Should I Integrate or not? History of EYP

[Chickwhit]

Two years ago I decided I wanted to raise chickens. I had never been around livestock of any kind. So I thought it would be easiest to start with grown chickens. I got five along with the house and everything I needed to start from someone that wanted to travel. I was so very excited and still am. I got my chickens in May 2011 and in July I lost my first bird to EYP. Between July of 2011 and April 2013 I had no more problems with EYP. Then in March 2013 I lost another bird to EYP. I lost another one to it just a couple of days ago. With each bird we opened them up to see what we could learn. All three were the same. The birds did not die on their own. We decided to cull them because it just seemed we could not make a difference. They would start to act like they were getting better then they would be worse. I have only one regret about culling them and that is, that I should have done it sooner. I am learning. My question here is this. I have two grown birds left from the original flock. I also have six 8 week old ophingtons. The chicks are currently in their own area away from the grown birds. They are starting to out grow this area and will need to go to the big coop and run soon. Should I integrate them or not. The two birds that are left from the original flock of five are laying and appear to be healthy. Or should I just flip flop the living arrangement and put the two grown birds in the smaller coop and run and watch them for a few months to see what happens then integrate; or never integrate and keep them separate forever. I suspect my original five had issues when I got them but being so new I had no idea what I was getting or doing. This time around I'm looking for a better experience, one without so many issues (the constant caring and trying to figure out what is wrong). I think that the first bird that died from EYP also had, had a respiratory problem before I got them. So this may play into the decision as to integrate or not. Of course before moving the birds around I plan on throughly cleaning each area to help prevent any contamination from one set of birds to the other. Would love to hear others thought on this.

 

[cafarmgirl]

The EYP is not an issue with integrating, if your positive that's what it was. A possible respiratory disease is. However, unless you have maintained a very strict bio security system while caring for your two flocks, it is very, very easy to carry poultry viruses around the property to different coops. It is air born and can also travel on your shoes, hands, clothing, even your hair. So with that in mind I'm not sure I'd be very worried about the respiratory thing at this point. Kind of a "shut the barn door after the horse ran off" kind of situation, at least in my opinion.

If it was me, I'd integrate them. Just make sure you have a way to keep them apart while they get used to each other. The younger birds need to be a little bigger anyway before they go in with the older ones. Letting them get used to each other through a fence for a couple weeks will do a lot to ease the integration, for both you and them!

 

[Chickwhit]

@cafarmgirl: Thank you for your advise. I wasn't aware that I could travel on my shoes, clothes, hands, hair etc. The chicks are on the other side of the yard (good size yard) with their own coop and run. I guess, trying to keep them away from anything the other birds could of had was unsuccessful as I didn't change shoes, clothes, etc. Didn't even think of that. So when they get old enough I guess I will integrate them. I have a way to let them run next to each other for a couple of weeks before actually moving them in. When I do move them in I will do it at night. My guess is about 12 to 16 weeks is when they should be integrated. Thanks, again for your reply.