What vaccinations are given to chickens? Why do chickens need to be vaccinated?

Vaccination of chickens at home is a measure that helps protect the poultry farmer’s birds from various diseases at an early age. Carrying out this procedure involves introducing vaccines into the animal’s body that safely affect the bird’s immunity, helping it develop resistance to specific diseases. All vaccines used are made from weakened pathogens or their metabolic products, which are not capable of causing the development of diseases. Unfortunately, veterinary clinics do not provide mass vaccination services for chickens, however, with the proper knowledge, each farmer can cope with this task independently.

Many diseases characteristic of poultry most often have the nature of epidemics. In other words, they spread quickly, and in just a few hours, one sick individual can infect the entire bird population. Vaccination is carried out in order to prevent the development of the desired diseases, as well as to prevent the death of the entire farm.

Let's see what diseases most often occur on poultry farms.

Table 1. Diseases most commonly affecting chickens

Disease	Description
Newcastle disease	This disease is characterized by the occurrence of such negative consequences in chickens as: development of pneumonia; hemorrhagic deformations of body organs. It is fatal for chicks and adults, and it makes sense to prevent its development at a young age. Please note: this disease can also be dangerous for humans, and is transmitted to them from birds by airborne droplets, which is why you should be extremely vigilant.
Bronchitis of infectious etiology	When bronchitis occurs, chickens suffer from such manifestations as: cough; wheezing In addition, secondary conjunctivitis may develop. The mortality rate from this disease is high.
Marek's disease	Infection with Marek's disease leads to chickens: loss of vision; proliferation of tumors inside organs; complete paralysis. The development of this disease in your herd can destroy your profits in a short period of time.
Salmonellosis	With salmonellosis, chickens experience tearfulness, apathy, and various discharges. While in the body of a bird, Salmonella microorganisms poison the body with toxins that spread to the mucous membranes, resulting in necrotic processes. The critically rapid spread of salmonellosis in broilers was especially clearly noted, since they live more crowded. This disease is also dangerous for humans, and if left untreated in birds, it can be transmitted to them. Consumption of meat from birds with salmonellosis is strictly prohibited due to the risk of fatal poisoning from toxins.
Adenovirus infection	This infection is otherwise called “reduced egg production syndrome.” So, when infected with it, the fertility of laying hens decreases significantly, and in addition, the final product is necessarily deformed, since: egg shells become soft; shell pigmentation disappears.

Remember: Farms that sell their products to the public are required by law to operate only with the permission of government supervisory and control authorities. In particular, enterprises are regularly inspected for compliance with sanitary and epidemiological standards. Provided that infected individuals are found on your farm, then you:

• You will temporarily or even permanently lose the opportunity to sell the product;
• be subject to sanctions, most often in the form of fines and suspension of activities.

All of the above circumstances make early vaccination of poultry not just a useful measure, but rather a necessity. You, as a businessman, must understand that spending on vaccines will subsequently pay for itself many times over, but imaginary savings on medicines will lead to the complete collapse of a farming enterprise in 99% of cases.

However, even those farmers who run subsidiary plots are now vaccinating because they do not want to:

• jeopardize your health and the health of your family members;
• lose the money invested in providing the birds with the necessary conditions and purchasing the bird itself.

Vaccination is a kind of win-win means of minimizing the risks associated with the development of the most common diseases in poultry, which can lead to:

• death of individuals;
• mass mortality;
• reduction in the quality of the food product.

However, when determining the list of vaccines that you are going to administer to small chickens, you need to take into account some nuances.

Video - Newcastle disease in chickens

How to determine the list of vaccines needed for use on your farm

In fact, giving chickens all existing vaccines against many ailments does not make sense not only from an economic, but also from a practical point of view. Let's figure out how to understand which vaccines you need to get and which ones you shouldn't.

1. The epidemiological situation in the region is the first thing you should learn about when becoming a farmer. The fact is that various diseases are rampant in each region, and the presence of some of them may be characteristic only of a specific area. Therefore, in order not to “stuff” the bird with unnecessary medications, you must clarify the list of ailments that are relevant specifically for your farm, which birds (or other farm and domestic animals kept on your farm) can get, and based on the points indicated in it, carry out vaccination.

Note: You can clarify the epidemiological situation in your region by visiting in person or calling the local Animal Disease Control Station.

2. The productive orientation of chickens and their breed can also affect what vaccinations you give them. For example, it is known that broilers are hybrids of other breeds and cannot lay eggs, therefore, they do not need a vaccine against adenovirus infection, which affects:

• decreased egg production;
• egg quality.

You can read more about representatives of the meat and egg direction in the article on our website -

3. The place where you purchased the chickens for breeding that you are going to vaccinate should also be taken into account when determining the list of vaccinations that you will give to your birds. So, for example, if chicks were purchased at a poultry farm, they must be vaccinated against Marek’s disease, since it:

• is very common;
• has a small age range when it can be placed and get an effect from it (approximately from the age of a day to reaching a three-week life span).

