Urgent Reminder-PLEASE Quarantine Newly Acquired Birds!

[speckledhen]

MotherJean, this thread is stickied under Helpful References and Links at the top of the Emergencies section. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=112920

Someone must click on that and there is a Quarantine New Birds link on the list that leads to this thread. The problem is that many just don't read the stickies.

With this subject, it's quite often a case of closing the barn door after the horse has escaped.

 

[ranchhand]

Having felt the need to post a link to this thread twice this morning it seems like a good time to reiterate it.

Don't just toss a new bird in with your flock!

 

[ranchhand]

Sigh...... please read this folks!

 

[speckledhen]

Sally, I appreciate you keeping this thread alive. It's awful, some of the heartache we've seen here on BYC after folks get birds from some flea market or off Craigslist or just from someone who doesn't care for their birds as well as they should.

 

[stampntam]

yes, thank you, for without this website I would have been lost on what to do!!!!

 

[sarahm]

We have a small backyard (urban) flock of just 3 chickens, all about 10 months old now. They free range in our 1/4 acre fenced back yard. I am considering getting one more from a fellow local backyard chicken mama. I want to make sure my girls are safe, but have no practical way to quarantine the new bird--can't practically segregate part of the yard and don't have a second coop. Plus, wouldn't she be miserable by herself? Is there a reasonably safe alternative to quarantine? We have a local vet who sees chickens and could do whatever testing is available. Would be very grateful for any ideas!

 

[atimme]

Quote:
THANK YOU! Always quarantine people! I'm coaching someone through a bad craigslist purchase who now had to get rid of all of her birds. it's a heartbreak that can be easily prevented!!!!!

 

[speckledhen]

Is there a reasonably safe alternative to quarantine? We have a local vet who sees chickens and could do whatever testing is available.

Not really. Testing for every disease that can make a bird a carrier would be pretty cost prohibitive, I'd think. And I'm not even sure there are tests for all of them. Personally, I just wouldn't get a bird without a place to quarantine. My only adult bird I ever brought here was quarantined for five weeks in a dog crate in the bsmt bathroom, with breaks out on the deck in another dog kennel, but never where my girls would get close to him. He seemed fine the entire time, maybe partly because living in a dog crate was preferable to living in his previous conditions.​

 

[Chickenaddict]

Last winter I rescued a frizzled hen from downright horrible living conditions. I ended up bringing home a total of 6 birds. Because the frizzle was in such bad shape feet wise I seperated her right away so I could begin working on her feet and legs while the other 5 spent the next 4 weeks in a big dog kennel inside the house and far away from my other birds. The 5 in the dog kennel had CRD and were culled as soon as it was confirmed. There is NO WAY I wouldn't quarentine a new bird. My situation could have been sooo much worse had I not kept to my strict quarentine rules here. WHen I go to swaps or anywhere there are gonna be poultry I wear a special pair of shoes. When I get home I bleach the heck out of those shoes, change clothes and take a shower before even thinking about visiting my own flock. You can never be tooo careful

 

[TyrannosaurusChix]

I learned the hard way, and luckily only have to deal with scaley leg, lice and bumblefoot

i said .. ONLY

i am impatient by nature, and i have to keep reminding myself, and i have to learn to stop trying to rescue animals.. i end up in a worse situation so far with taking in birds. But i have been strict lately with paring down what i was my personal flock to be.. i feel saddened that my yard is looking barren to me.. but i have to be patient for my little ones to grow up. HEALTHY, i might add and introduce them into the main parts.


If i cant get things sorted out fully by then i think i might have to make hard decisions.. but i dont see why lice and scaley leg cant be resolved fully soon.