Quarantine

[Katcetera]

How long do you quarantine new adult birds? I got a couple from a farm not far from me. Some articles say to quarantine 2 weeks, others up to 3 months. I can't find a consistent answer. The new birds seem very healthy. Parasite free, eating and laying no problem. It was a very smooth move. Just curious how long you guys wait to let the new birds get aquainted? I'm well informed about disease etc....

 

[shmccarthy]

I read a thread on here, although I can't find it now, and it said minimum 30 days, complete quarantine. He said that some diseases/illnesses can take longer to surface and 30 days is a good number to keep watch. After the 30 days is up he suggested a week or two, separated but in sight. I found that it has worked for any chickens that I have gotten from other people/hatcheries. I will fish around for the thread and see if I can pull it up for you!

 

[shmccarthy]

Hope this helps!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[Katcetera]

Thank you. That's very helpful.

 

[Mrs. K]

Quarantine depends on how much space you have, and how many chickens you have, and the value of those chickens.
Many people pretend to quarantine and get lucky. You need to have several hundred feet in between your chickens, they cannot breath the same air. And the people caring for both flocks should change shoes between caring for each flock. It is not easy to quarantine properly.

I look carefully at the birds I am getting, and yes there are diseases that you can't visualize, but generally a sick bird looks sick. If they are healthy, you got them privately so they were not exposed to strange chickens as in an auction, or a bird show. I would not quarantine.

you are risking bringing in a disease, but unless you have lots of birds, or very valuable birds, and in either case, I would not add birds to my flock. But if you just have a small at home flock, it is not that big of deal.

Mrs K

 

[Katcetera]

I have 4 hens i've had for 2-4 yrs, plus the 2 new ones. The two new ones were hatched by my friend down the road. She's never had a problem with any kind of sickness or disease in her chickens before. I'm almost at 4 weeks of quarantine, so I might as well keep going since I am most at 30 days as it is. None of them are "valuable" money wise. Pretty much all mixed breeds. They definitely are great pets though.