It is necessary to take into account the nuances regarding vaccination in order to increase the financial efficiency of your business

Instructions for administering the vaccine to chickens

It would seem that what could be simpler than injecting chickens with a vaccine against this or that disease? However, many farmers who try to carry out this procedure for the first time are lost, not knowing what to do and in what sequence. Let's look at the special instructions, in which we looked in detail at how to vaccinate chickens and what is needed for this.

Instruction No. 1 – vaccination by subcutaneous injection

Step 1 – preparation

First, we need to prepare the vaccine for administration. Take the drug, and 12 hours before the procedure, place it in a warm room so that it can warm up.

Carefully check the label on the ampoule to make sure that you have the exact drug you are supposed to administer. Remember: vaccines for subcutaneous administration are labeled as such and must be inserted only under the skin of the bird, without touching its muscles.

If the vaccine needs to be premixed, do so according to the instructions that came with it. It is in the packaging of the drug.

Step 2 - determine the location of the vaccine injection

Subcutaneous drugs can be administered to birds at a young age only in two areas of their body:

• in the upper cervical region;
• in the fold in the groin located between the belly and thigh of the bird.

How you will hold the bird depends on where exactly you place the drug. Enlist outside help and tell your assistant exactly how to hold the chicken:

• if the insertion is made into the neck, then you need to turn the bird with its back to you, while the bird is held by its wings and legs;
• if the insertion is carried out into the inguinal fold, then the chicken breast should be directed towards you, and it is also necessary to hold the bird by both pairs of limbs.

Step 3 – give the injection

Next, you will need to draw the finished vaccine into a syringe and inject it into the chicken's body. To make it easier to insert the needle without hitting the muscles, and at the same time to relieve pain for the chicks, it is best to grab the skin in the area you have chosen for the injection, creating a kind of skin pocket.

Note: When piercing the skin, you will feel resistance, and then the needle will go easier. If you feel resistance again after easier insertion, then you have hit a muscle, and the needle needs to be pulled out and then inserted again, but this time so that the vaccine finally comes out only under the skin.

Having realized that everything was done correctly, press the piston and spray the vaccine under the skin of the bird.

Instruction No. 2 – intramuscular injection of the vaccine

Not all vaccines that are injected into the body of chickens using a needle and syringe are injected subcutaneously. Some of them are placed intramuscularly, that is, a needle and the drug enters the muscle through it.

In chickens, the muscles of the chest are most suitable for giving injections.

Step 1 – preparatory stage

Prepare for vaccination in the same way as the first step of the previous instructions. Carefully read the instructions supplied with the drug to be completely sure that you are mixing the medicine correctly.

Step 2 - place the chicken

For intramuscular injections, you will also need an assistant to hold the chicken. This time we are injecting into the chest muscle, so the chicken should stand on the table, and at the same time the person you invited to the procedure should hold:

• chicken legs;
• wings.

Step 3 – inject the vaccine

You need to find the keel bone on the chicken's chest that separates its rib cage. In any direction from the keel bone, count from 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters. This is where the largest segments of the chest are located.

We insert the needle into this area, holding it at an angle of 45 degrees. When inserting the needle, you will feel resistance twice:

• once when passing through her skin;
• the second time when piercing the muscle.

Carefully: do not hit a vein or artery. If blood appears on the skin of the chicken when pierced, reinsert the needle in a different place.

With the needle in place, inject the vaccine into the chicken's body.

Instruction No. 3 – vaccination with eye drops

To administer the vaccine using eye drops, you need to use a special pipette. Administering the vaccine through the eyes of chickens is not as simple as it might seem, however, this is one of the most reliable methods of protecting birds, which is actively used by bird breeders.

Step 1 - preparing the vaccine

It is necessary to take an ampoule with a dry product and dilute the contents with a special diluent liquid.

Both the required liquid and the concentrated vaccine itself are sold as a set, in a single package, and sold inseparably.

Note: The temperature of the diluent should not exceed 8 degrees and be less than 2 degrees Celsius.

The finished vaccine must be placed in ice to keep it cool.

The finished bottle with the vaccine must be equipped with a pipette and shake lightly.

Step 2 – fix the chicken in the desired position

The assistant you call to participate in this procedure should hold the chicken as follows:

• the pet's eyes should be turned towards you;
• the body is tightly fixed;
• the head is held in one position.

Step 3 – administer the vaccine

You need to inject 0.03 milliliters of the solution you prepared into the eyes of the feathered baby. Then you need to wait a while, holding the bird so that it does not blink away the liquid, and the medicine still penetrates into its body. Also make sure that the vaccine does not come out through the bird's nostrils.

