Adding New Birds to Flock

[mitchell3006]

Looking for ideas for myself and for other members on what methods you use to bring new birds into your flock. I was an idiot years ago and would just bring a new bird in and drop them in a run until I killed about 60 birds with a nasty that came with the new bird. I learned a lesson and even if I love you like a brother I will treat a bird from your place like a leper.
Now I quarantine them on wire away from all others. I worm and start them on copper sulfate. I monitor respiratory health. I give a coccidiostat. After cleaning out and making sure they aren't bringing in anything I give them yogurt to re-populate the gut. I am still always scared to intigrate a new bird even from a "trusted" source. The one that killed all my birds was from an NPIP farm that made a mistake.
What else do you do that I should be doing?

 

[chickflick]

Looks like you covered all the bases concerning keeping your own birds healthy.
When you decided to intoduce the new birds, put them still in a caged area, but so the other birds can see and "meet" their new housemate. I do this for a week, at least, depending on the age of the new birds. You got to intoduce them slowly. Then, if you can, let them free range together. That way the new birds can get away from the more aggessive birds. I keep mine in a caged area in the coop for awhile, also, to make sure they won't get beat up on. When the time comes, I even put a saw horse up in coop for the new birds until they can intergrate with the older hens.