Solitary chicken - need advice

[Angels4]

On 6 December I will be picking up 3 new Buff Orpington layers It has been suggested to me that I quarantine my original 3 from the new 3 (no contact what-so-ever, not even eye contact) for at least one month so there is no cross contamination and to check and make sure that the new girls don't have any illness that will infect my original girls therfore potentionally losing my entire flock to illness. After this one month isolation I would then be able to slowly allow the girls to see/hear each other for an additional two week time frame.

 

I plan on checking the new girls over throughly checking the vent, eyes and nose for any discharge, checking the legs for scaly leg mite and the feathers for any lice or mites and the combs and wattles for any signs of pox. Of couse the new girls will as a preventative measure be throughly dusted for lice and mites as a matter of course.

 

My original plan was to keep the ladies seperated for at least 2 weeks but in the same WIR (which I'm building this week) my original flock on one side in their Cube and the new girls on their own side in a small wooden dog house outfitted with a nest box and roost, as sadly I sold my original Eglu when I recieved my Cube. I expect there will be some posturing through the seperation while the girls are in seperate "camps" but they will be able to see/hear each other until I feel it is safe to slowly intergrate the two flocks together.

 

What are your thoughts? Has anybody ever had any issues with illness when introducing layers to an existing flock?

[Plum]

Exciting getting some new chickens I put my two new girls in a run next to the cube which was a mistake because they all got snuffles Didn't last long but guess it was the stress and didn't need antibiotics. Another time I would keep a bigger distance for a week.

 

After that I did as you will and divided the cube run with the new ones little wooden house in one half of the run. It took about 4 weeks before I let them sleep together and 5 before I took the divider down.

 

I think you are sensible to take as long as you need and give them a bit of time apart but at first let them see each other just at least sneezing distance apart.

[Space Chick]

There is always a risk Mark, however, when I have introduced girls I have had them in a segregated area of the WIR, so all girls can see each other from Day 1. Touch wood, I have not had problems, in fact it has helped me to gain full integration much quicker.

 

I have done 3 sets of intros, and each time the set of intros took between 3-4 weeks to get full integration.

 

In saying that, I always check my girls over before adding them into the segregated area of the WIR as you are planning.

 

How exciting on getting your new girls It goes without saying that we need photos as soon as they arrive

[BeckyBoo]

Buff Orpingtons......LOVELY!! It seems a bit extreme not to even let them see each other? Is there a reason why there should be such concern over illness? I've done a few introductions and yes, I take it easy, about a month or a little longer, but in fact I do the opposite, I make SURE they can see each other from the minute they arrive. Then I let the old girls free range around the Eglu that has the new girls in - they're only separated by the wire of the Eglu run. Personally I think the longer they can see and hear each other the easier it will be for them to get used to each other. Hope it goes well, they do posture and there will be a bit of pecking but they have to do that to work out who goes where (my one and only Buff Orpington was SOOOOO laid back she was right at the bottom of the pecking order even thought she was by far the biggest! )

 

Look forward to some pictures of fluffy bottoms!

 

BeckyBoo

[Egluntyne]

I think it a wise precaution, Mark.

 

I always quarrantine new chickens, as it can be devastating if they bring disease to your healthy flock.

 

I do have them where they can be seen and heard, but not accessed.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Can't add to the advice .... just wanted to say congratulations .

[Jools]

The advice I was given was to quarantine them as far from each other as you can for at least two weeks. That gives time for anything like Mycoplasma to surface, which is fairly likely as it's induced by stress and not much stresses a chicken more than a change of circumstances. Assuming there are no symptoms after two weeks, then to move them within sight and sound and take as long as needed for the introductions.

 

Oh ............ and enjoy!

[chelsea]

 

I do have them where they can be seen and heard, but not accessed.

 

 

I do the same, we've had no problem with new birds bringing in illness either.

 

The longer you can stretch the seperate flocks the better, slow and patience is the key.

[sjp]

I kept my 3 youngsters in they'er own coop and run for 2 weeks but let the big girls FR around them then let them all FR togther after the 2 weeks mainly because it's not practical to keep them totaly sepurate in my garden it's just not big enough it musy have been nearly 3 months before they got to share one run then another month before they all went in together full time

I also did the original girls feeding and cleaning first

[Angels4]

Thanks all, I knew I could count on your wisdom. Becky I think the "No see no hear" (sounds alot like my governments "Don't ask, Don't tell" theory regarding our military) is not to cause any undo stress on each set of girls. Unlike you my experience with my existing BO is that she can be quite a bully and as top chook she gets her point across to her flat mates. Like Jools mentioned nothing stresses a hen out more than a change of circumstances and as my girls are used to the flora and ground here on the island, and the new girls are used to the flora and grounds in New Hampshire the risk of their immune system being weakend is a possible threat. I did however think it all seemed a bit extreme.

 

I think like Egluntyne says I will isolate for a month but let the girls see and hear each other so they can become used to each other. I'll set up a nice barrier to keep my original flock a good distance away and then that way I can allow both sets out for a bit of free range time.

 

Thanks again...the countdown begins. Now to think of some names. And of course as always lots of pictures will be posted.

[Jools]

I think the "No see no hear" (sounds alot like my governments "Don't ask, Don't tell" theory regarding our military) is not to cause any undo stress on each set of girls.

 

No, it's about not allowing any infection to spread, airbourne or otherwise. I've introduced new stock five times and three of those have gone without a hitch. I was very glad with the other two times that my newbies were nowhere near my exisiting flock because they came down with Myco and needed antibiotics to clear it.

 

Introductions are different. That takes as long as it takes and you can't really pre-judge how long you'll need.

 

Hope all goes well.