Let's sum it up

A vaccine for chickens is a reliable tool that helps prevent the development of a variety of diseases in birds. Provided that you correctly and timely introduce the vaccine into the bird’s body, after some time it will develop stable immunity to various ailments. Such protection will last for a long time and will help you overcome difficult periods, protecting your chickens from suffering and your business from financial ruin.

The introduction of vaccines into the bird's body may vary. So, in addition to the methods of its use described by us, there are additional ones. For example, you can administer the vaccine to birds using:

• special sprayer;
• drinking water, etc.

Which method you choose depends not only on your preferences, but also on the list of drugs that need to be given to chickens in your case. Determine it in advance and carefully prepare for the procedure.

Video - Vaccination and culling of chickens

If you own chickens, whether there are thousands of them or just three, you will need to vaccinate them to keep them healthy. There are many ways to do this, although some are more effective for large-scale production (spray method) and others are more suitable for single vaccination (eg subcutaneous injection method). Continue to step 1 to learn about the different methods. If you have never vaccinated chickens, you should consult a veterinarian who can advise you on the best methods for your situation.

Steps

Preparing for any vaccination

1. Chicks need to be vaccinated at a certain time. Different vaccines must be given at different times in a chick's life. Most vaccines are given after the chicks have hatched if you have never vaccinated your chicken before. Always consult your veterinarian. Below is a general guide for the most common vaccinations and when they should be given:

   • E.Coli: Give on one day.
   • Marek's disease: Give from one day to 3 weeks of age.
   • Infectious disease of the bursa (Gumboro disease): Give from 10 to 28 days.
   • Infectious bronchitis: Give from 16 to 20 weeks of age.
   • Atypical plague: Give from 16 to 20 weeks of age.
   • Adenovirus: Give from 16 to 20 weeks of age.
   • Salmonellosis: Give from one day to 16 weeks of age.
   • Coccidiosis: Give from one day to 9 days of age.
   • Infectious laryngotracheitis: Give from 4 weeks of age.

2. Do not vaccinate chickens that lay eggs. There is a high chance that the virus will be transmitted through the oviduct into the egg, and then to other areas where it can be dangerous to other birds.

   • Most vaccine manufacturers recommend that adult birds be vaccinated at least 4 weeks before the hen lays eggs. This ensures that the hen does not become a transmitter of the virus and therefore that she does not pose a risk of indirectly transmitting the virus through the egg to another location.

3. You should know which vaccines should be given in advance of the year. Some vaccines must be given annually to ensure they still effectively protect against the virus and are designed to fight the infection. Other vaccines only need to be given once and will provide lifelong protection.

   • Vaccines that must be given annually: infectious bronchitis, atypical plague, adenovirus (reduced egg production syndrome), salmonella.
   • Not annual vaccines: Marek's disease, infectious disease of the bursa, coccidiosis, infectious laryngotracheitis.

4. Check the general health of your chickens before vaccinating them. You don't want to vaccinate sick birds, as the virus may be too strong - then it will simply kill them. The best way to determine whether to vaccinate or not is to have your chickens checked by a veterinarian to make sure they are healthy.

   • In the meantime, your veterinarian can talk with you about the best way to vaccinate your specific chickens.

5. Check and record vaccination information. It is important that you make sure you have the right vaccine and the right dosage and understand the best way to administer the vaccine. You must double check - have the information correct and record all of that information, including:

   • Name of the vaccine.
   • Batch number.
   • Manufacturer.
   • Date of manufacture.
   • Validity.
   • Which chickens receive which vaccines.

6. Double check that the vaccine is being stored correctly. If the vaccine must be stored at a certain temperature or in a certain location, it is important to check that the storage has not been tampered with in any way.

   • If you notice any cracks or the temperature is not at the correct level, you will have to cancel the vaccination and order another batch of vaccine through your veterinarian.

7. Collect all materials. The following sections of this article will discuss various methods of vaccinating chickens. Each method can only be applied to specific types of vaccinations, so you should always know that you are doing the right type of procedure. Once you have double checked everything and know what you are doing, gather all the materials you may have on hand when vaccinating your chickens.

   • Some vaccination methods require two or three other people to be with you, if necessary for the particular type of vaccination.

8. Sterilize the area where you plan to administer the vaccine. If you plan to use a syringe and needle, you will need to sterilize the needle insertion site. To sterilize the skin, soak a cotton ball in a surgical solution (such as alcohol) while spreading the feathers at the injection site.

   Vaccination by subcutaneous injection

   Vaccination by intramuscular injection

   Vaccination with eye drops

   Vaccination through drinking water

   Vaccination using a sprayer

   Vaccination using a wing network

   • Ice, ice box
   • Vaccine
   • Eye dropper

   Vaccination with drinking water

   • Large container with manual drinking system
   • Solution or small 50 liter bucket
   • Stirrer or any plastic material that can be used for stirring
   • Water stabilizers: skim milk or chemical stabilizer tablet (Ceva®)
   • Measuring jug with graduations

   Nebulizer vaccination

   • 2 sprayers
   • Insulated cooler
   • Distilled water
   • Manual separator
   • 1 large measuring jug
   • 1 large jug or mixing bucket 5 - 10 liters
   • Plastic stirrers

   Wing mesh vaccination

   • Two needles for the wing mesh
   • Vaccine with diluent
   • Ice, ice box

   Warnings

   • Always talk to your veterinarian before attempting to vaccinate chickens unless you have any experience with vaccinating birds.

