*Pullets from two diff flocks (biosecurity issue?) or nb chicks?*

[mrsdanamiller]

Ahh I am so confused as to biosecurity v. getting what I want!

Ok I originally wanted to get 4-6 Rhode Island Red hens for their good production and docile non-broody nature.

I thought it would be a good idea to raise pullets that have just started laying instead of chicks. I thought I would just figure out how to keep chickens first, then do the baby chick thing another year. Now with just finding out about all kinds of biosecurity stuff I don't know if it would be good to get the red hens(RIR rooster crossed with white hen) from one guy and also get Barnevelders and White Rocks from another guy.

I really want the Barnevelders because of their dark eggs. And I really want the red hens because of their production. BUT I am not sure if it would be wise to purchase them both. Or any of them at all actually.

So my final question(s): Should I get hens from one seller only? Or should I get hens from both sellers? Or should I get chicks from TSC or Atwoods here in a week or two? Or should I buy from someone else?

SO appreciative of any help!!!! I am so lost! It's hard to be a newbie!!!!!

Dana

 

[sumi]

You can buy chickens from different sellers, lots of us do. What you should do when you have an existing flock and you want to add more hens is keep the new hens separate and quarantined away from your flock for a month at least before introducing them. This is to make sure the newcomers don't carry any disease/pests that they can then pass on to your existing flock. What I like to do is deworm the newbies and dust them for mites as a precaution and keep a close eye on them for signs of disease.
I once adopted 5 young, healthy looking chickens from a friend's flock. They arrived while I was at work and my DH put them in with the rest of the flock. I left them there. It didn't take very long for the trouble to start. The newbies carried worms and mites which they spread around my flock and I had a hard time getting rid of it completely. I ended up losing 2 hens. Lesson learned!

 

[mrsdanamiller]

You can buy chickens from different sellers, lots of us do. What you should do when you have an existing flock and you want to add more hens is keep the new hens separate and quarantined away from your flock for a month at least before introducing them. This is to make sure the newcomers don't carry any disease/pests that they can then pass on to your existing flock. What I like to do is deworm the newbies and dust them for mites as a precaution and keep a close eye on them for signs of disease.
I once adopted 5 young, healthy looking chickens from a friend's flock. They arrived while I was at work and my DH put them in with the rest of the flock. I left them there. It didn't take very long for the trouble to start. The newbies carried worms and mites which they spread around my flock and I had a hard time getting rid of it completely. I ended up losing 2 hens. Lesson learned!

So should I deworm and dust my new hens too? Couldn't they give each other stuff since they are from different places?

 

[sumi]

Yes, you could deworm and dust your old and new chickens. As a precaution. I meant you should treat the new hens you are getting, but treating the old ones would be good too. We always worry about what the new birds might carry, not what our existing flock might give them! Good thinking.

 

[KatieBugg]

If you put both sets of new pullets together you have no way of knowing which set may be carrying anything and you risk both sets just the same as putting new pullets with an existing flock.