How do you isolate your new birds?

[Chicken0Boy]

I am getting 15 chicks from McMurray Hatchery. (I split the order with a friend) When I move them into my new flock, do I need to isolate or just watch to see how the behave with each other? And, say I got a new full grown pullet, how long would I need to isolate her, and how do I isolate her? How big of a space do I need to isolate her?




Thanks you guys!

 

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

For my 2 EE chicks, I have a fence made out of chicken wire (though make sure the full-grown chickens can't fit their beaks through the gaps in the chicken wire- it should have pretty small gaps). Then I put the babies in the fence and let the older flock free-range. The big ones may peck at the fence, but they won't be able to hurt the chicks. That way they can safely get used to each other.



Here's the fence with the chicks and one of my older chickens:

NOTE: The chicks in the picture are almost six weeks old. You should probably keep them in the brooder a few weeks before letting them stay in the fence for an extended period of time

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Quote:
That what I was thinking. Do you leave yours out there or do they come back in? Or do they have a little coop?

 

[RedfogsFlock]

We actually have our rabbit hutch set up next to our coop, so we just let our rabbit out into the goat pen, and put the new ones in there. This way they can see each other but no touching!

 

[Chicken0Boy]

So for isolation or letting them see each other I will probably need a seperate cage? And, do I need to isolate baby chicks from McMurray? I know I will have to gradually add them to the flock, right?

 

[wolftracks]

I always wait 30 days or more and mine are not kept near eachother. It's a good thing I do this, because I bought 4 Polish hens last month and they were sick within 24 hours. I lost all of them. Then had to clean up and disinfect and more my quarentine area just to be safe.

The isolation thing with new birds is not to get them used to eachother. It's to make sure they are well and not transmitting something to your original birds.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Quote:
Thank you for the info!

I was wondering about the chicks too?

 

[wolftracks]

Quote:
Thank you for the info!

I was wondering about the chicks too?

I would, but that's me.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Ok, but in a sense wouldn't brooding chicks be anough time for them to be isolated, and then I just set up something in the coo to gradually let them out?