Many diseases spread very quickly in chickens and easily acquire epidemiological proportions. Vaccination is an integral measure for keeping poultry, which involves introducing into the animal’s body a special substance that promotes the production of immune complexes against most diseases known to modern veterinary medicine. As a rule, livestock are vaccinated in special offices or veterinary clinics, but an experienced poultry breeder can do this within his own farm, observing a number of necessary rules. Today, chicken vaccination is carried out by introducing a vaccine into its body; it is a prophylactic drug containing weakened strains of pathogens of avian diseases or their waste products.

Why is vaccination necessary?

Diseases in chickens cause a number of abnormalities in their development. In particular, diseases cause a decrease in the growth rate of poultry, an insufficient gain of muscle mass, and even increase the likelihood of total death of the entire livestock on the farm. In addition, some chicken diseases are dangerous for humans and provoke the development of flu-like symptoms or poisoning in the body.

In our country, all industrial chickens are compulsorily vaccinated against the following diseases:

• Newcastle disease or pseudoplague of birds;
• Marek's illness;
• Gumboro;
• infectious bronchitis;
• syndrome of decreased egg production in laying hens.

Naturally, the listed diseases are only the necessary minimum of diseases that today should be prevented among chickens living on farms and industrial farms. At home, poultry needs encephalomyelitis, laryngotracheitis, infectiously transmitted chicken anemia, reovirus and pneumovirus infections, coccidiosis and the well-known salmonellosis. This list can be continued, since different regions have their own specific viruses.

Very often, breeders have to buy chickens from different farms or the same laying hens. When purchasing chickens raised on a farm or enterprise, you need to use certain advice from veterinarians that will help you protect yourself from purchasing infected birds.

When buying chickens from an incubator, you need to ask the seller what vaccinations they were given, at what time and against what diseases. When purchasing a large batch of poultry, you need to ask the seller if there is a veterinary certificate or a special certificate confirming that the bird has been vaccinated, its timing, the name and batch number of the vaccine.

It is better if day-old chicks are vaccinated against b. Marek is still in the incubator conditions. This procedure is necessary when selling chicks to industrial enterprises, while they may not be vaccinated for sale to the private sector.

After acquiring new members of the family, they must first be isolated from the rest of the herd by being quarantined. This will prevent the spread of infection and minimize the risk of developing an epidemic.

Modern vaccination scheme

Owners of serious poultry factories need to think about vaccination if the livestock numbers in the hundreds (exceeds 500 pieces). In such cases, the risk of rapid spread of the virus and mass death increases. Naturally, to draw up a vaccine therapy regimen, it is better to contact the regional zoological service, but you can do this yourself.

It is important to remember that when contacting veterinary government agencies, farmers may be offered free vaccines against the most common chicken diseases in the region, as well as b. Newcastle and bird flu. In addition, the veterinarian is always aware of the epidemiological situation in his region and can advise which vaccinations should be given first.

If there is no desire to contact representatives of the veterinary service, then you can draw up a vaccination plan yourself. In the case where there are no other similar farms or industrial enterprises nearby, and in the populated area itself, the death of poultry from endemic infections has not been recorded, vaccinations are not a mandatory measure and may not be carried out.

According to statistical studies in recent years, it is this disease that causes the universal mortality of chickens in enterprises during the epidemic.

The scheme for administering solutions for this pathology is as follows:

• 1st day after hatching;
• at 4 weeks of age;
• at 2 months.

During these time intervals, the live vaccine is administered in the form of drops. It is necessary to instill in the nose and eyes.

At 3-4 months of life, an inactivated medication is administered in injection form. It allows the bird’s body to develop immunity, which lasts for a whole year. This is very convenient, as they become completely protected from viruses. The problem is one thing: it is not easy to get an inactivated professional drug, especially if we are talking about a large batch of it. It is better not to search on your own, but to seek help from a local veterinary organization.

Marek's disease

Marek's disease - this disease leads to blindness, the development of tumors on internal organs, paralysis and the inevitable death of the entire brood of birds. The virus is highly contagious, so it must be prevented in time in regions where it is most widespread. Often laying hens under the age of 6 months die from the disease.

Vaccination of a chicken occurs at the age of 1 day, when it is still in the incubator. If a breeder decides to supplement his flock, and in the region where he lives there are cases of outbreaks of such an infection, you need to inquire about whether the chicks have the appropriate vaccinations, which will help maintain the health of all the inhabitants of the farm.

