Quarantine Question

[kborges]

Hi Everyone,

I started with a flock of 10 about 6 weeks ago. My first chickens!

However, they were/are straight run and I ended up with 7 roosters

I am headed back to the breeder on Monday. I am going to give him back 2 of the roosters (he said he'd only take back the Barnevelders). I will have to find homes for the other 5.

My question is: I am going to get older birds this time. They will be the same age as my current flock (about 6 weeks). Since they are coming from the same breeder, should I or do I need to quarantine them?

Also, what is the best way to integrate them into the current situation? I have a brooder in the coop so I"m thinking the new girls can go in the brooder (seperated by chicken wire) for a few days so they can see each other but not hurt each other.

I'd appreciate any advice...

Karen

 

[Wallygator]

I had the same problem but I don't know about quarantining I'm not an expert.. But I was told to let them free range together and it worked lol

 

[lizm1221]

I am def not an expert but we recently decided to add one new 2 month old chick to our existing flock of four 3 month old chicks. i figured with them being fairly close in size and the older girls not being full grown it might not be too bad. it's been almost a week. our run is set up so the girls can get underneath our coop, so we decided that was the easiest way to partition off the run, we put wire over the opening and let the new little one just be under there. they could all see each other. we would let them all socialize together for a couple hours a day without the wire (or sometimes just "locking up" the leader who instigates most of the problems). the older ones mostly just chase her off, occasionally pecking at her. at night they allow her to roost with them inside the coop though. we have been leaving the pop door open all night so she can get out if she needs to (our run is secure). she is trying more and more to be with the big girls and they are letting her closer and closer each day. I think I may just take down the partition wire all together today

 

[kborges]

Thank you for sharing your story. I appreciate the advice.

karen

 

[Mrs. K]

The above posts are not about quarantine, they are are about introduction strategies.

Introduction strategies is so that new chickens and original flock get used to each other, but are prevented from killing each other.

Quarantine is about keeping a disease, or parasite, out of your flock. If the chickens are breathing the same air, they are not in quarantine. Most backyard set ups do not have the situation to quarantine, where the birds are kept a great distance apart. where the people handling them, change their footwear, and wash their hands before handling the second flock.

Anytime you add birds to your flock you change the dynamics of the flock, it adds stress to the flock, and there is the chance of disease, and bugs being added.

Socially, adding single birds is the worst introduction. Birds need to be very close to the same size as the current flock. Adding part of an established flock is best, and if you add about the same number of birds or slightly more birds than your current flock, that helps too. Adding them after dark, often helps. The advice of having lots of hideouts is very good. An open run with nothing in it run, can be a death trap for a new bird. There is no place to get away from the rest.

Adding birds is a risk. If your flock is very valuable, or if you would be devastated by the loss of part or all of your flock, you need to quarantine or not add new birds. If you know and can see the set up of the flock you are buying, then the risk is worth it to me, and you probably will get by ok, but it is still a risk. And many people have taken it, some with disasters, and some with no problems.
MrsK