do I need to quarantine If

[purr]

when I bought my chicks from MMH I got some for a friend. Now she is moving into an apartment and is giving me back the hens. I know they have been well cared for and have never been sick. Do I still need to quaranting?

 

[lockedhearts]

I would, but then I am overprotective..... Seriously I think it would be wise, even well cared for Chickens can be carriers for things.

 

[NYREDS]

I can't really tell you what you should do but I'll tell you what I'd do in the same circumstances.
I wouldn't quarantine them. As you can see by my signature line I've been at this awhile & I have never quarantined a new bird when I've brought it home. If I'm not sure about the health of the bird I just don't bring it home.I can honestly say I've never had a problem with disease as a result of doing it this way.
There will be othwer posters who will tell horror stories that resulted from not quarantining & I'm sure the stories are true. It's definately a crap shoot to some degree.
Good luck with your decision.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I have a closed flock now, but each time I brought home new birds I would judge their condition (and living conditions) before making the decision to quarantine or not. Look them over... do they have lice, or evidence of lice by the nits at the base of the tail feathers? Are their legs smooth (no scaly leg mites) and not discolored? Are their feathers glossy and healthy looking? Are they bright-eyed and bushy tailed? Do they complain about being put in a kennel to be brought home, or do they just sit there? When you get them home, check the poopies in the crate for signs of parasites or blood... they ALWAYS poop in the crate on the way home. If there are any signs of illness, or there's something just sort of "off" with them, quarantine for 2-4 weeks and treat them, feed them, love them.

One set of girls I brought home had freeranged in horrible conditions - evidence of lice, scruffy feathers... I dusted them and quarantined for 2 weeks until I felt they looked good and could give them a clean bill of health.
This last set of 3 girls came from a clean home, VERY well cared for, they were molting, but otherwise the picture of health... I said a Hail Mary and put them in with the other girls that night with no ill effects.

Just take it on a case by case basis, and use your gut instinct.

 

[purr]

thank you for the replies I think I'll take a really good look at them and then decide. I guess it could really happen to anyone though cause this morning my little buff laced polish is under the weather. I've looked her all over, no mites no lice crop feels fine, no wounds she's just not moving alot and she's all puffed up. Her eyes are clear she's 19 weeks old so I check her abdomen thinking she might have an egg stuck but its not distended. I'm going to start a new thread and watch her closely and put up a hospital room for her.