The live form of the vaccine is administered by injection and provides the bird with immunity for several months. A revaccination is recommended at approximately 4-8 weeks of life. To do this, you should drip the inactivated vaccine into the bird's eyes. These actions are not effective if vaccination was not carried out on the first day of life. It is not recommended to simply distribute medicine into livestock without primary vaccination.

It is important to understand that the live version of the vaccine can provoke the spread of the disease virus in the flock and its presence in the birds’ habitat on an ongoing basis, simply in a weakened form.

Where can I buy the vaccine?

Farmers and chicken breeding owners know that vaccines for poultry are not easy to obtain, especially when the doses involved are too large or too small. As a rule, problems do not arise only with the drug against Newcastle disease. What is this connected with? The point is this. All modern vaccines are designed for industrial consumers; they are produced in a vial of at least a thousand doses. This is not beneficial for small businesses and private farms.

Many people are interested in purchasing preventive medications today. Veterinarians recommend looking for vaccines in places such as:

• regional and local pet stores, pharmacies, distribution points;
• regional veterinary station;
• regional zoological stores (in particular, Zoovetsnab).

It would not be superfluous to ask if there is a specialized enterprise in the region for the production of biological products. Perhaps it will be the one that will be able to provide the poultry breeder with the necessary vaccination preparations in the required quantities.

Under no circumstances should you buy vaccines by hand, by mail, or online. This medicine most likely lost its effectiveness because it was not stored under proper conditions and was not transported in accordance with all the rules. Such products not only will not help chickens develop immunity, but can also provoke the development of complications from poor-quality vaccination.

Vaccine manufacturers: domestic and foreign

The domestic market of zoological vaccines includes more than a thousand products for vaccinating poultry against complex diseases that are transmitted by airborne droplets and household contact. Today, most experts recommend using foreign solutions, although they do not deny the effectiveness of domestic products. According to statistics, imported drugs are used by approximately 60% of the total number of enterprises, only 30% of them trust Russian solutions, and 10% are forced to buy both.

Among the largest manufacturers are:

• Vladimir Federal State Institution “ARRIAH”;
• OJSC Pokrovsky Plant of Biological Preparations (TD Bioprom), located in the Vladimir region;
• LLC NPP "AVIVAC", St. Petersburg;
• Kronvet LLC (VNIVIP), St. Petersburg;
• Factory of biological products "BIOK" in Kursk;
• Shchelkovo bio-plant, Moscow region;
• Biofactory LLC "Agrovet" in Stavropol.

Imported products:

• "Hipra", Israel;
• Dutch factory "Intervet";
• French biologics plant Merial;
• Seva, Saudi Arabia;
• Zoetis, United States of America;
• German company "Lohmann Animal";
• Fort Dodge, Netherlands;
• Israeli bioprocessing plant "Abik Septa". S.A.

Imported vaccines are somewhat more expensive than their Russian counterparts. But this does not mean that they are better, so sometimes it is much more correct to give preference to domestic drugs, since there are no difficulties in transportation and, on top of everything else, they are cheaper. Prevention means, regardless of name and country of production. Must have the necessary quality certificates and be registered in our state.

Other diseases

The list of contagious diseases in chickens is quite wide. For example, coccidiosis and salmonellosis are considered very dangerous infectious diseases. In the first case, infection occurs as a result of the penetration of protozoan microorganisms into the bird’s body, which in turn cause severe diarrhea, anemia and general exhaustion. The disease can be prevented by adding special drugs called coccidiostatics to the food or water.

Salmonella can affect not only poultry meat, but also its eggs. They are dangerous for the population, as they provoke the development of symptoms of acute poisoning, leading to severe dehydration of the body. It is not necessary to vaccinate chickens against salmonellosis on the farm. Indications for vaccination are an outbreak of infection in the region. A special serum is injected against salmonellosis; it can protect against infection for only one month, which will allow it to adapt to new living conditions.

Often, domestic avian species are affected by infectious bronchitis. This disease does not require mandatory prevention, since it rarely causes an epidemiological picture that can provoke the death of the entire herd. Whether or not to vaccinate against infectious lesions of the bronchial tree is a personal matter for everyone. It is advisable to do the vaccination at 10 and 14 weeks and repeat at 16-18 weeks.

Unfortunately, vaccinations alone are not always enough to protect livestock. To more effectively organize the prevention of illnesses, you should monitor the cleanliness of the premises, feed them well and correctly implement the production process. The health of birds largely depends on the frequency of disinfection of the poultry house, living conditions and the likelihood of their contact with infected individuals.

Those who keep animals sooner or later need to think about the prevention of infectious diseases. Why are vaccinations needed in a private farmstead, and what vaccines should be used when raising broilers and laying hens?

What to vaccinate against?

