Pipd's Peeps!

[fluffycrow]

I tend to prefer bringing new blood in via hatching eggs. Relatively few diseases transmit through the egg to chicks, and many of those only have a small percentage of transmission that's even smaller if the birds are not outwardly symptomatic as I'd hope they would be if I'm being sold eggs from them. You can even gently wash the eggs before setting them to make sure nothing is clinging to the shell that would infect the chicks upon hatch. This does not guarantee that you'll prevent all disease from getting through to your flock, but greatly increases your odds at least.

If that's simply not an option, the best you can do is a 4-6 week quarantine. Keep new birds 100 feet away and downwind from your current flock, or if that's not possible then keep them in an enclosed building that your current birds have no access to. For example, I quarantine new birds in my basement because I don't have any outbuildings that are predator secure and far enough away from my current flocks. Always tend to the new birds last, and change clothes and shoes between them and your current flock. I prefer to outright shower immediately after dealing with quarantine birds just to be as safe as possible. I also introduce a 'sacrificial' bird to quarantine after a couple weeks, a bird I already have around that I may or may not be keeping anyway like an extra cockerel, to see if they'll start showing symptoms from being exposed to the new birds for a couple weeks. This also exposes the new birds to anything your flock may have, and if the new bird is a solo bird then it now has a buddy to integrate with. Like hatching eggs, quarantine is not a guarantee that you'll avoid all diseases, and it's a pain in the neck to keep up for the full time, but you at least have a better chance at avoiding your flock being infected by something new if you do it properly.

Very informative! Eggs is the only way I'd be bringing in new blood in, but I still worry about a few diseases

 

[2ndTink]

Very informative! Eggs is the only way I'd be bringing in new blood in, but I still worry about a few diseases

Yeah, I'm really worried about bringing chicks or grow outs, hatching eggs is currently the only way I'm doing things. I was just telling my hubby last night that I'm so shocked to see all the silkie breeders on fb buying and selling adult birds, bringing back new birds from shows. I would love to be comfortable doing that, but it just seems toooooo risky to me

 

[2ndTink]

I tend to prefer bringing new blood in via hatching eggs. Relatively few diseases transmit through the egg to chicks, and many of those only have a small percentage of transmission that's even smaller if the birds are not outwardly symptomatic as I'd hope they would be if I'm being sold eggs from them. You can even gently wash the eggs before setting them to make sure nothing is clinging to the shell that would infect the chicks upon hatch. This does not guarantee that you'll prevent all disease from getting through to your flock, but greatly increases your odds at least.

If that's simply not an option, the best you can do is a 4-6 week quarantine. Keep new birds 100 feet away and downwind from your current flock, or if that's not possible then keep them in an enclosed building that your current birds have no access to. For example, I quarantine new birds in my basement because I don't have any outbuildings that are predator secure and far enough away from my current flocks. Always tend to the new birds last, and change clothes and shoes between them and your current flock. I prefer to outright shower immediately after dealing with quarantine birds just to be as safe as possible. I also introduce a 'sacrificial' bird to quarantine after a couple weeks, a bird I already have around that I may or may not be keeping anyway like an extra cockerel, to see if they'll start showing symptoms from being exposed to the new birds for a couple weeks. This also exposes the new birds to anything your flock may have, and if the new bird is a solo bird then it now has a buddy to integrate with. Like hatching eggs, quarantine is not a guarantee that you'll avoid all diseases, and it's a pain in the neck to keep up for the full time, but you at least have a better chance at avoiding your flock being infected by something new if you do it properly.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Very informative! Eggs is the only way I'd be bringing in new blood in, but I still worry about a few diseases

Yeah, I'm really worried about bringing chicks or grow outs, hatching eggs is currently the only way I'm doing things.

I'm the same exact way. I've brought in a few adult birds over the years and run quarantines with them, but there's just so much risk in doing so even if you properly quarantine them that I just no longer feel it's worth it. If I can't get it through hatching eggs (or occasionally chicks directly from a hatchery, whose ability to do business requires that they keep their birds healthy), I'd rather do without.

