New chickens. What should I do?

[chickymamma82]

I went to a farm yesterday and bought ten new chickens from the owner. He had a post on craigslist, and that is how I found him. The conditions these chickens were living in was really bad and they smell horribly. We even saw several dead young chickens in some of the brooders. What should I do before putting them in the coop with my other chickens? How long am I suppose to wait before introducing them? Should I bathe them? I had ten already and they are all very healthy. I would be devastated if they got sick.

 

[appps]

I think I wouldn't have risked it but since you have I would follow quarantine to the letter. No less than 6 weeks, I'd probably go 8, and don't wear shoes from one pen into your other.

I'd also worm them and treat for lice and mites just to be safe.

Fingers crossed!

 

[JediJinx]

Ditto. Definitely quarantine for several weeks.

 

[chickymamma82]

Thank you! I will do that. They seems a little more active today than they did when we got home yesterday. They were living strictly in overcrowded, wire cages where I had gotten them from and they seem to really enjoy being outside so far. These poor things deserved a good home.

 

[aart]

Thank you! I will do that. They seems a little more active today than they did when we got home yesterday. They were living strictly in overcrowded, wire cages where I had gotten them from and they seem to really enjoy being outside so far. These poor things deserved a good home.

They're outside?
I hope they are far enough away(at least 100') from your other chickens.

Do you understand medical quarantine?

 

[chickymamma82]

Yes, they are outside. My chickens' pen coming off the coop was 15x50 ft. I split that in half (15x25) with another fence and barrier and put another portable coop on the half I put the new, young chickens in. Is that bad? Should I move that? I put them there late this morning.

 

[aart]

Yes, they are outside. My chickens' pen coming off the coop was 15x50 ft. I split that in half (15x25) with another fence and barrier and put another portable coop on the half I put the new, young chickens in. Is that bad? Should I move that? I put them there late this morning.

Well, it's bad if you really wanted to do a proper bio quarantine, because it's kind of late for that now that they've had thru the fence contact.

Found some more and better info on medical quarantine today:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
Poultry Biosecurity
BYC 'medical quarantine' search





But it's good for the beginning of integration segregation.



Here's some notes I've taken on integration that I found to be very helpful.
See if any of them, or the links provided, might offer some tips that will assist you in your situation:


Integration of new chickens to flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact. Integrating new birds of equal size works best.

For smaller chicks I used a large wire dog crate right in the coop for the smallers. I removed the crate door and put up a piece of wire fencing over the opening and bent up one corner just enough for the smallers to fit thru but the biggers could not. Feed and water inside the crate for the smallers. Make sure the smallers know how to get in and out of the crate opening before exposing them to the olders. this worked out great for me, by the time the crate was too small for the them to roost in there(about 3 weeks), they had pretty much integrated themselves to the olders.

If you have too many smallers to fit in a crate you can partition off part of the coop with a wire wall and make the same openings for smallers escape.


The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide out of line of sight and/or up and away from any bully birds.

Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[chickymamma82]

Thank you for the info. It was very helpful. I talked to someone from the local vet, after I read your first response. She told me that she thinks what I have set up is ok, but I will also go to the co-op right away in the morning to get poultry dust and any other medications that they would suggest. They have been very helpful so far with my existing flock that I had shipped from a hatchery.

 

[nayeli]

Thank you for the info. It was very helpful. I talked to someone from the local vet, after I read your first response. She told me that she thinks what I have set up is ok, but I will also go to the co-op right away in the morning to get poultry dust and any other medications that they would suggest. They have been very helpful so far with my existing flock that I had shipped from a hatchery.

The quarantine is over so hopefully they don't have anything. The birds have already come in contact by your set up. I would keep them seperated for a week or two anyway so they can get used to each other before putting them together (minimizes the fighting). I would definately dust, bathe, etc if they came from bad conditions!

 

[chickymamma82]

Thank you. I did purchase dust bath and deworming medication from the co-op. The guy there said I should treat all of them and also to sprinkle the dust bath on the hay in both of their coops, so I did, just to be safe. They are all doing very good and none of them seem ill, but I will continue to keep a close eye on them.