When you quarantine a new bird, what exactly are you looking for?

[happymom99]

I am getting my first chickens soon. 5 are pullets that I am buying from someone. I am also going to be adopting a laying chicken from someone else. I know that I need to keep the laying chicken separate from the others in quarantine. While I am doing this, what exactly should I be looking for? I've never had chickens before and I'm worried that in my inexperience something could be wrong and I wouldn't even know.

Also, does anyone have any suggestions about how/where to keep the single bird separate? We will just have the one little coop for my small flock. I don't know where I am going to keep this single bird and I don't want to spend money on a separate habitat for the single bird.

Thank you for any suggestions.

CJ

 

[TheReidHomestead]

If you have a large dog crate, that works well for quarantine. Make sure it is big enough for the bird to be able to get up and walk around. You should be watching for signs of illness in both your new flock and the single bird. Signs to look for are wheezing, runny eyes or nostrils, sneezing, excessive head shaking. The birds should be up and around, doing their chicken thing during the day. Any bird that is puffed up, eyes closed, still, "napping", is not a good sign.

 

[schellie69]

You are watching for runny eyes, sneezing, coughing,
You could use a dog carrier with a small fenced area for the one hen.

 

[dawg53]

In addition to what the others have stated...visually inspect them for lice/mites. Ask the previous owner(s) if they were wormed and had any respiratory issues. Dont be afraid to ask questions with the previous owner(s)....

 

[Funky Feathers]

I also check them over thoroughly for: lice/mites, ear infections, blocked nasal passages. worms, overall condition, muscle mass, toenails too long, lethargy, leg problems, scaly leg mites, foot problems, defects, injuries, and temperament. And I give them treats, vitamins, electrolytes and a good bath in flea shampoo.

 

[happymom99]

Thanks for the tips. To be quite honest, this is kind of freaking me out and I am wondering if I should maybe just pass on this chicken since I don't know what I am doing.

I saw, from a link on this forum, how to check for mites but I don't know how to check for lice. What do they look like?

I can't ask a whole lot of questions because I am receiving this chicken as a product of a divorce. The person who cared for the chicken is gone.

From what I've been told by my friend, who lives in the neighborhood where the chicken lives, but doesn't know the owners, the chicken looks like she has been cared for well and is in clean and healthy surroundings.

Should I just pass on this chicken? Now that I know about her, I feel bad about her and would just like to take her and give her a good home since I am getting chickens anyway. I just don't know at all what to look for as far as illness, pests and the such.


Thank you for any suggestions.

CJ

 

[happymom99]

Quote:
Oh my gosh.... what do lice look like? What about blocked nasal passaged? How can you tell if they are blocked? Are leg mites (which I've seen a picture of) different than any other type of mites? Are there different mites?

I was just going to worm her, and the other 5 pullets I am getting, prophelactically anyway.

I have a friend, who has chickens and happens to live in the neighborhood where this chicken lives. She went over to check on its environment and said she looks healthy to her. How closely she checked her, I don't know....

Oh my goodness, I really would like to adopt this chicken who needs a home but maybe I am not experienced enough with chickens to do so. I don't know anything about any of these illnesses. I am buying my five other pullets and I certainly don't want them to get sick or to have to deal with any chicken drama.

Any more suggestions or thoughts greatly appreciated.

CJ

 

[satay]

Just keep the chicken seperate and you will be fine. LIce you will see all over the bird if you look. Sort of like fleas on a dog.

 

[schellie69]

Quote:
Oh my gosh.... what do lice look like? What about blocked nasal passaged? How can you tell if they are blocked? Are leg mites (which I've seen a picture of) different than any other type of mites? Are there different mites?

I was just going to worm her, and the other 5 pullets I am getting, prophelactically anyway.

I have a friend, who has chickens and happens to live in the neighborhood where this chicken lives. She went over to check on its environment and said she looks healthy to her. How closely she checked her, I don't know....

Oh my goodness, I really would like to adopt this chicken who needs a home but maybe I am not experienced enough with chickens to do so. I don't know anything about any of these illnesses. I am buying my five other pullets and I certainly don't want them to get sick or to have to deal with any chicken drama.

Any more suggestions or thoughts greatly appreciated.

CJ

Most things that you would see you would know something is wrong. I would take her just make sure to take care of your chickens first then her. Scaly leg mites you would know if you saw it, lice mites are like looking for flees on a dog. Respiratory problems would show like a cold with a human. I think you can do this. I got to starter pullets from a farmer I wormed them just before they started to lay just so they were on the same worming schedule as my girls. I think everything should be fine. Good luck.

 

[happymom99]

Quote:
How do you give them the vitamins and electrolytes, and especially...

How on earth do you bathe a chicken????? I would have never thought to do this. How do you do it and do they like it?

Thanks,
CJ