The first question that appears on the agenda is what diseases need to be prevented? First, let’s find out how things are at poultry farms, because they are often the source of stocking the flock on a rural farmstead

In Russia, all industrial poultry are required to be vaccinated against Newcastle (fowl pseudoplague).

Also, at most poultry farms, all laying hens and broilers are vaccinated against:

• Marek's disease;
• Gumboro disease;
• infectious bronchitis of chickens;
• syndrome of decreased egg production (for laying hens).

This is the basic minimum. The list may also include - depending on the area and type of farming (egg farming, breeding) - infectious laryngotracheitis, smallpox, infectious encephalomyelitis, infectious anemia of chickens, pneumovirus, reoviral tenosynovitis, salmonellosis, coccidiosis.

The list, as we see, is very impressive.

The introduction of most drugs in large farms and poultry farms has been accelerated. The photo shows a pneumatic autovaccinator for chickens.

• When buying chickens from an industrial incubator or a laying hen, be sure to ask what vaccines were used on the livestock on the farm. If you are taking a large batch, then you must be issued a veterinary certificate in form 1-vet or a certificate in form 4-vet, where you must indicate everything vaccinations to which the bird was subjected.
• If possible, ask that day-old chicks be pricked at the incubator from B. Marek - almost all egg farms and some broiler houses vaccinate it at the incubator, and chickens for sale to the private sector may not be pricked.
• Do not forget that newly arrived birds must be kept in quarantine so as not to introduce an infectious disease into your flock.

Vaccination scheme for personal backyard

So, what should you vaccinate against?

If you have a more or less serious farm (the total number of birds is from 500 birds), do not hesitate to seek advice from the local district veterinary station (“Animal Disease Control Station”). Surely you have already contacted your local veterinarian, writing out any documentation for poultry or products.

You may also find that some vaccinations will be given to you free of charge (in many counties the government provides the vaccine for avian influenza or Newcastle disease).

If you do not want to contact the state veterinary service, you can draw up a vaccination schedule yourself based on the following considerations.

If there is no large industrial farm nearby, and there have been no cases of widespread bird mortality in your locality, then there is no need to vaccinate anything.

Newcastle disease

In all other cases, the bird must be vaccinated against Newcastle disease. Almost 100% of cases of sudden mass death of poultry in a rural farmstead are associated with this viral disease.

Vaccination is carried out according to the following scheme: a live vaccine (drop into the eye or nose) is given to chickens three times:

1. day old chicks;
2. in 30 days;
3. in 60 days (for egg breeds and crosses).

Then, at 90-110 days, it is good to make an inactivated vaccine - this injection will protect the bird for 6-12 months. The problem is that inactivated vaccine is difficult to obtain. To do this, you will have to contact the same regional veterinary station or the Zoovetsnaba store in the regional center.

Dry virus vaccine from the Stavropol biofactory against Newcastle disease for chickens.

Marek's disease

Laying hens often die at the age of 4-6 months from Marek's disease. Unfortunately, the vaccine can only be given to day-old chicks in an industrial hatchery. Therefore, if there is a similar problem in your area, you will have to seriously start stocking your flock - buy only vaccinated chickens at.

If you introduce a bird into your flock that has been vaccinated against infectious laryngotracheitis, you will have to vaccinate the entire flock now and in the future - the virus will remain with you forever.

The vaccine is live, dripped into the eye once at the age of 30-50 days.

Other diseases are vaccinated only if you suspect a specific disease and have made a diagnosis with the help of a veterinarian and laboratory tests. It is not recommended to just pour the vaccine in your own backyard.

The inactivated vaccine is expensive and requires prior live vaccination, otherwise the protection will be very weak. And the live vaccine is distributed in the herd and remains in the poultry house, so there is a real chance of breeding a whole “bouquet” of viruses in the backyard.

Where can I buy

The main problem with avian vaccine is that it is not so easy to obtain. In addition, the dosages are mainly designed for industrial consumers - from a thousand doses in a bottle and above. There are several companies that produce 200-500 doses per vial, this primarily concerns Newcastle disease.

1. First, ask the nearest pet stores and veterinary pharmacies what is available.
2. The second option is a district veterinary station, we have already discussed it above.
3. Stores of the Zoovetsnab chain are usually located in the regional center.
4. Local biofactory. If there is a similar production in your area, find out what drugs they produce.

Under no circumstances buy vaccines and serums by mail or online! Biological products must be stored at a temperature of +2...+8 °C; in other conditions they lose their activity.

Manufacturers

As for the question of which vaccines to give - domestic or imported, there is not much difference here. Large industrial farms prefer to work with imported producers. But there are also those who use products of domestic brands, and there are many of them - about 30%. Any biological product undergoes strict control in production, so use it without fear, just follow the instructions for use.

Imported medicines are definitely more expensive and you cannot always be sure of proper transportation, so it is better to give preference to domestic manufacturers.

Here are the largest vaccine manufacturers in the poultry market.

