Isolation: not exactly a stellar success :/

[crtrlovr]

Well, I came back from the Mayfield KY Monday weekly livestock/yard sale with 4 Golden comets, a trio of BB Reds (one bantam roo, 2 bantam pullets, one a golden laced look more gold than black and one mostly black w/ some gold), 2 pearl guinea keets approx. 6 wks., a lavender guinea keet, and a white (ah, so pretty!!!) guinea keet also about 6 wks. Since they were in adjacent quarters at the sale, I put them all in one big isolation pen with 5' sides with the guineas in a large dog kennel inside the isolation pen. That should hold 'em, right? Well, it did. Only problem is, it kept them in, but didn't keep my others OUT. Curiosity hit fast and hard. They (current flock) came bouncing all the way across the yard to see what was going on. I shooed them away back to their own pen. I came in the house to check my messages and to put water in the smaller waterers to use in the ISO pen. By the time I got back out, there were 2 AussieLorps, 3 RIR hens, one SLW hen, and 1 BR roo ALL in the pen with the newbies! They sailed over that 5' fence like it wasn't there.

I tried. I really DID....

 

[crtrlovr]

I was wondering if I should go ahead and try to keep them in their isolation pen, or should I go ahead and put them with the others since they have now all been well exposed. I came back out and found the Second Wave visiting the newcomers in their pen...

I know the stress of going to a new place can cause a dormant physical issue to manifest. In physical appearance, they all look VERY healthy, not thin, clear bright eyes, clear even respiration, nice clean smooth feet & legs with no scaling, red spots, or uneven coloration (other than what's normal), no signs of mites or lice in feathering on any of them, not overly flighty or skittish, ... in all, they look extremely healthy. Since the home folks flock has made sure they've all been exposed to anything the newcomers may have, what do I do now???

 

[crtrlovr]

REALLY? In four hours no one has an opinion for me on this? ah well...

 

[LilBizzy]

I'm also surprised you haven't gotten a response yet.
I don't have enough experience for advice, but I do have an opinion ( LOL, Dont we all?)
If the new chickens are carrying some illness, I would suppose it's possible for something to transmit in the limited contact they have had. But it's also possible that their time together wasn't enough to contract an illness.
It's one thing to try to keep them apart and have the sneaky little things arrange a welcome party. But if you allow themto be together, and they DO end up ill, you'll always wonder if keeping them apart would have prevented it.
So, to be on the safe side, I'd probably keep them apart.

 

[SterlingAcres]

Quote:
Agreed.

 

[menageriemama]

I am thinking that the less time spent together, drinking out of the same water and using the same feeders, the better. Even thought they already introduced themselves. The least amount of exposure the better

 

[jbowyer01]

Isnt that just cute! A welcome party. I didnt even get that when I moved into my new home but I did have curious and very nosey neighbors . My chicks are about 6 to 8 weeks old and its amazing how high they can try to fly! After everything that I've read it sounds like seperation is the best thing. (They can have a party for reintroduction purposes later).

 

[Acre of Blessings]

4 hours, I wouldn't worry but, I would still keep them in the ISO pen for the 3 to 4 week span.

Can you cover the pen with 1 inch chicken wire? That's just a thought to keep the others out.

 

[d.k]

*I've been wondering much the same thing with my new hen's addition. My house is less than 13OO sq. ft. and my yard is less than a 1/3 of an acre. There's no garage or outbuildings, so a true quarantine isn't even possible, is it??? We're just too cramped.