Need your opinion ~ I was offered 3 chickens for FREE

[speckledhen]

If you dont plan to quarantine them, you are really asking for trouble. Please quarantine! I wouldn't let them roam during that time, either, because if they have something, they will spread it everywhere. If someone offered me a 100 bird flock, free, I wouldn't take it because of the risk. They cannot breathe the same air during quarantine and do not give them antibioitics, no matter what during that time. All that will do is mask symptoms of what they may have. You want any symptoms to come to the surface.

 

[bluey]

I guess my main point is that why bother setting up a quarantine pen just for three non-laying birds. You don't want to free range quarantined birds because anyone can step in their chicken poop and access the regular pen and infect your existing birds. I'd say you definitely need a quarantine pen for proper biosecurity.

I'm more of the bean counter sort when it comes to decision making. I just don't see enough positives to outweigh negatives, regardless of the absence of payment.

 

[Julie_in_PA]

If you dont plan to quarantine them, you are really asking for trouble. Please quarantine! I wouldn't let them roam during that time, either, because if they have something, they will spread it everywhere. If someone offered me a 100 bird flock, free, I wouldn't take it because of the risk. They cannot breathe the same air during quarantine and do not give them antibioitics, no matter what during that time. All that will do is mask symptoms of what they may have. You want any symptoms to come to the surface.

So basically ~ they should be kept in a pen/coop of their own that's away from my current flock ? I only have one coop ... But I do have a Large dog crate ... I have no idea if that would work or not, would it ? It's the metal kind. I'll try to think of other ideas for keeping them in the meantime - as I continue to read replies.​

 

[Julie_in_PA]

Would there be obvious symptons if they'd be sickly ?

 

[bluey]

They may not be apparent at first. Gumpsgirl told a story not long ago about picking up a few birds at a swap that appeared healthy and then lost almost her entire flock. I vowed that day to either hatch my own eggs or buy day old chicks going forward.

 

[Mrs MIA]

It all depends on what you plan to do with them... are they pets for the occasional egg, or do you plan to breed them? Either way I would quarantine, BUT, and this is just me as a novice breeder, I wouldn't chance it if you have a nice flock already. IF it was me, and they're free, and I haven't promised to "give them a good home and love them til they die of old age", then I would probably give them a one way ticket to Camp Kenmore. IF they're healthy. Chickens will lay eggs longer than 2-3 years, but you never know. The difference is that my chickens are my business. If I wasn't sharing the eggs, both for eating or hatching, with others, I probably would give them a loving home and dote on them.

But if you do get them, DO keep them separate until you know for sure that they are truly healthy. Good luck!

 

[speckledhen]

I was just saying that if you do go ahead, please quarantine. Me, I wouldn't get them. The risk to my flock would be too great, IMO.
Diseases can take over a month to show themselves. The reason is that some diseases make the bird a carrier for life. Permanently. In times of stress, they shed the disease (pass it on) to other birds. If they are not showing symptoms when you get them, you will not know they are carriers. This is why quarantine should be at least 4 weeks, even a hair longer, to be certain. And even then, you may not know for sure, especially if they dont show illness during that time.
Good luck whatever you decide to do.

 

[Julie_in_PA]

Ok, I have an update ...

I talked with Hubby, and we're able to fence off a "quaranteen coop" for them. We had spoke about it previously, and now this is simply speeding things up.
So I DO have a place to quaranteen them away from my current flock.

The lady who is offering them to me isn't the actual owner. Her father in law is the one that owns them. I know both of them (the father in law and the lady contacting me about them) and they're both very nice and trustworthy ppl.
And the reason why they're offering them to me is because the Father in Law "Larry Green" (a well known farrier in my area) recently had a blood clot ... which caused a stroke, and he's not in very good condition. They're his chickens, and now with his current state, they just want to find another home for the chickens. That's why they contacted me. So I do trust these ppl, and I also know that Larry is very good with animals ... he "was" our farrier. I don't know HOW MUCH they know about chickens, or if they just simply "have them" for eggs. So I don't know if they actually KNOW what the sypmtons of illness are in chickens, but I do trust their opinion, and if they tell me that there are NO obvious symptons and never have been ... I know I can trust them.

Sooooo ... with all that said (having a quaranteen coop for them, plus trusting and knowing where they're coming from) does that change your opinion/s ? Or do you still think it's really to risky ?? I don't want to hurt my current flock. But at the same time, I also don't want to just pass them up, plus let Larry and his family "hanging" without a home for the chickens.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Have you seen the conditions that they've been living in? When you go to pick them up, check for the usual visuals - lice around the vent, bare patches, scaley leg mites, pale comb or wounds on the comb. Do their feathers have a nice sheen? Do they struggle when you pick them up, or just submit to it? Use your gut instincts. Don't be afraid to tell them your concerns, and that you really want them, but you need to know up front of any health issues with the birds to help you give them a better home. Treat them for any parasites, feed them well, and you may have 3 very wonderful additions to your family. Just please be wary.

 

[speckledhen]

I second what Tori said. I only tell what I would do in your situation. What you decide is truly up to you. We just want to help you avoid the awful heartbreak others have experienced. If you take them, then you see that they develop discharges, crusty eyes, breathing problems, etc, please be prepared to cull them immediately. Hopefully, all will go well for you, Julie.