[Honeysuckle]

We're thinking about adding to our flock next year by breeding our own    My query is - how do we inoculate them? 

[joyfull]

it costs a lot of money to vaccinate chickens and really isn't practical for the small breeder. Vaccines come in large doses usually 1000 and there are so many of them. You also need the equipment to do this. Some vaccines once opened have to be used within 1 hour. They have to be given at different times from the day they are hatched onwards.

[Aunt Sally]

What Joyfull means is ...  you don't !   

[joyfull]

  short and sweet Aunty 

[Honeysuckle]

Thanks for that - I find that a bit scary I have to say! I don't think it will put me off though! 

[Aunt Sally]

Why scary ?

[GrannieAnnie]

I agree, I was going to vaccinate my new chicks, but decided it wasn't worth the extra cost.  I've bred chooks myself now for over 3 years, the vaccinated ones live with the non vaccinated ones and I haven't had any problems, but some people like Grumpydad have had fully vaccinated chickens and they can still get ill and die!

[Honeysuckle]

Just scary in that they aren't vaccinated against Newcastle's etc.  I'm sure with extra vigilant quarantine procedures, it won't be a problem. 

[GrannieAnnie]

Newcastle's isn't all that common I believe the worst one I think is Marek's in the chicks

[Sassy]

Vaccinations are necessary for the commercially bred birds because of the conditions and numbers in which they are kept. If kept with adequate space and good housekeepong there is no reason to suppose vaccinations are needed for domestic birds.

As GrannieAnnie points out they can still get sick with what they have been vaccinated against!!

[Casey76]

Newcastles disease is a notifiable disease, just like F&M.  However there hasn't been a case in the UK for many years.  Unless you are going to bimport unvaccinated stock from the continent, then the chances of your flock contracting Newcastles, is very, very slight!

[Honeysuckle]

I guess I'm just being an over anxious mum!  My initial reaction was as if you'd told me not to have my kids innoculated  But you're all right - nothing to worry about! 

[GrannieAnnie]

I even had 2 chicks once die of coccidiosis, and they were still in the brooder shed!  But I must have brought something in on my boots!  Luckily Joyfull noticed it first, and I cleaned them out well and moved the chicks down the other end of the shed.  The rest were fine!