Chickens possibly arriving to neighbour, could I have a problem?

[.:Rusalka:.]

Our new neighbour made the house a hotel and now getting farm animals for the guests to watch and pet. He is planning on getting chickens, and have an enclosure built, but no coop yet, so I'm not sure he will really get them as it was planned for this march. We offered him chickens the last year, as I'm very scared he could bring mites or an illness with birds from who knows where. He didn't mention it again, but I would like to know if he would decide to get chickens from somewhere else would it be possible to infect my birds with anything? His run is about 10m far from our animals, no obstacles in the way.
I'm worried because a friend got cheated already and bought birds with mites he still couldn't get rid of, and I very much woundn't want that.

 

[DobieLover]

Our new neighbour made the house a hotel and now getting farm animals for the guests to watch and pet. He is planning on getting chickens, and have an enclosure built, but no coop yet, so I'm not sure he will really get them as it was planned for this march. We offered him chickens the last year, as I'm very scared he could bring mites or an illness with birds from who knows where. He didn't mention it again, but I would like to know if he would decide to get chickens from somewhere else would it be possible to infect my birds with anything? His run is about 10m far from our animals, no obstacles in the way.
I'm worried because a friend got cheated already and bought birds with mites he still couldn't get rid of, and I very much woundn't want that.

If the flocks do not co-mingle transmitting mites between them is difficult. You could always spray Permethrin on the ground between his enclosure and yours.
Airborne disease are a different matter entirely. You are not far enough away to avoid your flock possibly being infected by a respiratory disease from his flock. Or his from yours.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I agree that he is too far from you to get mites.
I would think he would want to get chicks instead of chickens because everyone loves baby animals, it would be a larger attraction. Maybe this could be slyly mentioned if he brings it up or ask if he has decided on chickens or if he has chicks in a brooder yet.

 

[chicken1234]

I guess feathers could possibly blow that far in the wind to bring mites but you could drive yourself crazy with worrying about it. Do you have a fence between your property? You could plant a row of cedar trees or put up some type of fence?

 

[Ridgerunner]

would it be possible to infect my birds with anything? His run is about 10m far from our animals, no obstacles in the way.

Some diseases and parasites are spread by direct contact. Some are spread by vectors like mosquitoes, birds, grasshoppers, grubs, and others. A few can be spread by the wind. People walking from one area to another can spread some things, especially on their shoes. The more separation you have the better, but even if they were 100 or 1000 meters away instead of 10 meters certain things are possible.

How likely is it that his chickens will infect yours with something? There is no way to know. His birds have to be infected to start with, not all birds are. It's also possible your flock will infect his. Flocks can develop flock immunities where they are infected by something but are immune to it. No matter how long you quarantine them they will not show any symptoms, but those chickens can infect other chickens. Coccidiosis is a good example but there are others.

As long as your village has no rules about it I don't see that you can do anything other than be vigilant, which you should be anyway. Infections and parasites can come from a long way away, including other flocks in your village.

Good luck!

 

[.:Rusalka:.]

I agree that he is too far from you to get mites.
I would think he would want to get chicks instead of chickens because everyone loves baby animals, it would be a larger attraction. Maybe this could be slyly mentioned if he brings it up or ask if he has decided on chickens or if he has chicks in a brooder yet.

I'm sure he will not want chicks, he want them for children collecting eggs of hens. Also I have 55 chicks right now, that will be visible to him in a week, hoping he might talk about it, but I will bring up the question maybe if I meet him not in a hurry, usually he is.

 

[.:Rusalka:.]

I guess feathers could possibly blow that far in the wind to bring mites but you could drive yourself crazy with worrying about it. Do you have a fence between your property? You could plant a row of cedar trees or put up some type of fence?

We have a fence, chicken wire on the lower part. We have some pines there, but the branches are higher up, and they are some meters inside the territory where my animals are free ranging.

 

[.:Rusalka:.]

Some diseases and parasites are spread by direct contact. Some are spread by vectors like mosquitoes, birds, grasshoppers, grubs, and others. A few can be spread by the wind. People walking from one area to another can spread some things, especially on their shoes. The more separation you have the better, but even if they were 100 or 1000 meters away instead of 10 meters certain things are possible.

How likely is it that his chickens will infect yours with something? There is no way to know. His birds have to be infected to start with, not all birds are. It's also possible your flock will infect his. Flocks can develop flock immunities where they are infected by something but are immune to it. No matter how long you quarantine them they will not show any symptoms, but those chickens can infect other chickens. Coccidiosis is a good example but there are others.

As long as your village has no rules about it I don't see that you can do anything other than be vigilant, which you should be anyway. Infections and parasites can come from a long way away, including other flocks in your village.

Good luck!

Thank you very much, it was very informative. We did have mycoplasma affecting two hens and two roosters of the 30 some years ago, maybe they are immune to that, but never had the chicks catching it ever. (I hatch a big amount one or two times in a year and integrate)
We have other chicken keepers, the neighbour in front is the closest now.
I think it's just my overworrying of things mostly. We have a friend here who gets chickens every now and then and integrate immediately with no problems.
Of course it will not bother me if he get chickens, but I would be more calm if they were of mine. I think what mostly make me scared is the mite problem of our friend, that gave the bad example.

 

[.:Rusalka:.]

An update. We met today and he brought up the chickens in the conversation, luckily he wil get them of mine, so I don't have to be worried now. Or him, but I think mine couldn't pass anything on his, as my chicks never got anything from the bigs when met, I don't know. I don't know if he wants chicks or pullets soon laying, or hens, with or without a rooster, but I will have everything to choose from, and soon he will build his coop. Of course I will give them to him as a gift, that 4-5 very much worth the safety of the 100.

 

[CluckerFamily]

An update. We met today and he brought up the chickens in the conversation, luckily he wil get them of mine, so I don't have to be worried now. Or him, but I think mine couldn't pass anything on his, as my chicks never got anything from the bigs when met, I don't know. I don't know if he wants chicks or pullets soon laying, or hens, with or without a rooster, but I will have everything to choose from, and soon he will build his coop. Of course I will give them to him as a gift, that 4-5 very much worth the safety of the 100.

This is very nice!!