YO GEORGIANS! :)

[livhatcher]

Okay so now that I've thoroughly read the information about introducing new chickens to a flock, I'm worried about buying these chickens. Only because I don't have the space to quarantine for a month ( I read a month is best). We're getting our garage converted soon and our newly purchased barn shed won't be delivered for another few weeks. The shed is way to hot to house any animal anyway. Also, just the 3-4 days I had the chickens in the garage before was very tough.


This is a bummer.So I need help again. Any advice on a reputable source for new chickens? Where I won't have to worry about disease wiping out my little flock? Any of y'all have any older pullets for sale? I want to stick to buff Orpington but if it has a quiet nature then I'm good. I just want two chickens around the same age as mine. I think I feel less edgy about not waiting 30 days if I get some pullets from somebody on here. Am i worrying to much? I'm trying to be cautious. I do what I'm doing.

I think you have to go with your gut. Are you okay with any other color of Orpington besides Buff? For instance, I probably wouldn't get a flock of hatchery birds in, but I'd definitely take a few birds from a friend. See? This is the crele orp I got from @brucifer

She is young yet, but has made her way very easily into our foraging and free-ranging flock. But, on principle, I agree: I trust people on this board way more than I would some random on craig's list.

 

[AfroChickens]

I think you have to go with your gut. Are you okay with any other color of Orpington besides Buff? For instance, I probably wouldn't get a flock of hatchery birds in, but I'd definitely take a few birds from a friend. See? This is the crele orp I got from @brucifer View attachment 1041241She is young yet, but has made her way very easily into our foraging and free-ranging flock. But, on principle, I agree: I trust people on this board way more than I would some random on craig's list.

So cute! Color doesn't matter to me. I was more worried about nature. Glad to know I'm not overthinking! I don't want to hurt my little crew with nasty diseases that are preventable. I trust a chicken from y'all more than a stranger on Craigslist because I know the heath of your birds matters.

I also have one chicken that I'm concerned about because she may be a rooster. She has always been the biggest and they should be the same age. So i may be in need of rehoming a roo and getting three chickens instead of just two lol

 

[Tabasco Jack]

Jack, please let me know when you plan to process your quail. I'm still interested is helping out and seeing how you do it.

Right now, the plan is to do some the weekend of the 24th if they make weight and the creek don't rise. Weekend of the 1st is next in line.

 

[ShadesofSable]

@AfroChickens if you're open to other breeds, I have a pair of small Easter eggers that both recently started laying the most beautiful turquoise eggs. I don't remember their exact hatch date, but they're about 6 months old I think.

 

[Tabasco Jack]

You're so far from me but that's a great price. Wish I could but I'll probably be using a near by source to appease my bf. He won't be up for the drive.

In Ga heat, at what age do quail chicks go outside?

Coturnix quail are pretty much feathered out at 4 weeks old. I move them out of the garage and into the shed at 2 weeks but they stay in a brooder box until 4 weeks protected from the wind and they have a heat plate they can run under.
4-5 weeks they're in a larger brooder box with lots of fresh air but still protected from teh wind. At 6 weeks, I move them into the cages that only have roofs.

There is a Quail forum here on BYC with lots of good information and some highly opinionated members. I'd be glad to answer any questions you've got.

 

[missy1971]

A small update on my new coop...and a pic of my new water system...thanks @ronnhill7 for showing me how it works! I'm concentrating on the windows and doors before the floors, even if the doors end up temporary...the rain here and there is being very annoying.

 

[brucifer]

Okay so now that I've thoroughly read the information about introducing new chickens to a flock, I'm worried about buying these chickens. Only because I don't have the space to quarantine for a month ( I read a month is best). We're getting our garage converted soon and our newly purchased barn shed won't be delivered for another few weeks. The shed is way to hot to house any animal anyway. Also, just the 3-4 days I had the chickens in the garage before was very tough.


This is a bummer.So I need help again. Any advice on a reputable source for new chickens? Where I won't have to worry about disease wiping out my little flock? Any of y'all have any older pullets for sale? I want to stick to buff Orpington but if it has a quiet nature then I'm good. I just want two chickens around the same age as mine. I think I feel less edgy about not waiting 30 days if I get some pullets from somebody on here. Am i worrying to much? I'm trying to be cautious. I don't know what I'm doing.

AC, how did things go with the breeder in Morrow?

For the small flock you have, a 30-day quarantine is way over the top IMHO, especially since you're going on location to get your birds. If the breeder's pens look dirty, and the birds look like they need care, just walk away.

I quarantine because I have a lot of birds, and I have a lot of birds to treat if infection breaks out and/or if lice are introduced. Since you only have a few birds at present, I recommend that you get a dog crate, and watch your new birds there for a week or so. Check their vent areas for lice and monitor their behavior. If they look healthy after a week, add them to the flock. However, they will sort out a new pecking order once introduced to your existing girls, so brace yourself for witnessing pecking, pinching, and kicking, and hearing some squawking. They'll all be friends before you know it. It's actually good that you're adding two or three new girls to your flock because you'll be avoiding a gang-pile situation that sometimes happens when introducing a single newbie. Also, if you think you may need three birds, get three girls now. It's usually easy to sell or give away a pullet.

BTW, I get my dog crates through WalMart online. I like the 42" OxGord crates. They're just over $42 at present; shipping is free; they fold up easily when not in use; and, they're great for transporting large chickens as well juvies and older chicks. You'll pay MUCH more if you try to buy them direct from the store. It's good to have a dog crate on hand anyway because if a chicken gets sick or injured, you will need to separate it from the rest of the flock until it recovers.

 

[brucifer]

Right now, the plan is to do some the weekend of the 24th if they make weight and the creek don't rise. Weekend of the 1st is next in line.

Okay, Jack, I have it down. At this point, I'll plan for the 24th. Please let me know a day ahead of time if the date changes. Thx!

 

[eclecktic1]

Any advice on a reputable source for new chickens? Where I won't have to worry about disease wiping out my little flock? Any of y'all have any older pullets for sale? I want to stick to buff Orpington but if it has a quiet nature then I'm good. I just want two chickens around the same age as mine. I think I feel less edgy about not waiting 30 days if I get some pullets from somebody on here. Am i worrying to much? I'm trying to be cautious. I don't know what I'm doing.

AfroChickens, buy your chicks from Speckledhen. She wrote the book (article really) on biosecurity, and is known as the Queen of Quarantine. She handles her chicks a lot and they are used to people by the time you get them. Her stock are hardy, healthy lines from quality breeders not hatchery. Right now she has a few Barred Rock available and some Partridge Brahma coming soon.

 

[eclecktic1]

I set a couple of cage panels to block off a corner for the trio of 5-week-old Partridge Brahmas I picked up from Speckledhen yesterday. This morning one of the smaller SS pullets had pushed a panel enough to be in the pen with them. While we were refilling everything everyone was intermingling, so I took the panels down. The two-week gap in size doesn't seem to matter much. They segregate themselves by breed when they roost, but mingle when roaming.