[PlotQueen]

Help Please! 

Thought it would be a great idea to hatch my own chicks from hatching eggs, but now very worried about vaccinating them.

How do I go about this?

I cannot find any information on the internet about supplies etc.

As I will be giving eggs to friends I really want to vaccinate them against salmonella, as an absolute minimum.

Where can I buy these vaccines from?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Aunt Sally]

Sorry Queenie but it's not feasible to vaccinate home hatched chicks.

It's generally only done by big hatcheries who produce hybrid egg layers.

The vaccines come in batches suitable for 1000 birds.

[Aunt Sally]

You should also have a plan on what you are going to do with the cock birds that you hatch too !

[PlotQueen]

Hiya

Cock birds are not a problem as they are either off to auction or will be on my plate.

I am more worried about selling eggs and the potential to infect somebody.

I wonder if my vets could vaccinate against the worst ones?

[Aunt Sally]

I wonder if my vets could vaccinate against the worst ones?

Have you asked them ?

[8doubles]

I think the vaccine manufacturers should do some small flock kits. There must be enough customers these days and better profit margins . Too busy with the swine flu perhaps.

[Chookster]

I think the vaccine manufacturers should do some small flock kits. There must be enough customers these days and better profit margins . Too busy with the swine flu perhaps.

yes they should i think and they would certainly get a lot of money from a lot of people. it does worry me too.  it also worries me that i have bought birds from different breeders who don't have that amount of birds who have said (without any paperwork to back it up just their word) that i can be assured the birds i bought have been vaccinated.

I'm allowed to sell my eggs to friends and family, at 'the gate' and at farmers markets but not to restaurants/pubs.  But i'm still selling my eggs to consumers. Strange rule. But there you go.

I have to say though I would vaccinate if it was available to the small holder like me, even if i only kept 2 chickens in my back garden. I guess i would just feel safer doing it.  And what about the coccidious or whatever it's called?  I heard that deep litter is an effective way of dealing with this if managed correctly.

[PlotQueen]

I totally agree with you 8doubles.

Why don't they sell kits by 5's rather than 1000's?

I did speak to my local vet and they don't offer vaccinations for poultry, however did put me in contact with a more rural practice that does.

They are getting back to me regarding price etc, so I will let you know.

I did mention to them that chicken keeping is the largest hobby in the UK at the moment and if they put together some small flock packs I am sure they would do very well from them.  So lets see what they come back with.

As the Orpington chickens last for some 8 years I want to vaccinate them so they remain healthy and I also am worried still about salmonella being passed to anybody, as all my friends have young children and I would be mortified if I sole them bad eggs that made them ill.

[Foxy]

vaccines although in large numbers are very cheap, if  I remember rightly something like £30 depending on the vaccine.
Schering Plough are the best for vaccines(intervet) particulary salmonella. Saying that salmonella is very difficult to contract from eggs obtained from a backyard flock anyhow.
I dont vaccinate as I don't feel there is a need, I have a very healthy flock of birds all raised from my own hatching eggs and carefully monitored.
One other thing, before even considering selling cockerels at a local auction, have a look first, it is shocking how they are treated. Rare breed auctions have banned single/multiple cockerels forr sale for that reason.

[lucylou]

Foxy, what you said about the cockerels treatment at auction makes me really sad - i wondered why salisbury only sold them in pairs or trios - didnt give it a thought that might be why - it really make syou think

[Foxy]

Its worse than that too, they can be sold for pennies and used to "train" fighting birds..