Russian

• FGU "ARRIAH", Vladimir;
• OJSC "Pokrovsky Plant of Biological Preparations" (TD "Bioprom"), Vladimir region;
• LLC NPP "AVIVAC", Leningrad region;
• LLC "Kronvet" (VNIVIP), St. Petersburg;
• Kursk Biofactory (BIOK);
• "Shchelkovo Biocombine", Moscow region;
• "Stavropol Biofactory" (LLC "Agrovet").

Foreign

• Intervet, Holland;
• Merial, France;
• Seva S.A., France;
• Zoetis, USA;
• Lohmann Animal, Germany;
• Abik Septa, Israel;
• Fort Dodge (Pfizer), Holland;
• Hipra, Spain.

Vaccines may have different trade names, but the label must indicate what disease the drug is for, whether it is live or inactivated.

Other chicken diseases

Diseases that are not advisable to vaccinate in private households include salmonellosis and coccidiosis. They need to be monitored and treated if necessary.

Against salmonellosis, newly arrived chickens can be given an injection of a specific serum - it will protect the bird for about a month until it adapts to the new conditions.

In the photo - the introduction of serum to a chicken

Coccidiosis can be prevented or treated by adding coccidiostats to the feed.

Of great importance for the prevention of chicken infections is the correct organization of production, living conditions and periodic disinfection of the poultry house and farmstead. We will consider these questions in other articles.

The vaccine is administered intranasally, cutaneously, into the wing membrane, orally, into the cloaca, intraocularly, intramuscularly, by spray, subcutaneously.

Intranasal method.

The dry vaccine is diluted and instilled with an eye dropper into the nostril of birds of all ages in a volume of 2 drops, while the other nostril is closed with a finger, making it possible to introduce the vaccine deeper into the nasal cavity. Before immunization, water is removed from the bird, and after the vaccine is administered, water is allowed after 1...1.5 hours.

When vaccinated using the intranasal method, immunity occurs on the 8th... 10th day.

Percutaneous method.

It consists of rubbing the vaccine into the feather follicles. To do this, on the lower part of the lower leg of one limb (from the front and outer surface), immediately before applying the virus vaccine, feathers are plucked from an area of ​​skin with 20...25 feather follicles. Apply 2...3 drops of the vaccine to the bare surface of the skin with a stiff hair brush (brush) or a glass rod with a rough surface. The vaccine is rubbed vigorously, but carefully, without injuring the skin. 15...20 birds are vaccinated with one brush (brush) or glass rod, after which these objects are disinfected by boiling.

Vaccinated birds are provided with a complete diet, balanced in proteins, vitamins and minerals.

The reaction occurs on the 5...8th day after immunization and is characterized by swelling of the feather follicles, and sometimes the skin after 15...20 days. All immunized birds are examined on the 5th...7th day after vaccination. In this case, a bird that showed a reaction to the vaccine or with a weak reaction (i.e. a bird that had less than 60% of inflamed feather follicles) is immunized again in the lower leg of the other limb. Immunity occurs 15...20 days after vaccination.

Puncture into the wing membrane.

Use a special applicator in the form of a one- or two-pronged needle. Before immunization, the applicator is immersed in the diluted vaccine. The grooves of the needle must be filled with the vaccine solution. The bird is held on its side, with its wing extended. The veterinary specialist pierces the underwing membrane in a non-feathered area, being careful not to touch the bird’s feathers with the applicator and not to get into the veins, muscles, bones and joints.

Immunity occurs 6...10 days after vaccination. Immunization is indicated by a local inflammatory reaction: swelling and redness of the skin is detected at the puncture site.

Oral method.

It is used most often in industrial settings. It is recommended to vaccinate in the early morning hours, since the bird drinks a lot of water at this time. The vaccination procedure is as follows. There are certain requirements for water used for immunization:

• it must be clean and potable, fresh, free from suspended organic matter and bacteria;
• have a pH of 5.5...5.7; water with high alkalinity should be acidified;
• be free from chlorine and any disinfectants: if the water is chlorinated, the chlorine supply system should be shut off at least 48 hours before vaccination and chlorination should be resumed 12...24 hours after; To neutralize residual chlorine and protect the virus, skimmed milk powder (2.5 g per 1 liter of water) or sodium thiosulfate (16 mg per 1 liter of water) is added to the diluted vaccine. These drugs are added to water 10 minutes before diluting the vaccine;
• it should be low in metals, since metal ions can neutralize the vaccine virus.

They stop giving water to poultry: broilers 0.5...3 hours, egg chickens 3...4 hours before the start of vaccination. Prepare the required number of drinkers so that 2/3 of the birds drink at the same time. After filling the drinkers with the vaccine, turn on the lighting completely. The light stimulates the bird's activity, and it begins to eat and drink.

The vaccine is fed within 2 hours. Giving food and water to the bird after vaccination is allowed after 1... 1.5 hours.

