Oral Vaccination of Chickens: A Comprehensive Guide to Water-Based Poultry Vaccination

Traditional and Common Method of Vaccination for Chickens Through Drinking Water

Oral vaccination of chickens through drinking water is a traditional and widely used method to induce immunity against diseases. This method offers a simple, rapid, and cost-effective way to vaccinate a large number of birds in a short time. As it does not require handling the birds, it is a stress-free process. However, it requires strict adherence to guidelines regarding water quality, vaccine storage, and preparation to ensure successful immunization and flock health.

Incorrect Dosage in Oral Vaccination of Chickens:

In mass vaccination through drinking water, the goal is to ensure each chick receives the correct vaccine dose. An effective vaccination protects the flock from field challenges. Incorrect dosing, such as under-dosing or over-dosing, can lead to vaccine failure and adverse reactions. In mass vaccination methods like water and spray, birds may not receive a uniform dose. Therefore, adhering to administration guidelines is crucial to minimize errors. Various factors can contribute to incorrect dosage formulation, including:

• high chlorine levels in water during vaccine preparation
• damaged water lines
• the use of water containing antimicrobial agents
• incorrect dosage calculations.

Oral Vaccination of Chickens and Dosage Calculation

According to Aviagen, timely consumption of oral vaccines is crucial for poultry. The entire flock should consume the vaccine within 1.5 to 2 hours. If it takes longer, the oral vaccine might become ineffective. To estimate the required water volume, measure the water consumption of the flock within a 1.5 to 2-hour period, starting 45 minutes after feeding. On vaccination day, withhold water for 60 minutes before vaccination to increase water intake. Add 5% to the calculated water consumption. The general formula to calculate the approximate volume of water containing the vaccine is:

Number of birds * 1.5 * Age of the flock

Preparing for Oral Vaccination of Chickens

The success of oral vaccination of Chickens hinges on proper preparation. Factors such as the quantity of water consumed by each bird and the quality of the water can significantly impact the uniformity of the immune response within the flock. To achieve optimal results, several key aspects must be considered. These include ensuring an adequate supply of high-quality water for all birds and preventing any contact between the vaccine solution and disinfectants or other chemicals.
Effective management of the vaccination process is equally important, encompassing all stages:

Before vaccination: This includes preparation such as calculating the vaccination date, storing the vaccine, determining the dosage, and reconstituting the vaccine. Additionally, it involves preparing the water systems and necessary equipment.
During vaccination: Once the water system and vaccine solution are prepared, the lines should be filled with the vaccine-water mixture and lowered for uniform consumption. Morning is generally the best time for vaccination to avoid peak heat periods.
After vaccination: It’s essential to verify that the vaccine has been fully consumed within the specified timeframe and to assess whether the entire flock has received a uniform dose.
Required Equipment for oral vaccination of chickens:

• A large plastic container (approximately 80 liters)
• A water conditioning system or a dedicated vaccination tank (approximately 5-10 liters)
• A measuring container
• A clean bucket or container for mixing and adding the vaccine
• Low-fat milk
• A (plastic) stirrer
• A (plastic) stick, such as a paddle

Protecting Oral Vaccination of Chickens: Preparing Drinking Water for Vaccination

Protecting the vaccine is just as important as the correct dosage and timing of administration. It’s crucial to avoid using water containing metallic particles like iron or copper. The pH level of the water during vaccination should be between 5.5 and 7.5. High acidity can make the water taste bitter, discouraging the birds from drinking.

Additionally, maintaining clean water lines before vaccination is essential. Excessive biofilm in the water lines can reduce the effectiveness or inactivate the vaccine. It’s imperative to thoroughly clean biofilms and deposits from the waterers (such as cups, bell drinkers, etc.). These biofilms can sometimes form due to the addition of vitamins to the water. Therefore, it’s recommended to add vitamins and nutrients to the feed rather than the water. Adding these substances to the water can accelerate the formation of biofilms, leading to water contamination and potential disease outbreaks.

For these reasons, it’s advisable to add nutrients and vitamins directly to the poultry feed to prevent contamination of the water lines. If using a pre-mixed feed, ensure you are aware of its composition and supplement any missing nutrients if necessary.

Product: Purchase Jahan Kaveh broiler feed. This feed is formulated to meet the specific nutritional needs of chickens at different growth stages, eliminating the need for additional supplements throughout the rearing period.

A water stabilizer is an essential part of the process. A blue water stabilizer serves several functions in oral vaccination:

• Stabilizes the pH level of the water.
• Neutralizes chlorine levels.
• Eliminates any metallic elements present in natural water sources.
• Acts as a visual indicator (blue color).
• The primary active ingredient in these stabilizers is sodium thiosulfate, which protects the vaccine from biofilms, chlorine, and heavy metals.
• Along with the stabilizer, it’s recommended to add low-fat milk (or 2 grams of non-fat dry milk per liter of water) to the water.

The primary active ingredient in these stabilizers is sodium thiosulfate, which protects the vaccine from biofilms, chlorine, and heavy metals.
Along with the stabilizer, it’s recommended to add low-fat milk (or 2 grams of non-fat dry milk per liter of water) to the water.

Skim Milk Use to Neutralize Water in Drinking Water Vaccination

Skim milk neutralizes the harmful effects of chlorine or other disinfectants present in water. In fact, the proteins in milk bind to chlorine and metal ions in water, helping to maintain the survival of the vaccine virus in the water. For this purpose, it is necessary to use 2 grams of skim milk powder in one liter of water or 2 liters of skim milk in 100 liters of water.

