Quarantine for new birds

[sadies chicks]

What is the typical quarantine time for introducing new birds to your flock? I have 3 new partiridge silkie hens, they are about a year old and look great. They were picked on from being in a place with too many chickens so they don't have all of their feathers, but other than that no bugs, no runny noses, etc.

 

[Squishypuff]

30 days for me.

 

[sadies chicks]

Yep, I am in agreement. I was reading a few older posts and that is what they are all saying. Thanks!!

 

[Mattemma]

Atleast 3 weeks,but 4 weeks is the best. I added a roo early and he has been healthy,but 2 hens became sick 2 weeks later.Also noticed chicken lice,and wonder if the roo brought that as well.Seperation is hard,but better than dealing with the illnesses.

 

[bburn]

I always make sure to quarantine....it is a fight everytime with my DH of the 'they are just chickens group'. But I do it anyway.

One of the reasons I have read on here was that you can have things in YOUR soil that will make the new ones sick. Give them the time they need...30 days at least and watch them close. Especially if they came from crowded conditions.

Keep your flock safe and keep your new ones safe also.

 

[teach1rusl]

I've always heard 30 days. I've only ever done 2 weeks though...

Of the three birds I added to my flock, one was from a friend whom I felt very confident about, and two were from BYCers who cared very well for their birds..which is probably why I risked it.

 

[Avalon1984]

30 days is a good time. I just bought chicks that ‘’looked good” but I isolated them anyways. Sure enough they started dropping like flies and I lost half of them already in one week. Thankfully I think my medicated chick starter is kicking in and we haven’t lost any in 2 days. I will keep those isolated for a long time. Just think of had sad you would be if you lost your entire flock to a disease? I have had the same problems with new birds bringing mites as well. No more buying other people’s birds for me. I will incubate my own eggs now but I understand there are even diseases that can be transmitted through the egg as well.

 

[sadies chicks]

yeah, I am too nervous and paranoid about my original flock getting sick. I have the newbies in our greenroom in a large dog crate (they are silkie hens so they fit with room they are so small!!) and they will stay there for 30 days. I looked them over pretty good last night and did find ONE bug on one of the girls, not sure what it was. My DH and I got out the DE and dusted the crap out of them and the crate.

thanks everyone!!