How far away to keep quarantine birds from the flock?

[mamaKate]

I saw a thread that recommended 900 ft. My entire property is only 80x240 ft. Any suggestions ?

 

[speckledhen]

Dog crate on the deck or bsmt. I dont even like them on the ground because if they are ill, they can contaminate the soil, too.

 

[patandchickens]

As far as possible. Ideally, out of normal traffic patterns and downwind; but, you do the best you can, you know?

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[mamaKate]

Thanks. I'm hoping to add pullets in a few weeks and I want to be as safe as possible.

 

[speckledhen]

I commend you for quarantining your new birds! May save lots of heartache.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

IF there was 1 thing I listened to on this board, it's quarantining new birds. It's the only way to protect your flock.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I learned the hard way that diseases travel by air so if you can keep them in an isolated spot - garage or basement - that would be best. I thought they would be safe as long as they didn't have direct contact...but no...

 

[NYREDS]

I am constantly amazed at all the reports of health problems on this site. I don't doubt any of the reported instances of disease but I just don't have those problems.
I never isolate new birds [on the rare occasion I buy any]. When I bring birds back from a show they go right back where they were. Again, no isolation. I do give them all a bit of louse powder.
I don't think I'm unusually lucky-haven't won the lottery yet anyway.
What I do that's different than so many here is to breed for disease resistance. When I started out with the strains I breed I first of all bought only from healthy stock. Initially I did have an occasional bout with some illness or another. I NEVER tried to cure that bird, I culled immediately. Even if it was a bird that I valued it was culled. This was because I did not want to reproduce birds that were prone to illness when I could reproduce birds that were prone to health.
In othe posts I've referenced a book by Fred Jeffery dealing with chicken diseases. It's an excellent book for diagnosing but it doesn't advocate treating/curing sick birds. Jeffery instead advocates breeding for resistance. He states that his chicken medicine cabinet contains only louse powder, a coccidiostat & a hatchet. That's all mine contains & I haven't had to use the hatchet in years.

 

[speckledhen]

Initially I did have an occasional bout with some illness or another. I NEVER tried to cure that bird, I culled immediately. Even if it was a bird that I valued it was culled. This was because I did not want to reproduce birds that were prone to illness when I could reproduce birds that were prone to health.

Yes, yes, YES! Thank you. By treating every little sneeze with antibiotics, we are breeding a bunch of weaklings with compromised immune systems. Best cure for illness in chickens is a "cullectomy". I have the same philosophy and I have (so far) never had any respiratory illness at all. And I never buy birds. Ever.​

 

[CityChicker]

Quote:
Yes, yes, YES! Thank you. By treating every little sneeze with antibiotics, we are breeding a bunch of weaklings with compromised immune systems. Best cure for illness in chickens is a "cullectomy". I have the same philosophy and I have (so far) never had any respiratory illness at all. And I never buy birds. Ever.

Ditto all that. I have learned over the years to cull when necessary and I start that with the birds before they even leave the egg. If they are not strong enough to even hatch (unless something obvious has gone wrong with the hatch that has nothing to do with the stock), then they are culled. I know some will disagree, but that is my philosophy.

As far as breeding for resistance, that is where our opinions may depart a little. There are numerous illnesses that you simply cannot breed resistance for. It is just not possible. Everything else though, I totally agree. How does this sound-
Rather than breeding for resistance- I breed for strength.