Can neighbors chickens have ill effects on mine?

[Blessedwithhens]

Hi all! I have 3, 3 year old backyard, free range hens. I live in a suburban neighborhood where my neighbors house is 30 ft away from mine with a thin 1/2 wooden fence separates our yards. Last year they got a dozen chickens and they let them free range in their yard, within a few months of them getting their chickens their chickens and mine had pox. Mine had never had anything before this. They now have a dog so they keep their chickens in a confined area (too small for all of their chickens in my opinion) fenced right up to the fence that we share. Is this bad for my chickens as far as disease goes? Should i put up a chicken wire barrier to keep my chickeno away from their fence, if so, how much space should I barrier off (in ft)? Its been nearly 9 months since their chickens have been right on the other side of our fence, so are the chances pretty high that our chickens already “share“ any “germs” their chickens have?
Thank you!!!!!!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Unless their chickens are 300+ feet away from yours 100% of the time and the breeze never blows your direction then all gems are already effectively shared.

Fowl pox is often (most commonly) spread by mosquitoes.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Hi! Welcome to BYC!


I'm sorry that you're chickens got chicken pox. A few questions:

Did they get their chickens as chicks, or were they already grown up?
How soon after they got chickens did your chickens get sick?

If you give me some answers maybe I can help you better.

- Jessa

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hi all! I have 3, 3 year old backyard, free range hens. I live in a suburban neighborhood where my neighbors house is 30 ft away from mine with a thin 1/2 wooden fence separates our yards. Last year they got a dozen chickens and they let them free range in their yard, within a few months of them getting their chickens their chickens and mine had pox. Mine had never had anything before this. They now have a dog so they keep their chickens in a confined area (too small for all of their chickens in my opinion) fenced right up to the fence that we share. Is this bad for my chickens as far as disease goes? Should i put up a chicken wire barrier to keep my chickeno away from their fence, if so, how much space should I barrier off (in ft)? Its been nearly 9 months since their chickens have been right on the other side of our fence, so are the chances pretty high that our chickens already “share“ any “germs” their chickens have?
Thank you!!!!!!

If your chickens are not completely enclosed all the time. I really wouldn’t worry about it too much because the likely culprits that bring in disease are wild birds