Rooster quarantine Q

[dadof4]

I'm wanting to add a roo to my existing flock. The roo is clean and I was wondering how long I should wait. I know what folks say about waitind a month or two weeks, but what am I looking for? Would I really see anything in that amount of time? Other than having worms, parasites, etc, wouldn't an adult be less likely to be carring something that would affect other adults?

 

[speckledhen]

A month, minimum, better six weeks is what I recommend. A perfectly healthy looking bird can be a carrier of one of the herpes-type viruses that chickens are susceptible to. Even a month's quarantine is not a guarantee you will root out whatever disease he may have. There are numerous threads on birds being carriers if you do a search. Infectious Coryza, Infectious Laryngotracheitis, Chronic Respiratory Disease (Mycoplasmosis), etc, are diseaes you should read up on.
You should look down his throat for canker, listen to his breathing, dust for pests, treat for worms, etc. And all this time, use no medications or they may mask symptoms you DO want to surface if disease is present.

wouldn't an adult be less likely to be carring something that would affect other adults?

No, that is not a true statement. I'd say adults are MORE likely than chicks, but actually, it's probably an even risk.​

 

[patandchickens]

There are not all that many things that can be passed thru the egg, so there are a lot less things that can be carried by a day-old chick from sanitary conditions in a healthy flock as opposed to being carried by an adult.

I'm not sure what search term would find it best, but there are a BUNCH of sad threads on here where people got a new bird (hardly ever day-olds) and didn't effectively quarantine, and it turned out to be carrying something that sickened or even wiped out their whole flock.

Pat

 

[speckledhen]

Look up gumpsgirl's horrible experience bringing home a days old chick that had Coryza. Pat is correct -- more diseases are passed "horizontally" than "vertically", i.e., through the egg, so really, you do have more of a chance in having an adult bird pass something to another adult bird or to a chick it's been in contact with. It's downright scary how many people have brought disease into their flock, even buying birds at shows.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I can't agree more, I have known breeders to loose years of breeding by adding "new blood". Some will say you don't need to quarentine but to me that is very foolish.

We take the process one step further, before a new bird goes in with the rest of the flock we put a "sacrificial" bird in with the newcomer. If there is something being carried by one or the other it should show.

Steve in NC

 

[dadof4]

Thanks. Will do.

 

[dadof4]

What do you suggest as a wormer or preventative.

 

[speckledhen]

Invermectin or Ivomec Eprinex or Safeguard (fenbendazole) would do fine.

 

[dadof4]

So the guy at the feed store gave me some feed that he said had ivermectin in. I'd never seen it before, but then again I have never looked. He said to give them some and then somemore in five days. I have checked them over physically(Bugs, mites, sores etc) and plan to Q them for a month. Is there really anything else that I can do or look for? Thanks again ya'll for the advice.


My boy turned five today-happy birthday Noah!

 

[speckledhen]

I dont think I have heard of feed with invermectin in it. Is that ingredient on the label? Hmm.

I would listen for breathing difficulties, look for discharges from eyes and nares (nostrils), check the legs for raised scales (scaly leg mites), bottom of feet for swelling/black scab which may be bumblefoot, etc.