Babysitting mom's chickens!

[TwilightMom]

My parents and my family are going on a 10 day vacation this summer and we were thinking she could bring her 5 chickens to my house and keep them with my seven chickens. They are all the same age (2 mos. at the moment) They would be kept exclusively in the run/coop for the entire time. Any problems to think about? I guess they would be aprox. 4 mos. old then. My run/coop is only 4'x6'. Normally my chickens free range most of the day in the backyard (city limits). Our friend will check on and feed/water them daily. No roosters in the mix. I feel nervous to have them free range when I am away....don't want to put too much responsibility on our friends.

 

[Amyable]

ABout the only thing I'd worry about is biosecurity, and possibly introducing something into your flock. Are her birds healthy as far as you know? Is it possible to set up a temporary house for them? Or did they all come from the same place? If so, I wouldn't be as concerned.

 

[Kansaseq]

If you put two different flocks together suddenly, there may be some fighting. Can you possibly separate the run into two for the duration of your vacation? I'd hate to just throw unfamiliar birds together and then leave them.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think I would mix the flocks a week BEFORE you leave. That way you can solve any unseen problems. mk

 

[RedfogsFlock]

If it were my flock the only thing that would worry me would be disease. Now I'm not saying anyones chickens are not healthy so please no offense. BUT the flock at my house have different germs than the one down the road at my neighbors, or my moms. So when you intermingle them what happens is the germs essentially intermingle, and it could make one of yours flock sick. That's why you should always quarenteen new flock for a month at least when bringing in new birds. Only to aklamate them together so no new sickness breaks out.

So for me it would be the whole quarenteen part. Maybe a seperate place to keep them while at your house. I'm a big believer on the whole quarenteen. Only because the ONE time I didn't do it, and I ended up losing all the new birds I had bought.

I need to mention the new birds that I had bought came from the same place all my origianl birds did, but my original birds had been at our home for 6 months. So now everything gets seperate living quarters for a month when joining us!

 

[TwilightMom]

Thanks for the advice all. Her chickens are healthy as far as we know. I think I'll have her bring them over a few days before we go to get everyone acclimated. I bought her chicks at the same time I bought mine and raised hers until they feathered out so some are related. I guess that wouldn't matter for the bio thing tho. I'll have to cross my fingers that none get ill. thanks again so much.