Any tips on preventing spread of disease when adding new birds 2 flock

[cmom]

I agree with the other posts. I quarantine my new birds for at least a month. How old are the birds you aquired? Since there are only two, do you have anything you can keep them in?

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Here's the link to the BYC Learning Center page on how to add birds to your flock:

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

 

[crazy4eggsJulie]

Quote:
One is 6 weeks, one is 8 weeks. I have them in a small brooder now. However, it is easy for the kids to get to it. They keep forgetting that these birds can't be touched...as they are used to holding them immediately upon hatching...They are the cutest chickens though!

 

[cmom]

Do you have any pictures?

 

[Attack Chicken]

My father doesn't even understand the meaning of quarentine...He probably just risked my whole flock..

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
Ouch - what happened?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

When we bring new birds in we quarantine for 2 weeks and then add a "sacrificial" bird from our existing flock and keep them together for 2 more weeks before putting them all together.

Having a totaly closed flock is good in alot of ways but not always practical. Let me use a friend of ours for an example. They are clean freaks, you could find a speck of dirt in their house at any time, they use anti bacteials, bleach, etc etc etc. They are scared to death of catching something the kids get disinfected if they go outside. You know what? they are always sick with something. Our kids would run and play, get dirty, eat dirt, fall down, get cut - just be kids and they are healthy as can be. I'm a firm believer in being exposed to this and that makes the immune system stronger.

Getting back to chickens it's the same thing, a totaly closed flock means they haven't been exposed to anything and could be open to catching everything. I'm not recommending running down to your local sale and getting a creepy bird but sooner or later you will have to add new blood.

Steve in NC

 

[kycowgirlchick]

From everything I have read and everyone I have spoken to, if you even walk somewhere other chickens have been you can carry stuff to your chickens. Or if someone comes to your place they can bring it with them.
So I am choosing to vaccinate my birds for MG and Coryza. Yes it is a little costly but if I loose alot of birds then that would be costly especially including the meds.