The method of using skim milk powder in water for poultry vaccination is very important. Skim milk powder, when mixed with water, forms lumps that are difficult to dissolve in water. To overcome this problem, it is better to use slightly warm or lukewarm water so that the skim milk powder dissolves easily in the water. If you do not have access to lukewarm water, make sure that the lumps in the water are completely dissolved. Failure to dissolve the skim milk powder in water will not only fail to achieve the desired result but will also cause clogging of the water pipes. You can also use a whisk to completely dissolve the skim milk powder. After the skim milk powder is completely dissolved in water, add it to the main source of drinking water for the flock. Allow 15 to 20 minutes for it to take effect on the water. Then add the vaccine to the water.

What preparations should be made before a flock’s drinking water vaccination

To protect the virus particles in the water lines, water filters should be removed or bypassed before vaccination. All filters should be cleaned of any dirt, sludge, or other undesirable materials. These substances can inactivate the vaccine virus. If using bell drinkers, consider the following:

Bell drinkers can become contaminated with a mixture of bedding and manure. This mixture can alter the pH of the water, negatively impacting the vaccine virus, especially if the flock has been on medication.
Contamination in the drinkers can cause the vaccine to adhere to their surfaces, resulting in the vaccine sticking to the bottom or sides of the drinker. In other words, a portion of the vaccine remains on the drinker and does not enter the bird. This leads to an uneven immune response and poor flock protection.
Shavings or other bedding materials in the bell drinkers can clog the water protector and prevent the entry of water and vaccine into the drinker.

For the reasons mentioned, it is always recommended that drinkers be cleaned the morning of vaccination. However, be careful not to use any disinfectants for this purpose.

Oral Vaccination Timeline

Thorough planning is essential before administering oral vaccines. A comprehensive vaccination schedule should be created and made available to all staff. This will help ensure that all preparations are in place for a successful vaccination campaign. Aviagen provides a sample schedule as a reference.

Vaccination Schedule

When draining the water as described in the table, ensure that at least 1 liter of water or a 3-meter length of water line is flushed with the milk solution. This is to guarantee that the water consumed by the chicks is adequately mixed with the vaccine and necessary additives.
It’s crucial to note that prolonged vaccination periods can decrease the vaccine’s efficacy. Therefore, instead of a one-hour thirst period, we recommend a 1.5 to 2-hour thirst period for the flock. However, avoid excessively depriving the flock of water, as this can cause stress. This duration allows the flock to consume the vaccinated water more quickly once it becomes available. This significantly speeds up the vaccination process. Ideally, the entire flock should consume the oral vaccine within 45 minutes.

Key Points for Preparing and Administering Oral Poultry Vaccines

1. Clean Preparation Area: Prepare the vaccine on a clean surface, such as a clean table, disposable paper towel, or clean newspaper.
2. Use Gloves: Wear gloves throughout the entire vaccine preparation process.
3. Prepare Water Stabilizer: Prepare a small volume of water stabilizer solution as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Add low-fat milk or powdered milk to the solution at this stage. Allow the mixture to neutralize for 20 minutes after mixing.
4. Create Vaccine Solution: Pour approximately 1-2 liters of the neutralized water into a small container. Immerse the vaccine bottle in the solution. Gently but thoroughly stir the solution to mix.
5. Combine with Remaining Water: Once the vaccine is fully dissolved, add it to the remaining water (calculated based on the previous day’s consumption over a 1.5 to 2-hour period after feeding, plus 5%).
6. Mix Thoroughly: Stir the vaccine solution in the water tank with a plastic stirrer or place the solution under a proportioning device and immerse the suction tube.
7. Prime the Lines: Before lowering the drinkers, allow all drinkers to fill with the vaccine-containing water. Since there may be some water in the pipelines, allow the water to drain from the ends of the pipes until you see the colored vaccine water. Repeat this for all water lines. Then lower the drinkers for the flock to drink.
8. Agitate the Flock: Agitate the flock at least twice during the vaccination process to encourage them to drink and ensure that all birds have access to the water.
9. Monitor Consumption: Carefully monitor the flock during the vaccination to ensure all birds are drinking.
10. Avoid Diluting: Do not turn on the main water supply during the vaccination process. The oral vaccine should not be diluted during this process. Ensure all vaccine-containing water is consumed before proceeding.
11. Resume Normal Water Supply: Once you are certain that all the vaccine-containing water has been consumed, you can turn on the main water supply.

Evaluating Oral Vaccination: Post-vaccination Assessment

It is essential to evaluate the oral vaccination process after administration. As mentioned earlier, the use of water stabilizers in oral vaccination turns the water blue, which in turn colors the birds’ tongues. The intensity of this blue color on the birds’ tongues can vary between products and will fade over time. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using these products.
After vaccination, examine 100 birds from at least three different locations in the house to assess the blue tongue color, which should roughly correspond to about 1% of the dosage used. If at least 90% of the examined birds have well-colored tongues, the flock can be considered successfully vaccinated.

Conclusion

Mass oral vaccination is a simple and rapid method for vaccinating a flock and can provide good, uniform immunity against diseases. This method is less stressful for the birds as it does not involve handling them individually. However, it is generally considered a less effective method compared to injection or eye drop methods. In the latter methods, each bird is vaccinated individually, ensuring that each bird receives the correct dose of the oral vaccine.

References:

1. aviagen.com
2. stdavids-poultryteam.co.uk
3.  gumboroprevention.com