Just as a matter of interest, is there any sort of certification available to prove a hen is fully vaccinated and what vaccinations should they have? I have had ex-bats which I know are fully vaccinated and also POL which I have been told are vaccinated. I fully believe the person I have bought the hens from and they are lovely healthy birds but nothing in writing. As I say, just wondering.
There's no certification scheme for chx. Just imagine the problem there would be trying to prove the chicken you are about to buy really is Mrs Fluffy who has been vaccinated against Mareks, Newcastle disease etc etc. , not to mention the cost
. I'm affraid it's down to trust.
Even if a bird has been vaccinated that's not necessarily a good thing. Not all vaccinations are equal. It depends on the type of vaccine.
Live vaccines are quick and cheap but they may leave the bird a carrier though immune. Not a problem when it's part of a closed community who are also all vaccinated to be immune but not so good if you then take them out of that closed community and put them in a healthy but unvaccinated community. Which is exactly what happens with many ex batts. There are other types of vaccines which don't involve live strains but they are less attractive for the commercial farmer as they are usually more expensive and take longer to build immunity. Try asking your ex batt rehab charity what vaccines the birds you are about to take delivery of have had and see how far you get in getting answers :blink: :blink:
The commercial 'all in, all out' vaccinated stock system of husbandry is designed to prevent disease spread between generations and it works but rehoming ex batts breaks the closed system. Even with hybrids reared for the backyard market you need a knowledgable keeper who understands the issues of vaccination. I suspect not many do. Personnally I think if you have any vaccinated stock all your birds need to be vaccinated. Thats very difficult to achieve if you mix pure breeds obtained from enthusiast breeders with hybrids from commercial growers and ex batts. Most of the time no doubt you will get away with it but don't assume vaccination is the answer to good health stock.
HF