Marek's Disease - Chickens in Arizona
We are often asked about Marek's disease, vaccines, and whether or not to vaccinate. Many chicken owners, both new and experienced, find themselves in a similar situation to this customer:
"From what I understand, many places that sell chickens vaccinate them for Marek's. However, my research suggests that Marek's disease is ubiquitous, and most backyard chickens get it anyway. So I'm wondering, why vaccinate them? As new chicken keepers, we're unsure about the risks of getting unvaccinated or vaccinated chickens. We don't want to get chickens that become sick and die soon after. We're torn between getting unvaccinated or vaccinated chickens. What are your reasons for vaccinating or not vaccinating for Marek's?"
AZ Chickens Response:
Marek's is indeed a common concern in the poultry community. Our specialized poultry veterinarian has made valid points on both sides of the vaccination debate. Let's discuss Marek's in more detail:
Currently, there are 14 known types of Marek's disease. The available vaccines cover approximately half of them (7 types), and this is only accomplished using three different vaccines. This leaves seven types of Marek's without a vaccine.
Research shows that 25% of unvaccinated chickens die from Marek's, while 23% of vaccinated chickens die from the disease. According to our poultry vet, "The vaccine acts as a bandaid. If they carry it, it's something they'll have. It may or may not suppress the symptoms or development of their strain of Marek's." The effectiveness depends on the specific type of Marek's they could have. So, is a 2% difference worth it? We must also consider the short-term and long-term effects that we may not be aware of.
At AZ Chickens, we're taking the approach of "may the best survive," aiming to create better genetics to withstand our environments. Each farm and flock must choose what's best for them, which is why we're carefully considering all factors involved with the vaccine and working closely with our veterinarian.
In exploring vaccine options, we would want to cover as many variations as possible and do it right (we own many birds and have expensive breeds). We found that many large hatcheries use one form of vaccine (covering 2 types of Marek's), and a few hatcheries use two forms (covering 4-5 types). None carry all three forms of vaccines that would cover 7 of the 14 known types of Marek's.
We hope this helps illustrate the extensive research we put into making decisions that affect our farm and customers. We encourage families to consider what's important for them. Additionally, we recommend considering the short-term and long-term effects of the vaccine, specifically on your property.
A 10-minute video published last year by PBS provides valuable information about the vaccine and its short-term and long-term effects. Many of these effects are often discovered afterward or unknowingly. We recommend taking the time to understand these effects and determine whether vaccinated or unvaccinated birds are best for your flock.
[PBS Video Link: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous]
We hope this information helps demonstrate the thorough research we conduct when making decisions that affect our farm and customers.
"From what I understand, many places that sell chickens vaccinate them for Marek's. However, my research suggests that Marek's disease is ubiquitous, and most backyard chickens get it anyway. So I'm wondering, why vaccinate them? As new chicken keepers, we're unsure about the risks of getting unvaccinated or vaccinated chickens. We don't want to get chickens that become sick and die soon after. We're torn between getting unvaccinated or vaccinated chickens. What are your reasons for vaccinating or not vaccinating for Marek's?"
AZ Chickens Response:
Marek's is indeed a common concern in the poultry community. Our specialized poultry veterinarian has made valid points on both sides of the vaccination debate. Let's discuss Marek's in more detail:
Currently, there are 14 known types of Marek's disease. The available vaccines cover approximately half of them (7 types), and this is only accomplished using three different vaccines. This leaves seven types of Marek's without a vaccine.
Research shows that 25% of unvaccinated chickens die from Marek's, while 23% of vaccinated chickens die from the disease. According to our poultry vet, "The vaccine acts as a bandaid. If they carry it, it's something they'll have. It may or may not suppress the symptoms or development of their strain of Marek's." The effectiveness depends on the specific type of Marek's they could have. So, is a 2% difference worth it? We must also consider the short-term and long-term effects that we may not be aware of.
At AZ Chickens, we're taking the approach of "may the best survive," aiming to create better genetics to withstand our environments. Each farm and flock must choose what's best for them, which is why we're carefully considering all factors involved with the vaccine and working closely with our veterinarian.
In exploring vaccine options, we would want to cover as many variations as possible and do it right (we own many birds and have expensive breeds). We found that many large hatcheries use one form of vaccine (covering 2 types of Marek's), and a few hatcheries use two forms (covering 4-5 types). None carry all three forms of vaccines that would cover 7 of the 14 known types of Marek's.
We hope this helps illustrate the extensive research we put into making decisions that affect our farm and customers. We encourage families to consider what's important for them. Additionally, we recommend considering the short-term and long-term effects of the vaccine, specifically on your property.
A 10-minute video published last year by PBS provides valuable information about the vaccine and its short-term and long-term effects. Many of these effects are often discovered afterward or unknowingly. We recommend taking the time to understand these effects and determine whether vaccinated or unvaccinated birds are best for your flock.
[PBS Video Link: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/tthis-chicken-vaccine-makes-virus-dangerous]
We hope this information helps demonstrate the thorough research we conduct when making decisions that affect our farm and customers.