AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

It does take patience, but you will see improvement with each new generation. They will have strong immune systems if they make it to two years of age. I have some birds that are 9 & 10 years old and still producing.

I'm a bit confused should I vaccinate or not? I just want hens for eating eggs. Any advice/guidance appreciated

It really comes down to a matter of preferance. I breed mine as a hobby and do not breed that many. If you are going to raise hundreds to sale and use young stock all the time then you should vaccinate.

I also don't vaccinate as I only have 20 or so hens and 3 rooster so I don't consider I have enough to vaccinate

Does Marek's ever affect older birds, that is, about 3 years old? I recently lost an Aaraucana hen who lay on her side with her legs out as though clumsily dustbathing and then sat still and declined. Symptopms were only noticeable over a few days. Now my Araucana rooster is ill. Took him to the vet who said his temperature was off the scale on her thermometer, she had never seen a bird so hot. He was severely dehydrated, ungainly, stopped eating and drinking and his comb was pale and sunken. He was previously seen by my daughter laying on one side and thrusting his legs out.
He was dunked in water and held in front of a fan to get his temp down, given long acting antibiotics and subcutaneous fluids and hospitalised overnight. The vet seemed to dismiss Marek's as a possibility when she found out his age. The next day he was eating and cool, and came home. He has spent the last two days in the laundry with a fan on and is gradually improving. He is walking normally but still standing on one leg occasionally. I have not seen him jump, and he has not roosted above floor level although the side of the tubs is covered with towel and would be comfortable for him. He is eating and drinking (at first he would only drink if my daughter stroked his back!) and crowing to the flock outside. We are experiencing a severe heatwave, so he won't go out at least until it is cooler tomorrow, but the hen died before the extreme heat set in so heat exhaustion alone shouldn't be the problem. Also cool conditions with misting and plenty of water and shade have always been available. We lost 6 adults and 3 chicks to fox attack a week earlier, could stress have been a factor?

This rooster, Lavender, is a real favourite of ours due to his gentleness and good nature towards the flock and to us. I would hate to lose him.


Any thoughts?

Can older chickens be vaccinated. I have read up a little on mareks disease but haven't read about the maximum age to vaccinate

No, you can't vaccinate them at an older age. They have to be done in the first 24 hours after hatch. I heard rumours of a vaccine that could be given up to six weeks of age and just this week I asked my avian vet to look into it. She told me today that it's not possible.

I have vaccinated older chicks, up to about 3-4 weeks of age, and haven't lost any to Marek's. I realise this is only anecdotal, however I know that I have had unvaccinated birds die of Marek's on my property so won't kid myself that I don't have it in the environment here.

Ideally however you will do it within the first couple of days. If Marek's vaccine was more accessible I would definitely vaccinate each batch of chicks immediately, however given that the drug companies prefer not to supply it in reasonably cost-effective quantities that isn't always possible.

You’re not wrong Debbie the vaccine is way too expensive and unreasonable quantities, they only cater for the commercial breeders and not the hobbyists which I can comfortably say there are more of than commercial. Can only hope that one day they see the benefit in looking after the hobbyists

you can vaccinate older chickens, but there is no point if they have already been exposed to Marek's. The chick needs seven days free from virulent Marek's following vaccination to build sufficient immunity to gain protection.