Adding to the Flock... Quartentine Thoughts?

[MEH0806]

Good Morning!

We have 9 chickens, about 20 weeks old, but we just added 5 more chickens (silkie hens) that are approx. a year and 4 months old for a total of 14.

We currently have the 5 new girls quarantined inside the coop (more like a small shed) using the "look but don't touch" method. Chicken wire separates the original chickens and the new girls, but they can still "interact" if you will.

How long is it necessary to quarantine? What is a safe length of time?

So far, the new hens have been very calm, and everyone seems to be getting along, but we don't want to jump the gun on integrating them (it has only been one week so far).

Do you have any recommendations for slowly integrating them (maybe one or two at a time? Or, in short bursts?).

It is cold and snowy here in Maine, so they don't often make use of the run available to them at the moment.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Here’s a link to quarantining chickens: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...nderestimated-part-of-raising-chickens.67097/

 

[Latestarter]

Greetings and welcome to BYC. Ummmm I hate to say it, but being in the same coop separated by chicken wire doesn't really qualify as "quarantine" If they can touch each other and share the same breathed air, as well the litter can be scratched back and forth between the 2 sides, they might as well be in the same space. (actually, they are after all). Any disease or parasite issue that either group has can easily be spread to the other group presently.

If they're getting along and you say they seem to be, I'd think you could probably merge them now. I would go out and remove the separation chicken wire after dark... like way after dark, when they'd be roosting and sleeping. Do not use white light while doing so. If you need light to see, use red light.

Good luck!

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree with late starter. You did not quarantine, however, it is very difficult to properly quarantine in a backyard flock, or really any flock, and if you don't do it properly, you may as well not do it.

What you are talking about is integration. Make sure that there are places where less dominant birds can get out of sight of more dominant birds, in the coop and in the run. The silkies will most likely be less dominant. Introducing should be all in, all at once. The more birds you add to an established flock, the less pecking each bird will get. Pecking and fighting takes energy.

Chickens hate change, it may be a bit wild when you first introduce them, but it should settle if you truly have enough space. It may be that one bird will not fit, or that you have too many birds for your space, if so, there will be a lot of strife in your flock. Wait a few weeks, if it does not settle down, then cull back to a better size of flock for your set up.

Good luck.
Mrs K

 

[MEH0806]

I agree with late starter. You did not quarantine, however, it is very difficult to properly quarantine in a backyard flock, or really any flock, and if you don't do it properly, you may as well not do it.

What you are talking about is integration. Make sure that there are places where less dominant birds can get out of sight of more dominant birds, in the coop and in the run. The silkies will most likely be less dominant. Introducing should be all in, all at once. The more birds you add to an established flock, the less pecking each bird will get. Pecking and fighting takes energy.

Chickens hate change, it may be a bit wild when you first introduce them, but it should settle if you truly have enough space. It may be that one bird will not fit, or that you have too many birds for your space, if so, there will be a lot of strife in your flock. Wait a few weeks, if it does not settle down, then cull back to a better size of flock for your set up.

Good luck.
Mrs K

Hi there,

Thanks Mrs. K. I suppose "quarantine" was the wrong choice word - I guess my question more pertains to the integration of the birds, vs. the health concern of them as a group at this time.

We should have plenty of space in the coop for both groups, thankfully. Good to know that we should do it all at once though - that's a great point about not dragging that out any longer than necessary.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[sbhkma]

For future reference, you may want to consider a quarantine coop placed as far away from the old flock as possible. It's a pain, but worth it in my opinion. I've recently added some new birds. I put my QT coop about 175 feet away and all feeders & waterers were cleaned with Oxine, as was the QT coop. I fed my existing birds first, went in the house and changed clothes & shoes and washed my hands. Then tended the new birds. After 4 weeks I started letting the old flock out to free range. I'd put them in an hour or so before dusk and let the littles out. After a few days of this, I put both coops side by side and continued to let the littles out in the late afternoon while the bigs got put in their coop/run. Now I'm letting both flocks out together. It's been about 4 days and the chasing has lessened. The littles go to roost in their coop and the bigs go into theirs. Few more days and I'll simply remove the little's coop and they can all hopefully co-exist. Of course, if anyone else has advice on doing things differently I'm all about learning!

 

[aart]

We should have plenty of space in the coop for both groups,

What does that mean in feet by feet?
Are you other birds silkies too?
I'd leave them separated for at least a few weeks.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[chickens really]

What your doing is correct with introducing new Birds. Quarantine is another topic. I introduce new Birds as they are out free ranging. Set up extra feed and water stations in the run or coop and have places for the new Birds to hide behind or Roost..
Best wishes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

A quick recap. You have five new Silkie hens over a year old and nine 20-week-old immature pullets/cockerels of unknown breed/size. Your run is snowed in so pretty much unavailable. Your coop is a shed of unknown size and configuration but you feel it is large enough.

In general I’d expect the Silkie hens to dominate regardless of size because of maturity but if you have a cockerel or two with hormones raging it could get interesting. Silkies tend to be more docile but occasionally you get one that is a brute and bully. When your pullets start to lay they will mature so you can expect some changes to the pecking order them. Usually that transition is pretty peaceful but you never know. Age could make it volatile, now or later, and if you have a cockerel in the mix it’s really hard to guess what might happen. But you could have worse ages considering the older are Silkie hens. Without knowing breed/sex of the young ones I can’t say much about the mix.

I don’t consider any magic number of square feet per bird all that relevant but more like Mrs. K said, can they get away from each other and avoid each other. In a limited space like a coop that often means things they can hide behind, get up high, or get under. Since Silkies can’t fly you may want to think more on behind or under than up high.

They’ve been housed side by side for a week. That’s often enough though it’s hard to say. I’d consider letting them mix over the weekend when you can be around to observe. I’d also look at how to make the run available. Can you shovel the snow out of at least part of it or maybe spread bedding of some type on top so they are more willing to use it? Having both a run and coop available makes it so much easier for them to get out of each other’s way.

 

[MEH0806]

What does that mean in feet by feet?
Are you other birds silkies too?
I'd leave them separated for at least a few weeks.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

Good notes - we have done essentially all of what you have suggested here. Almost all of them are silkies, with the exception of a couple. I don't know the exact square footage, but it's a shed that we converted to a coop - so it's pretty spacious. Everyone has been comfortable.

They have begun to put their heads through the wire to share food and scratch. I have not bared witness to any pecking as of yet (through the wire at least). We'd put them out on the run, but they are refusing to go outside given the negative temps and snowfall at the moment.