Considering adding a chicken, questions on quarantine and mareks

[AinaWGSD]

We are limited to 6 chickens and are losing one to ascites. Husband wants to add a single pullet to the flock to bring us back up to 6.

Our lot is about a half acre, I'm not sure how we would manage quarantine. We could probably set her up in the basement. Or build a quarantine pen under the kid's playset at the other end of the yard. For integration we do plan to cordon off part of the coop (and probably part of the run too) to do a look-don't-touch intro. But that's not a quarantine.

My other concern is Mareks. My pullets were vaccinated at the hatchery. We had been planning on getting a started pullet from Chicken Scratch Poultry but I'm seeing some reviews that people have suspected that they introduced mareks to their flock by bringing in pullets from CSP. Our chickens are vaccinated and the started pullets from CSP are vaccinated, so I'm not clear on how much of a risk it would be. Now I'm not sure if we should look into getting a pullet from other sources or wait until next year and either get chicks or hatching eggs.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

We are limited to 6 chickens and are losing one to ascites. Husband wants to add a single pullet to the flock to bring us back up to 6.

Our lot is about a half acre, I'm not sure how we would manage quarantine. We could probably set her up in the basement. Or build a quarantine pen under the kid's playset at the other end of the yard. For integration we do plan to cordon off part of the coop (and probably part of the run too) to do a look-don't-touch intro. But that's not a quarantine.

My other concern is Mareks. My pullets were vaccinated at the hatchery. We had been planning on getting a started pullet from Chicken Scratch Poultry but I'm seeing some reviews that people have suspected that they introduced mareks to their flock by bringing in pullets from CSP. Our chickens are vaccinated and the started pullets from CSP are vaccinated, so I'm not clear on how much of a risk it would be. Now I'm not sure if we should look into getting a pullet from other sources or wait until next year and either get chicks or hatching eggs.

Odds are that you won't see any symptoms. BUT you will be introducing the virus to your property, as well as possibly the surrounding properties for other birds to get and sspread. The virus isn't killed by the vaccine, just kept in control

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wouldn't want to risk bringing Marek's or any other disease onto my property if you think the source is iffy. For that same reason I'd advise to only add newly hatched chicks from a reputable hatchery, or to hatch your own eggs.

Also I wouldn't add 1 bird. Since you're limited to 6, I'd wait until another bird passes, and then add 2 at that time for an easier integration.