Quarantine questions, and what to look for in Lavender Orpingtons

I am adding two Lavender Orpingtons to our flock! I will be keeping them quarantined in a separate coop at night, but can I let them free range during the day with my other chickens? If I need to I can rearrange so their coop is attached to the run and they are in the run during the day while the rest of our chickens are free ranging. What is a safe amount of time to keep them seperate?

Also,I am choosing 2 LO out of four. What should I be looking for?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

ragschickens said:

I am adding two Lavender Orpingtons to our flock! I will be keeping them quarantined in a separate coop at night, but can I let them free range during the day with my other chickens? If I need to I can rearrange so their coop is attached to the run and they are in the run during the day while the rest of our chickens are free ranging. What is a safe amount of time to keep them seperate?

Also,I am choosing 2 LO out of four. What should I be looking for?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Click to expand...

Are you quarantining for health concerns or are you thinking of the integration process of successfully blending the two groups from a behavioral standpoint?

Allowing contact during the day will completely defeat the purpose of a quarantine process. The purpose of quarantine is to prevent contact/transmission of any possible pathogens being carried by the new birds and, as such, it most be complete separation. Additionally, you need to not allow them to have access to common areas even at times the other group is not present as some pathogens are able to remain "live" outside of the host bird, in the environment, and then be picked up by the other birds during the time they are in the same area even if the infected bird(s) is not present. For a true quarantine you need to maintain complete separation of at least 100 yards *and* be aware of your bio-security measures as you move between the two groups so that you are not inadvertently carrying infection on yourself, items you use, etc. A true quarantine should be no less than 30 days.

I agree with Ol Grey Mare on the quarantine measures...

As to what to look for in the Birds? Healthy should be the first thing you look for...Clean shiny feathers..A nice weight, bright eyes..No sneezing....

Cheers!

Thanks for all the info. I will do some rearranging so that only the new birds are in the run. I'm excited about getting them, but protecting my current girls is my main priority!

ragschickens said:

Thanks for all the info. I will do some rearranging so that only the new birds are in the run. I'm excited about getting them, but protecting my current girls is my main priority!

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Awesome....Best of luck to you and the new Birds.....I love Orpingtons......


Cheers!

Considering biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
Poultry Biosecurity
BYC 'medical quarantine' search

Just wanted to update. The man who I was buying the LO from left for FL for a month and left his son in charge of the chickens. I called his son to confirm a pick up time, he said another lady came to pick up other chickens and wanted the LO too, so he sold them to her. I was so dissapointed I had moved one coop and attatched our smaller coop to the run. Had everything ready! Trying to think it happened for a reason, but was really looking foward to these beauties. Grr...