Introduction and disease-should I be worried?

[karri25]

I have 13, 10-12 week old red sex link pullets and one cockeral that are established in our coop. I accidentally bought 3 teeny tiny banties today at the sale barn. I absolutely couldn't help myself, they are SOOOOO cute! So here's my dilemma...are they going to give my other chickens any diseases???? I have them on medicated feed and I am giving them so terramyacin just in case. I am going to fix up a brooder out in the coop that is kept from the bigger ones but I am so afraid that one set might kill the other set from some kind of crazy disease. Is this a valid worry? I am obviously new to chickens but LOVING IT!!!!!!!!

 

[pegbo]

Hi I would keep them separated for a couple of weeks, but within eye sight of each other that way your older chicks will get use to them and you can determine if the banties have any diseases or problems that need taking care of!

 

[keljonma]

Quote:
Keeping the new birds in quarantine (away from your flock, but where your flock can see them) for 3 or 4 weeks is always a good idea. Not only will this help prevent the spread of disease, it will help prevent the spread of fleas, lice and mites.

Giving them terramycin "just incase" is never a good idea. It would be like you taking an antibiotic "just incase". What you end up with is diseases that are resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Personally I would take them off the terramycin and give some plain yogurt w/active cultures and crushed garlic. The yogurt will help restore beneficial flora in the digestive system that is destroyed by antibiotics. The garlic is a known immune stimulant, and is said to kill worms, parasites, and harmful bacteria.

regards,
keljonma

if edited, probably for typos...

 

[karri25]

THanks for the info, I really appreciate it. One more question, how do I keep them within sight of each other and still keep them quarantined? I hope that I'm not being dense but if they can see each other won't they be within disease sharing distance???
P.s. thanks for the info about garlic and yogurt!!!

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I would keep them totally separated for at least 1 month, away from your coop. If they have anything it should show up within that time. Don't subject your healthy flock to any unknown diseases.

What we do with new chickens or chicks:

Dip their legs in cooking oil or mineral oil to take care of any scaly leg mites that you might not see.

Pen them away from all other chickens for 1 month.

Add electrolytes to water for 3 days, then use apple cider vinegar & garlic in their water.

If they have any respiratory problems I add Vet-Rx to their water & rub some on their combs, under wings.

Watch for any signs of disease, tend to these chickens last, & wash hands after handling them.

I learned this the hard way. I bought some chickens at a sale, & put them in their own pen, but where my free rangers could still get next to them. I won't do that again! I lost several of my free range chickens.

I still buy at sale barns from time to time, but I have quarantine pens set up now. It has worked well for me.

Just what we do.
Jean

 

[karri25]

THanks fo rthe help! I didn't know that about putting oil on the legs. I love all the info on this site! I am going to put them in a homemade brooder in my garage then for 1 month. Then I will put them in with the other chickens away from each other but where they can see each other. Does that sound good?
They are the cutest tiny things

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I wouldn't worry about keeping them where they can see each other until you are ready to integrate them into the flock.
Then put them next to each other with a fence between them or put them in a large cage in the coop where the big ones can't hurt them, but can get used to them being around.


Jean