Abandoned chickens - They are here - pic page 2

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Due to a recent law just passed in the city limiting how many chickens a family can have, chickens are being dumped off. I just got a call to see if I would take them, and I will but am concerned about possible diseases contaminating my flock. I can keep them separated from mine by housing them in my un-used dog pen, but mine roam the yard. Would they still be at risk or is that sufficient for quarantine?

 

[chickensioux]

If you take them, I would keep them totally away from your flock until you are sure they are healthy. I would not let them even come close to each other for a good thirty days or so.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

So the dog pen isn't good enough then...

but as luck would have it, I did buy two rabbit hutches from another BYC'er yesterday. I was going to do some minor repairs and move my quail into them, but I think they will have to suffice as temporary hen quarantine.

 

[chickensioux]

How kind of you to take them in. I probably would have done the same thing and endured the inconvenience of the different housing too. My back patio that is for our use usually ends up being the infirmary/quarantine area.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Thanks! I know I probably shouldn't do it, but they have nowhere else to go. I've never (knock REALLY HARD on wood) had a sick chicken. What are some things to watch for besides the obvious (runny/goopy/watery eyes and nose)?

 

[chickensioux]

Keep a close eye on their poop as well. Sneezing, rattled breathing, any discharge from any oriface. Green, runny, very smelly poops. An occasional runny poop is ok since they could be stressed alittle in new surrounding, getting different feed. So if any unusual poop appear for any length of time I'd be concerned. After a few days of having them and letting them settle in, I would deworm them with some all purpose dewormer. Even if they don't have visible signs of worm infestation, it won't hurt to deworm them. Better safe than sorry. Where did they come from do you know?

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Here's a bit that I wrote on adding new chickens to your flock and possible disease prevention.

Please click:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-adding-to-your-flock

 

[cwc362]

If you do have to use the dog pen, maybe you could create a barrier with tarps , plastic, old plywood- you get the idea-- to keep them apart. Good luck!!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Thank you all! I'll definitely read through the info when I get home. I could also build a barrier and honestly, I'd much prefer to keep them in the dog pen. It has a tarp over the top but I'll work on blocking off the sides. I can keep them in the hutches until I get that done.

Whew...that's alot to do when I get home from work today! I belong to a food co-op as a supplier. We had a supplier/farmer meeting a couple weeks ago and I passed out some cards and introduced myself to the others. One of the others is big into an urban gardening program and he was called about the chickens so he called me. The law was just passed so I'm sure it won't be the first phone call I get. I'm sure I'll need help ID'ing them so I'll post pics here later.

 

[Hens_And_Chicks]

I don't live very farm from Elyria - I'm curious - what law(s) were changed or what ordinances were changed or enforced? How many chickens could you have and how many can you have now?