Do I quarantine my wandering pullet?

[ValkerieGunn]

I free range my flock and normally they stay on my property with no issues but yesterday at closing time when I shut everyone in the coop I was missing one pullet. Today hoping it wasn't a predator issue but a wandering issue I text my neighbor to see if she had an extra chicken and lo and behold when she went out to count she did. So I got my pullet back but now I'm not sure if I need to quarantine her for spending the night next door.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Is this a direct next door neighbor? How big are the lots or how close are your flocks set up? Very good chance that whatever one flock has, so does the other, especially if you both free range part or all of the day.

 

[ValkerieGunn]

Is this a direct next door neighbor? How big are the lots or how close are your flocks set up? Very good chance that whatever one flock has, so does the other, especially if you both free range part or all of the day.

There is one property between us. Mine is the biggest lot at an acre and the others about 3/4 an acre. Between our flocks is about 50 yards give or take some. We can holler back and forth. She has a fence attached to her run that she moves around her property while my flock free range our lot normally staying inside the livestock fence that goes around the property. We have traded eggs and chicks but none old enough to be out of the brooder.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Hmm, tricky. If you really want to be safe then yes, you'd want to quarantine, but I think realistically the properties are close enough that any wind that's ever blown this way or that would've carried dander and debris around enough that the birds have likely been exposed to whatever is in the other flock.

 

[ValkerieGunn]

Hmm, tricky. If you really want to be safe then yes, you'd want to quarantine, but I think realistically the properties are close enough that any wind that's ever blown this way or that would've carried dander and debris around enough that the birds have likely been exposed to whatever is in the other flock.

Thank you. I think because we are so close that you are right and realistically they probably share stuff already since the wind normally comes from that direction. Hopefully this doesn't happen again especially since I am planning a better fence for us and she is expanding her fence.