Quarantine advice!

[scalci]

Hello,

I currently have 3 older hens (range in age 4-6.5)and I will be adopting 2 10month old hens. I have never quarantined before and never had a problem, but I know I got very lucky and I don't want to chance it again.

I now have a coop that can house 6 with a 2 part run that can be divided, so keeping them separated is no issue. Both parts are fully enclosed (chicken wire roof plus more wire below the ground to ensure they're safe from predators) The issue is that it has gotten cooler recently and I'm not sure how I can safely keep them quarantined without a 2nd coop to shelter them from the weather. What do people typically use if they don't have another coop or house? Any clever suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

As for the weather; the forecast this week shows the lowest low coming soon as being 39F the rest of the next 10 days will be 45-55 as the low.

 

[Mrs. K]

Truthfully it is very hard to quarantine properly in a backyard set up. One does not have the space required If you don't do it properly, you may as well not do it at all. I would be picky about what I added to the flock, and for goodness sakes do not add anything you feel sorry for or from an auction where they may have been exposed to who knows what. But if the birds appear healthy, and where they come from is a reasonable set up, I would skip the quarantine in a small set up as described. Many people think they are quarantining, but are really just making a huge amount of work for themselves, and not preventing the transmission of disease.

Separated is not quarantined, you should do a bit of separation till they get a bit used to each other, and if the older ladies have never had new birds, they are apt to be a bit cranky about this.

There is a risk when adding birds. You could introduce to one group or the other, something they were not immune to, but you are only risking a few birds. I have added birds numerous times, from similar set ups to mine, and been fine. It is a risk, but...

Mrs K

 

[Embuck]

For small numbers I would quarantine in a dog crate or large cardboard box in the barn.

 

[Embuck]

Garage or laundry room, maybe?
On occasion, I've made a very messy "shanty" by covering a cage with scraps of plywood, or other solid material. Messy, but it works for a short time.
Chickens are more durable in cold than some might think; as long as they're sheltered from wind and precipitation, they should be all right at that temperature

 

[scalci]

Good news! My parents were more understanding than I thought they would be! (They have really gotten to love my girls wayyy more than they ever imagined they would haha). So they are allowing me to keep them in the garage for a week or so before I move them outside. My dad isn’t going to build something this weekend! So that gives me some time to build a small shelter for them when they go outside!

 

[Embuck]

I'd say freezing should be fine - sheltered from wind and moisture, and provided there are at least two. Also, if they don't have large combs/wattles. I'm farther south, but my chickens have handled freezing okay.

 

[scalci]

Yeah, I don't have a barn

 

[Gloryfarm]

Can you give them a dog house/ make shift shelter in the run? We have just thrown together a rough box with shavings in the bottom.

 

[scalci]

Ok that's good. Ya I can keep them in the garage for a bit, but it's harder to do for more than a few days since the run is so much bigger than a medium dog crate that I would have to put them in if they're in the garage or shed.

 

[scalci]

Oh! But the only thing now is....

How cold would be considered too cold for the girls to be outside in a makeshift box/covered dog crate overnight?! It’s been very warm for almost November here (Rhode Island).