Approximate amount of water for dissolving the vaccine per 100 heads of egg-laying chickens

When kept outdoors, young birds can be immunized by giving the vaccine with food: in this way they are vaccinated against Newcastle disease (using a virus vaccine from the Orovak-NBVC-VK strain) or Escherichiosis (inactivated vaccine). The latter is used with food at the rate of 0.1 ml of vaccine per head. Before immunization, the vaccine is diluted with drinking water in a ratio of 1:3 and thoroughly mixed with food.

Cloacal method.

The vaccine is easily rubbed into the mucous membrane of the upper fornix of the cloaca with a special grooved glass spatula. An assistant fixes the bird and plumage in the cloaca area. The veterinary specialist holds a bottle in one hand, and in the other a spatula, which immerses it to a depth of 1 cm, after which it carefully removes it without touching the walls of the neck of the bottle, and applies the vaccine remaining on the grooved part of the spatula (approximately 0.02 ml) to the open mucous membrane cloaca membrane. Then, using a glass spatula with light pressure, rub the vaccine virus into the mucous membrane of the cloaca 5...6 times until intense hyperemia appears. When immunizing an adult bird, more vigorous movements with a spatula are required.

If the bird defecates at the time of immunization, it is vaccinated again.

Spatulas must be sterilized by boiling before vaccination and after a single use. The bird is stopped giving food 10...12 hours before vaccination.

On the 5th...6th day after immunization, the reaction of the cloacal mucosa (swelling and hyperemia) in 100 vaccinated chickens is taken into account.

If a cloacal reaction is observed in 80% of chickens or more, it is considered that immunization is satisfactory; if in a smaller number of chickens, then they are immunized again and at the same time the reason for the lack of effectiveness of vaccination is determined. Immunity in a vaccinated bird occurs on the 10th day.

Intraocular method.

This is one of the most effective methods as it ensures that the full dose of vaccine is administered to each bird.

The bird should be held so that its head is in a lateral position and the surface of the eye is horizontal. The veterinarian holds the vaccine bottle vertically and injects one drop into each bird without touching the surface of the eye.

It is imperative to keep the bird in this position for several seconds so that the vaccine has time to distribute.

Intramuscular method.

This method is used to immunize day-old chicks against Marek's disease. The chicken is covered from the back, passing the limbs between the index and middle fingers, and the free wing is fixed with the thumb. The veterinary specialist injects the vaccine intramuscularly into the thigh area in a volume of 0.2 ml.

Live Marek's disease vaccine can be administered using an automatic machine (Demavak). The device operates under air pressure. The vaccine is injected intramuscularly into the limb.

Spray method (coarse).

This method is used to vaccinate both day-old chickens and adult birds in poultry houses. Typically, day-old chicks are immunized in the hatchery after sorting into transport containers (boxes) containing from 50 to 150 chicks. The vaccine is distributed evenly over all chickens using a sprayer. Some of the vaccine gets into the eyes and mouth. In addition, chicks readily collect small drops of diluted vaccine from each other and from the surface of the container. The close proximity of the chickens makes it easier to spread the vaccine by bringing them into direct contact with each other. With this method, it must be taken into account that the optimal droplet size should be in the range of 100..300|, since they ensure the most uniform distribution of the vaccine; smaller droplets tend to be in the air flow and do not enter the respiratory tract.

This method is also used to vaccinate already grown chicks, whose physiological development significantly exceeds the level of development of day-old chicks. In this case, devices of various modifications are used, but which consist of a high-pressure chamber, a rod and a spray unit. These devices produce aerosols with a diameter of 50 to 1000. Part of the vaccine is inhaled by the bird, and the rest gets into the eyes, mouth, plumage or settles on the floor, so it is necessary to use large volumes of diluted vaccine to treat all birds - 15...30 l to the poultry house.

Aerosol method (fine).

This method is used to vaccinate birds against Newcastle disease, infectious laryngotracheitis. The vaccine is sprayed using the SAG-1 generator or other units (Fig. 7) by supplying compressed air under a pressure of 0.35...0.4 MPa. The diameter of the generated droplets is smaller than with the dispersed spray method. The dose of the vaccine is calculated according to the instructions for its use.

Subcutaneous method.

The vaccine (inactivated) is injected into the base of the neck. This zone has a certain advantage, since it is the cleanest for the bird. Having stretched the bird's neck, the veterinary specialist pulls back the skin, slightly pulling the plumage, and pierces it in the pulled area.

Vaccination into the pectoral muscles.

This is a type of intramuscular method. The pectoral muscles are immunized with inactivated vaccines. During vaccination, the bird must be well restrained. An injection needle is inserted into the middle part of the pectoral muscle to a depth of 0.3...0.5 cm at an acute angle towards the head (when inserting a needle pointing towards the tail, the breast bone and liver can be pierced, which will lead to the subsequent death of the bird ).