What is a recommended vaccination program for small flocks?
We don’t recommend vaccinating for laryngotrachietis unless the disease has been a problem on your farm or is prevalent in the area. Vaccinate young stock at 10 days of age with a mild, nonspreading form of vaccine, if the disease is on your farm or vaccinate at 4 weeks of age for prevention. Repeat at 16-20 weeks of age. This will hold the flock for a year. Vaccinate immediately if an outbreak occurs. For prevention of fowl pox, use a mild vaccine on day-old chicks and laying birds and a stronger vaccine for growing birds. For Newcastle and infectious bronchitis disease, vaccinate at 7-10 days, 5 weeks and 30 days prior to egg production with B-1 strain of Newcastle and mixed bronchitis vaccines. Don’t be concerned about Marek’s disease unless you are losing a lot of birds from the disease. Vaccine for this disease is administered at day-old and if you are purchasing chicks, it’s worth paying a little more to vaccinate them. Ref. O. Sanitation – Disease – “A Manual of Poultry Diseases
