Urgent Reminder-PLEASE Quarantine Newly Acquired Birds!

[MelissaBA]

I to am learning the hard way. I purchased some chicks over the spring and they have been doing wonderful UNTIL I decided to purchase some others from a local chicken swap. Me being new to the chicken thing put them with my other birds. Now I am dealing with them all being sick and they have quit laying. I could kick myself for making such a foolish mistake, but I didn't know and wish I had read this before I even bought any more birds. In the future, I will now know better.

 

[speckledhen]

I to am learning the hard way. I purchased some chicks over the spring and they have been doing wonderful UNTIL I decided to purchase some others from a local chicken swap. Me being new to the chicken thing put them with my other birds. Now I am dealing with them all being sick and they have quit laying. I could kick myself for making such a foolish mistake, but I didn't know and wish I had read this before I even bought any more birds. In the future, I will now know better.

Some lessons are hard learned, unfortunately. You are not alone. I've seen many posts about adding a bird someone just got to their flock immediately. Makes me cringe.

 

[speckledhen]

Per many discussions of late, I want to add that quarantine will likely not show a Marek's positive bird. That, unfortunately, will show up much later if you've brought in a carrier of MD. You can do a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)test for Marek's to see if it's in their blood at a cost by sending off a blood sample, but hardly anyone will go to that trouble. Heck, I can't even get them to separate birds for a few days, much less a month or more, so how will I convince them to get a blood sample of the new bird(s) and send it off the Texas A&M or wherever they do the test?

So, quarantine has its limits, just know that. It's not to be skipped if you think you just have to buy birds, but it isn't perfect.



***tried to edit the first post in this thread, but I guess with the new system, there is a time limit. I did want to put this on the bottom of the first post.

 

[dandar]

I recently read on Craigslist that a person here in Edgewood NM bought some chickens from another person and unfortunately the chickens he BOUGHT were very sick and he ended up having to put down his entire flock...not only that the person wouldn't even make it right with him...all because he didn't quarantine after purchasing these chickens...the add is still posted on Craigslist..

as far as i am concerned this should be a common practice, no matter what age the birds are...but of course if the person selling had any idea they were sick then THEY should of had them quarantined them himself, makes me wonder how many chickens he has sold to others that went un-noticed or the illness hasn't shown up yet !!

 

[Duke6017]

After searching BYC through and through in regards to quarantining I would say this thread is the motherload of info. So I will add my question here and hopefully you all will be able to help me out!

Yesterday I brought home 3 new hens all of which are approximately 1 year old. I have separated them from the rest of my flock about 200 ft apart on the downwind side of my property. After all of my research it seems that the most recommended time frame is for 1 month. Its not ideal, but I can make it work. During this time frame, should the eggs of the new quarantined birds be avoided as well?

 

[dawg53]

After searching BYC through and through in regards to quarantining I would say this thread is the motherload of info. So I will add my question here and hopefully you all will be able to help me out!

Yesterday I brought home 3 new hens all of which are approximately 1 year old. I have separated them from the rest of my flock about 200 ft apart on the downwind side of my property. After all of my research it seems that the most recommended time frame is for 1 month. Its not ideal, but I can make it work. During this time frame, should the eggs of the new quarantined birds be avoided as well?

If the previous owner did not recently medicate or worm the new hens, the eggs are safe to eat. However if they are fertile and you intend to slip them under a broody hen in your existing flock, dont do it. There are diseases that can be passed through eggs and transmitted to healthy birds via infected chicks (if they survive.) Also the shell itself can pass contageous diseases as well as your clothing, hands, shoes etc....

 

[Duke6017]

Thank you for the insight. I do not have any intentions of hatching any. I was just wondering in regards to my omelet consumption concerns!

 

[dawg53]

Thank you for the insight. I do not have any intentions of hatching any. I was just wondering in regards to my omelet consumption concerns!

LOL, I dont blame you!

 

[alibabba]

Hi all,

Hopefully adding-bringing an adult rooster tomorrow.

I have my original 10x10 dog pen and kennel coop (yeah like that stood up to chicken math for about 30 days HA ha ha ha ha...). which will be great, it can be blacked out with landscape cloth pretty easily and surprisingly keeps the volume down.

But...he will be able to see the free range single ladies and they will be able to come investigate him...separated by a few inches because of electric wire.

I am worried he will pour on the crowing....to get their attention.... neighbors are cool, they don't deserve that!!! And I might kill myself if non stop crowing all day.

I could cover the bottom of the run with landscape fabric, but he will still hear them...they sing a heck of an egg song.

Or, I could keep him in the garage. (the 2 others I tried to quarantine in there thought they were dead, in hell and I was the devil when I did that.

They didn't eat or drink right until I moved them outside to a new huge pvc pen....actually they really still weren't right until they got 2 more of their buddies from the old farm moved in too.

I could make "yet another pen"....sigh....

Thoughts, suggestions?


Thank you!!!

 

[danegirl88]

How far apart do coops need to be for an effective quarantine? I only have about 40 feet between my two coops, and they're almost in a direct line (one is somewhat sheltered behind the corner of my hubby's woodworking shop). I'm concerned that this is not an effective quarantine situation and that I need to steal my dog's (hardly ever used) plastic kennel and have the new girls inside for a month before I can put them outdoors. Seeing as they were raised outdoors, I have no idea how well this will go over...