Quarantine MISTAKE!!! Advice needed.

[Contolini6]

We just acquired two new birds yesterday. Being the silly novice chicken owners that we are, we were not at all prepared to quarantine them properly. Our current "flock" consists of one chicken and three ducks. (We had another chicken that died of illness unspecified last week.) When we got the new birds, we decided to keep our one chicken with the ducks for a while, and leave the original chicken coop and run to the new birds for the "quarantine period." But on reading some articles this morning, it appears that this isn't nearly enough. Both coops are within the same enclosed area, which is obviously a no-no. So my question is, what should we do at this point? We've already had problems with sick chickens which I am going to say is likely due to past mistakes and I really want to do this right this time. Is it worth going through all the work to set up a whole separate situation when the new birds have already been in the original coop for 12 hours (without the old one)? Has the damage been done and there's nothing we can do?? Should we settle for an imperfect quarantine where they are still sharing the same air, cross our fingers, and hope for the best? Please advise!!!!!!!!!

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

The rule if you are to quarantine birds in the same area, the rule is that there has to be at least 40 feet of length between the new bird(s) and the existing flock. Your best bet would to quarantine the new bird(s) inside. That insures there is no contact between the birds. I would say that it's not too late to fix this, but you need to act quick. I have an article on integration on my page, it wouldn't hurt to read it! Good luck and best wishes!!!

-Chatty

 

[Kiki]

Too late IMO to properly quarantine.
Cross you fingers is about all you can do.

Here is a good post about the big Q.
#4

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

For me, it's not worth possibly losing an entire flock because of a bad quarantine. I would go the extra mile for safety. If I hadn't quarantined my new bird properly, my entire flock would have coccidiosis right now. Proper quarantine is the best for you and your flock. Good luck!

 

[Contolini6]

Seeing as our entire "flock" consists of one bird and three ducks which I am going to count as a separate entity for the purposes of this post, I think we are going to attempt a very imperfect quarantine and cross our fingers. We fenced off an area of the run with a separate entrance, going to keep food and water separate, wash our hands between contact, etc, and we set up a sort of "demilitarized zone" between the separated areas. That is the best we can do I think since my mom refuses to keep chickens in the house or garage. It is definitely not 40' of separation and I realize it probably looks more like a joke than a legitimate quarantine to experienced chicken keepers, but honestly I don't think we have the rescues to do much more than that.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Hello Contolini6,

Contamination can go both ways...sometimes it's the old flock that infects the newbies.

Quarantine is suggested so that the newbies don't infect the old flock.

Microbes and parasite oocysts and ova, from the original flock are in the soil, the waterer and the feeder. If your new chickens have been eating, drinking and PECKING at the dirt, they already have been exposed to the biological entities of that habitat.

Because you had one chicken die of an un-diagnosed illness there is reason for concern.
Now, you will have to wait the 2 weeks to see if any of the newbies or the oldies get sick.

Keep them all healthy and strong with proper feeding and clean water (In clean waterers).
Let the new girls acclimated to their new surroundings, keep stress low. Establish trust with the newbies during the two weeks. Be vigilant for any sign of parasites or other illness in all of the poultry, old and new.

God Bless!

 

[Contolini6]

Yep, so the newbies have definitely been exposed to whatever dead chicken had. We cleaned the coop out really well, but you can't change the dirt they've been pecking on. Nothing we can do about it now, though. Crossing my fingers and saying a prayer. Thanks for the advice Hen Pen Jam!

 

[Mrs. Light Sussex]

It's too late for a proper quarantine. I would skip the partial quarantine that you set up, being as a) they where already exposed to each other b) a partial quarantine won't help prevent illness.
If it's any comfort, setting up a true quarantine is nearly impossible for all backyard flock owners.
I would recommend giving all your birds vitamins for 5-7 days to help them with the re-homing stress, and lessen the chance of being affected by any pathogens they may have been exposed to.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Yeah, don't worry too much. What's done is done. We all have to live and learn...try to enjoy your birds. Animals are beautiful, they do require some work and knowledge. Which by the way never ends. But, they are worth it. And the members here at BYC, will guide and advise you should you need it at any point.

Best regards.

 

[chickens really]

Without totally practicing Bio-Security with the Birds as most people do not...Quarintine is misinformed...
All Chickens carry disease and that's a given...Each flock carry something but are immune to their specific diseases unless stresses manifest it...You just lost a sick Bird so all Birds are susceptible to getting it as is the new one will spread anything the others do not already have....Stress brings out illness...