Did You Know?

although commercial poultry operators routinely utilize vaccines to prevent various contagious diseases, raisers of small duck flocks are much less likely to vaccinate their fowl. Why? Poultry vaccines usually come in vials with enough doses to treat thousands of birds, and they must be used up in a short period of time. in addition, few vaccines are available for ducks. For raisers of small flocks that experience relatively few disease problems, vaccinating may seem to be an unnecessary expense and chore.

Vaccination of small flocks is needed only if you’ve had disease problems in the past, if outbreaks have occurred in your area, or if you frequently show your ducks or acquire new stock. Before embarking on a do-it-yourself vaccination program, call your state diagnostic lab veterinarian or a local poultry extension specialist to find out what vaccines — if any — are recommended in your area. if you must inoculate your flock, ask your veterinarian or an experienced duck keeper to show you how to administer the vaccinations correctly.