I was just telling my hubby last night that I'm so shocked to see all the silkie breeders on fb buying and selling adult birds, bringing back new birds from shows. I would love to be comfortable doing that, but it just seems toooooo risky to me

This always gets me, too, in the groups I'm in. Especially out of shows. Even if the birds arrived there completely healthy, there's sooo much they could have just been exposed to, both diseases and parasites. I just don't want to run that kind of risk with my flocks!

 

[fluffycrow]

I've brought adult birds in quite a few times, but as I'm building my numbers, and acquiring more difficile to find/important birds, no more! Actually I've even brought some in without going through quarantine at all, I'm ashamed to admit.



If chicken shows were to become a thing here, I'd love to show; I am very scared of my birds catching anything during the show however, so it's a hard decision to make. I'll also have to quarantine the birds after the show for the same reason

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Early, early on with chickens, I did, too. But we both know better now, and that's what's important, right?

I've been asked in the past if I show my Cochins, and asked if I'm actively working on getting them into the standard. Unfortunately, the latter requires they be shown, so the answer to both is no. I don't know if I'll ever get to the point where I'm comfortable with that, honestly. I'd love to see them get into the standard, and I'm breeding mine toward that goal, so I guess in that way I am actively working toward that, but I just can't get past that anxiety about exposing my birds to disease and bringing it back home to my flock.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

In other news, I officially have my first egg toward this year's Easter hatchalong now! And I'm pretty sure it's a Judy egg!! I caught her in the nest earlier without any eggs under her, and now she's out and about and there's one little egg in that same nest!

 

[NagemTX]

In other news, I officially have my first egg toward this year's Easter hatchalong now! And I'm pretty sure it's a Judy egg!! I caught her in the nest earlier without any eggs under her, and now she's out and about and there's one little egg in that same nest!

My blue cochin went broody so I'm letting her hatch four blue eggs from the Spitzhauben EE.

 

[fluffycrow]

Early, early on with chickens, I did, too. But we both know better now, and that's what's important, right?

I've been asked in the past if I show my Cochins, and asked if I'm actively working on getting them into the standard. Unfortunately, the latter requires they be shown, so the answer to both is no. I don't know if I'll ever get to the point where I'm comfortable with that, honestly. I'd love to see them get into the standard, and I'm breeding mine toward that goal, so I guess in that way I am actively working toward that, but I just can't get past that anxiety about exposing my birds to disease and bringing it back home to my flock.

You have an excuse for doing it, I really don't; it was just last year. I knew better than that, but I was in dire need to get Big Red some girls. The person I got then from is someone I trust, however, and I'd seen all their birds before getting them many times, I've been to their place (tossed the clothes and such afterwards). Still, doesn't justify what I did. Not something I'll ever do again. Big Red was hurting himself trying to get to Kolovos's hens, I couldn't keep him calm

maybe selling the eggs to other people and having them show, which in turn proves your stock could work? I've heard of people doing that

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

My blue cochin went broody so I'm letting her hatch four blue eggs from the Spitzhauben EE.

Exciting!! That sounds like an amazing mix, too! Any pictures of them?

You have an excuse for doing it, I really don't; it was just last year. I knew better than that, but I was in dire need to get Big Red some girls. The person I got then from is someone I trust, however, and I'd seen all their birds before getting them many times, I've been to their place (tossed the clothes and such afterwards). Still, doesn't justify what I did. Not something I'll ever do again. Big Red was hurting himself trying to get to Kolovos's hens, I couldn't keep him calm

I don't think you were necessarily wrong for doing so, looking at the situation you had. It sounds like you needed to get these birds out there as soon as possible, and at least it was someone you were familiar with and trusted instead of just birds you found randomly in an ad online posted by someone you'd never met before!

maybe selling the eggs to other people and having them show, which in turn proves your stock could work? I've heard of people doing that

My hope is that I can do just that. If not showing them myself, then providing good quality birds to people who do want to show them.