Quarantine Area Size

[Mimi13]

A friend of mine (yep, the friends we had over one Sunday to convince them to start keeping chickens only an hour after I had processed my first cockerel, https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-deed-is-done-my-flock-is-now-at-peace.74152/) now has a little BO cockerel he must get rid of because he lives in the city limits. His birds are 4 months old now.

Here are my concerns/questions:

• When I get this young bird, how much room does he need during his 4 week quarantine? I would have assumed he would need the 4/10 sf like all other chickens, but I’ve also read where some people keep them in crates, small pens, etc.
• If he purchased his 15 chicks from Meyer Hatchery and these chicks were placed in a brand new coop he built where there had never been any chickens, does my quarantine time still need to be a full 4 weeks?
• Which birds are in jeopardy of becoming sick: my existing flock, the BO cockerel, or all?

Common sense tells me he would still need the 4/10 sf a good distance away from my existing flock.

Just need some advice from those who’ve gone before me. Please and thank you very much!

 

[townchicks]

Well, my sense is that a lot of the space "requirement" is to help prevent conflict in a flock, so I think, with one bird, that at least the coop, if it's only for sleeping, wouldn't have to be that big. The run is about enrichment and exercise and fresh air and sunshine, as well as the above conflict prevention, so more is clearly better, but as it's only a temporary concern, I think, again, you can get by with less for one bird.
Yes, your quarantine should be the full 4 weeks, if this bird has been outside ever, or your friend has gone to a feed store, or someone else farm, etc.
Both the cockerel and your birds are probably equally at risk, yours because he could bring something in, him, because your flock may have been exposed to something that they cope with well, but that he has not developed a resistance to. One thing that comes to my mind, is coccidia, there are different strains, and each flock develops resistance to what they get exposed to. It would probably be a good idea to expose the cockerel to some of the run dirt, while he is still in quarantine, so he can get exposure. Getting a fecal from him checked is also good, or some people would just deworm with a broad spectrum dewormer, just in case.

 

[aart]

Common sense tells me he would still need the 4/10 sf a good distance away from my existing flock.

Maybe not 4/10 for one bird, but distance is important...down wind if possible.
It's not just about distance, but also how you move between the 2 groups.
Here's a great article on quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

 

[Mimi13]

Maybe not 4/10 for one bird, but distance is important...down wind if possible.
It's not just about distance, but also how you move between the 2 groups.
Here's a great article on quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

Dang it. I hadn’t even thought about it needing to be down wind. I’m gonna have to rethink this. Thank you for mentioning that.

 

[aart]

Dang it. I hadn’t even thought about it needing to be down wind. I’m gonna have to rethink this. Thank you for mentioning that.

Well, it doesn't have to be downwind, but certainly would be much better if it were.
Most backyarders don't have the space to do a full and true biological quarantine....
...or the awareness and skill to avoid cross contamination via clothing and equipment.
Did you read the article?

If this bird has resided with a friend that you've visited back and forth with,
quarantine may be moot as you maybe have already 'shared germs'.

Depends on your goals and tolerance for risk.
Why do you want this bird...other than to help out your friends by getting rid of a banned bird?

 

[Mimi13]

Why do you want this bird...other than to help out your friends by getting rid of a banned bird?

Ding ding ding! You hit the nail on the head. My DH works with him and kind of talked this up, not knowing what was involved and certainly not being the one to do the work. He loves our Buffs and I guess he was thinking we could breed our two hens to him. What my DH doesn’t know is our two BO hens put a whooping on our current cockerel when he tried to mate them. I’m just not so sure this is all worth it to me. No, really I am sure it’s not worth it.

 

[aart]

Ding ding ding! You hit the nail on the head. My DH works with him and kind of talked this up, not knowing what was involved and certainly not being the one to do the work. He loves our Buffs and I guess he was thinking we could breed our two hens to him. What my DH doesn’t know is our two BO hens put a whooping on our current cockerel when he tried to mate them. I’m just not so sure this is all worth it to me. No, really I am sure it’s not worth it.

Well, you could offer to teach them to slaughter

 

[Mimi13]

Well, you could offer to teach them to slaughter

That is an idea. And a good one. I believe I’ll suggest that tonight.

 

[aart]

That is an idea. And a good one. I believe I’ll suggest that tonight.

All chicken keepers need to have a plan(to say NO) for when the inevitable question comes...
....will you take my 'problem bird'?

 

[Mimi13]

All chicken keepers need to have a plan(to say NO) for when the inevitable question comes...
....will you take my 'problem bird'?

Very true.