed on to the next generation? I also wonder why it is that some pure breeds are more susceptible to mareks than others.

[joyfull]

maybe their genetic make up is more susceptible owing to a smaller gene pool.