Complete Chick Vaccination Schedule From Day-Old: Your Essential Poultry Health Guide

Vaccination is the cornerstone of successful poultry farming in Kenya. A well-structured immunization program protects your birds from devastating diseases, reduces mortality rates, and ensures consistent egg production and meat quality. This comprehensive guide walks you through the complete vaccination schedule from Day 1 through Week 18, including the diseases you're protecting against and administration methods.

Why Vaccination Matters for Your Poultry Flock

Before diving into the vaccination schedule, it's crucial to understand why vaccination is non-negotiable for poultry farming success. Diseases like Newcastle, Gumboro (Infectious Bursal Disease), and Marek's can wipe out an entire flock within days. Vaccination builds immunity in your birds before they encounter these pathogens, significantly reducing disease severity and mortality rates.

Key benefits of proper vaccination include:

• Reduced mortality rates: Vaccinated birds have 70-95% better survival rates
• Improved production: Better egg production in layers and faster growth in broilers
• Stronger immune systems: Vaccinated birds mount better responses to multiple disease threats
• Protection against immunosuppression: Prevents diseases from undermining overall bird health
• Cost-effective disease prevention: Vaccination costs far less than treating disease outbreaks

Week-by-Week Vaccination Schedule

DAY 1: Marek's Disease Vaccine

Age: Day 1 (within 24 hours of hatching)

Vaccine: Marek's Disease Vaccine (Herpesvirus of Turkey - HVT strain)