Quarantine question

[Maddly]

[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.670588)]Hi,[/COLOR]
[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.670588)]I have a very small flock of four sweet chickens that are only 12-weeks old, but two of them recently started crowing and had to be re-homed. We would like to rebuild our little flock with at least two new hens. I know the new birds will need to be quarantined when they arrive to make sure they don't bring any diseases into my flock, but I was wondering if the quarantine can be shortened if the new birds come from the same breeder as my current birds? I purchased them from a local breeder and had the chance to check out his facilities - the coops were very clean and the birds are clearly well-cared for. Has anyone had any experience with this kind of situation?[/COLOR]

[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.670588)]Thanks so much,[/COLOR]
[COLOR=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.670588)]Madeleine [/COLOR]

 

[Mrs. K]

Quarantine is for people who have huge flocks where as a disease would be a huge financial loss. Or it is for people who would grieve terrible to loose their flock.

I belong to another forum, and they make my blood run cold, as they get birds at swaps, auctions and off craigslist. They take their birds to shows, and put them next to other strange birds. Change does stress birds, being in a strange barn, with strange animals all around would be HIGHLY stressfull, and frankly a disease could easily get started. I would not get birds in this situation, or I would not get birds, if the person I was dealing with did this.

However, if you have a local private breeder, whom you have gotten birds before from, so technically anything those birds have been exposed to, is what your birds come from, as long as she has not added birds, I would not bother quarantining at all, I would just add them. Generally speaking, but not always, healthy birds look healthy, do not get anything you feel sorry for.

Their is a real risk when you add birds. You could loose them, but I don't see it as a big risk in what you have described.

The problem with quarantine is you either do it, or you pretend to do it, you can't cheat. Most backyards are not set up for the 300 feet between birds, the complete change of clothes, the cannary bird, so they pretend and get lucky.

Mrs K

 

[Maddly]

Thanks for the advice Mrs K! I work as a microbiologist in a TB lab, so I have lots of practice quarantining and containing diseases, but our quarantine area is much smaller than the actual coop and run and I would rather not keep my new chickens in such a small space if I don't have to.

 

[Mrs. K]

Well, it is a calculated risk, but not a real big risk. As a microbiologist, you understand how germs can spread.

A lot of people think keeping birds separate is quarantine, and it is not.