Abstract
Following oral infection of 1‐day‐old chicks with egg drop syndrome — 1976 (EDS‐76) virus (strain D61) lateral transmission of the virus was demonstrated throughout the rearing period. At point of lay, pullets previously infected at 1‐day‐old responded to EDS‐76 inactivated vaccine given intramuscularly with a pronounced rise in haemagglutination inhibition antibody titre, but failed to respond to oral challenge with live virus. Egg production and shell quality were not affected following EDS‐76 infection at 1‐day‐old, but egg weight was reduced and internal egg quality adversely affected.