Tips on Vaccinating for Marek's Disease

There is some very good advice given on Poultryone regarding vaccinating for Marek's Disease.





The Chicken Article - Vaccinating Against Mareks Disease by K.J. Theodore of shagbarkbantams is HERE.

Basically, you mix up the freeze dried vaccine and the diluent according to instructions and you inject your day old chicks that haven't been exposed to the virus. I have done it under the skin on the back of the neck and also under the skin on the thigh. You need to inject it under the skin, but not into the muscle. Whether you do the neck or the thing depends what you find more comfortable.







I admit I don't bother cleaning the injection site. I'm more focussed on speed. I don't think I've ever lost a chick because of that. Mine just get a quick injection in the neck or the skin of the thigh, then they go back into the warm to recover. I put about 50 at a time in a box. I take them from there one at a time, do the job, then place them in a warm box.Remember to keep the chicks away from other birds that may be contaminated with MD for a few weeks while their immunity is developing.