Depends on what you have in your flock. If your existing flock has cocci (which you would probably not notice unless you actually had an outbreak) then the new chicks develop an immunity much better at a very young age. That's why I get dirt from my run and feed it to my new chicks. They get grit and cocci early, if my older flock has cocci. But it may be as Pat said, the older flock may have a disease that the chicks could better handle if they were older. I don't know what diseases your current flock has.
As usual, you are probably over-reacting and stressing out more than you need to. I agree with Cynthia that the hatchery chicks are probably very safe. However, what you are doing actually makes sense to me. Either flock may have a disease that they do not show the symptoms but are carriers. You are risking all your new chicks, but they are going to be exposed anyway pretty soon. I just think you re risking them a few weeks earlier than you would anyway. But you are only risking one of your existing flock instead of the whole group.
I personally think quarantine has limited value in many cases, yet in some cases I think it is very important. Many flocks have some diseases that they are carriers but they have developed an immunity so they do not show the symptoms. You can quarantine these as long as yo want and they will die of old age before they show any symptoms. But when you put them with your flock, they will infect your flock. Or maybe your flock will infect them. Now if one of the flocks has been exposed to a new disease recently, then quarantine is important. That's why I think a chicken that has come from a chicken swap or maybe a chicken show should be quarantined. If it comes from where it has recently been exposed to a new chicken, then there is a definite risk. But if it is coming from a flock that has been isolated for a month or so, then quarantine is probably useless. The caveats to this are that maybe it is coming from a flock where the owner does not recognize a disease that you would recognize. Or maybe it was exposed during transport.
Since your chicks are coming straight from a hatchery and are highly unlikely to be exposed to anything during transport, I think you are over-stressing needlessly, but they are your babies and you can over-stress all you want. You are over 21 and after what you and hubby have been through lately, you have every right.
As usual, you are probably over-reacting and stressing out more than you need to. I agree with Cynthia that the hatchery chicks are probably very safe. However, what you are doing actually makes sense to me. Either flock may have a disease that they do not show the symptoms but are carriers. You are risking all your new chicks, but they are going to be exposed anyway pretty soon. I just think you re risking them a few weeks earlier than you would anyway. But you are only risking one of your existing flock instead of the whole group.
I personally think quarantine has limited value in many cases, yet in some cases I think it is very important. Many flocks have some diseases that they are carriers but they have developed an immunity so they do not show the symptoms. You can quarantine these as long as yo want and they will die of old age before they show any symptoms. But when you put them with your flock, they will infect your flock. Or maybe your flock will infect them. Now if one of the flocks has been exposed to a new disease recently, then quarantine is important. That's why I think a chicken that has come from a chicken swap or maybe a chicken show should be quarantined. If it comes from where it has recently been exposed to a new chicken, then there is a definite risk. But if it is coming from a flock that has been isolated for a month or so, then quarantine is probably useless. The caveats to this are that maybe it is coming from a flock where the owner does not recognize a disease that you would recognize. Or maybe it was exposed during transport.
Since your chicks are coming straight from a hatchery and are highly unlikely to be exposed to anything during transport, I think you are over-stressing needlessly, but they are your babies and you can over-stress all you want. You are over 21 and after what you and hubby have been through lately, you have every right.