IF she is your friend, well you have probably been to see her chickens and she to see yours... already a breech. IF she has not added birds from swaps and auctions, but kept her birds from exposure to other birds... drastically diminished the probability.
Most true backyard setup, quarantine is impossible, and really you can't cheat at quarantine. You either do it, or you don't. To me, healthy looks healthy. DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING YOU ARE SORRY FOR - that is a train wreck, no matter how you quarantine.
IF you would go into a state of decline if you loose your flock, then I would not take the birds. IF you paid a lot of money for a very valuable flock and flock genetics, then I would not take the birds.
But if her birds look healthy, and you truly have room in your set up - as in measured, and you just love having a flock, realizing that some birds live longer than others, well then that is how I am, and I have taken several birds this way.
There is a real threat to possibly introducing a disease to your flock, there are people that go to auctions and swaps, and God only knows what those birds have been exposed to and that makes my blood run cold, but otherwise I think it will work. There are other people that never introduce a new bird other than a day old chick. It kind of depends on you.
Mrs K
