Lost Rooster & Quarantine ?

[Cheep a'lil Talk a'lil]

*sigh*

We lost our son's rooster. The rooster and one of his ladies "flew the coop" and were out in the yeard. I went out later to check on them when I heard some crazy squaking. Three of the ladies were in the run and I couldn't find the rooster and the last lady. When I did the "chicken call" (saying chick, chick, chick real fast) the last lady came running from the trees but no rooster. I had the kids come out and help me look but all we found was a small pile of feathers.
We came to the conclusion that a hawk got a hold of him. It was very sad, he was a really good RIR rooster,just learning his crow. My son loved to carry him around. The rooster would even sit next to him when he was on the porch swing.
We have found a Buff Orpington/RIR mix through freecycle.com He is a little younger then the ladies as he has not started crowing yet. I will be picking him up tomorrow. Does he need to be quarantined? I know to do it if he were an adult, but he is only about 3 months old. And about how long should I do it for?
Thanks in advance, I love this place!

 

[dawg53]

Sorry for your loss. Yes, make sure you quarantine him for 30 days, a good distance away from the others. That will help prevent airborne pathogens from spreading. The 30 days will give you time to inspect the newbie for lice/mites, check for scaly leg mites, bumps, bruises, bumblefoot, check poop for worms etc....and it'll give you plenty of time to treat and/or retreat him as necessary. Dont forget to wash your hands etc...after handling the roo before you handle your current chickens. Practicing good biosecurity can prevent big headaches in the long run.