Integrating recovered hen with chicks

[cassondrawarney]

Hello, we have a beautiful 7 month old buff brahma named Lucy who just started laying eggs about two weeks ago. She got sick last week - very likely chronic respiratory disease based on her symptoms. She is back to normal and back outside in her coop. In addition to Lucy, we also have two chicks, about 9 weeks old. How long should we 'quarentine' our Lucy outside before attempting to integrate the two new chicks who are currently in the house? I was thinking a week to make sure Lucy is fully recovered but seeking advice.

I'll also mention that we had been bringing the two baby chicks outside for short meet and greets before Lucy became sick, once they were about 4 weeks old. Although Lucy would occasionally peck at them, over the various 'meetings' Lucy got to a place where she tolerates the two new chicks and my anxiety about integrating for the first time went way down.

 

[aart]

I was thinking a week to make sure Lucy is fully recovered but seeking advice.

If she truly had a respiratory disease, she will likely carry it forever even after her symptoms are gone.

I'll also mention that we had been bringing the two baby chicks outside for short meet and greets before Lucy became sick, once they were about 4 weeks old

Where did you get the chicks, could they have brought the disease with them?

 

[Chickensandhorsesforlife]

My sweet old ameracauna loves chicks!

 

[cassondrawarney]

If she truly had a respiratory disease, she will likely carry it forever even after her symptoms are gone.


Where did you get the chicks, could they have brought the disease with them?

 

[cassondrawarney]

Thank you for flagging that Lucy will be a carrier, if it's a respiratory disease she's recovered from. Which means any chickens we integrate will likely also get sick. I hadn't thought about the baby chicks being carriers. We have had issues with wild birds flocking to our backyard and I had assumed they were the reason. We bought the chicks, who were a few days old, from a feed and chicken store and waited about four weeks before bringing them outside. They haven't exhibited any signs of being sick, but perhaps were exposed when hatched or in their first days.