Didn't quarantine, help!

Ladychicken · Post by **Ladychicken** » Mon Mar 21, 2016 11:55 pm

Colour me embarrassed, but I've been reading how to integrate a new chicken into the flock, and from what I've read I should be super worried that I failed to quarantine first. I was so caught up in getting through the pecking order phase that I didn't realize the importance of the quarantine process(didn't even know it was a thing to do). Needless to say, I'm petrified that I will lose my two other perfectly healthy birds, and these gals are like my cats. What should I do? Is it too late to start the quarantine? I've had my new gal for three days. She's skiddish but looks to be healthy...so far. Ugh. I'm really bummed out about this and can't sleep from scouring the Web for positive stories of when failing to quarantine didn't result in death. Sadly, I can't find any.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 1:46 am

I failed at quarantining my gander from my goose... they bonded. I then kinda did what your going through n freaked out a little. I locked up the gander. but within a day they both bullied me into letting him out. quarantine was over, no one died but i learned all about quarantine. yes its important but failing to do so isnt always going to be a death sentence. theres no point in doing it now. think positively... next time im sure you will quarantine...

stop worrying... get some sleep.

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 3:40 am

There's no point in separating them now, IF somebody is carrying something nasty, it's likely that the stress of the introduction period would cause it to be shed and infect other birds. NO, it's not automatically a death sentence, relax a little. Don't make problems appear before they actually happen lol! Just be prepared in case they do--watch them like a hawk over the next few weeks, and at the very first sign of illness, treat ALL agressively. In the meantime, add a vitamin/mineral premix to their water and make sure they get enough protein...it will help them weather the changes in their environment better. Chances are good they will all be OK, but if not, you will be prepared.
P.S. Many contagious chicken diseases are viruses and cannot be cured with antibiotics...BUT, many chicken viruses require a concurrent bacterial load to survive and reproduce, so, kill the bacteria, and the virus gets under control so the chicken's immune system can do the rest.

Post by **Killerbunny** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:23 am

Hoping you will be fine. I'm going to be controversial here. IF I know where my new birds are coming from (I rarely bring in new birds) I do an open quarantine. This means that the birds are exposed to each other but not integrated. My reasoning is that the more stressed bird, the introduced bird, is more likely to get sick from the new environment rather than the other way round. Exposing it gradually lets it get used to the new bugs. That said I've never brought an apparently sick or "off looking" bird home. Hope it works out for you and don't panic.

goatgal35 · Post by **goatgal35** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:31 am

I am a firm believer in quarantine, but I brought home 9 happy, healthy pullets last fall from a PTO member. I had a lovely quarantine pen set up, away from my other critters. When I went out the next day, the new girls had dug under the fence and were everywhere, mixed in with all my birds. I was lucky and no one had any problems, so relax a bit and good luck :)

SandyM · Post by **SandyM** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:49 am

goatgal35 wrote:QR_BBPOST I am a firm believer in quarantine, but I brought home 9 happy, healthy pullets last fall from a PTO member. I had a lovely quarantine pen set up, away from my other critters. When I went out the next day, the new girls had dug under the fence and were everywhere, mixed in with all my birds. I was lucky and no one had any problems, so relax a bit and good luck :)

Ya sorry about that ...forgot to mention they were a bit crazy and LOVED their freedom :) glad they're doing well!!!

SandyM · Post by **SandyM** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 7:55 am

I have brought home a bird that needed up in quarantine for 6 weeks but she went into quarantine because of where she came from. That was a close call and never will I do that again. She's doing wonderful was just a severe infestation of mites. SEVERE.

I have brought home birds from another PTO member and because of where they came from I popped then in quarantine for3 days and then flock integration started.

I've brought birds home from a well known breeder and the same day I start the flock integration. I am more than confident on the breeders birds, in fact I'd have to be more worried about what my birds would give them.

Depends on where I get them, in how they are handled here. But I'm pretty picky on the source alone.

Just watch them all. Good luck and I'm sure everyone screws up in this category and they'll be just fine.

Cheers

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:19 am

Even if you follow strict quarantine procedures you can still infect your flock, chickens that have recovered from respiratory diseases are generally not cured and may become carriers- or your healthy looking flock can infect the new bird. I have a policy of only hatchery day old chicks, and hatching eggs- no older birds- and even that isn't foolproof. A long time ago when I was brand new to chickens I brought home a very sick hen (felt sorry for it, ) and stuck it in with my flock. The bird died a few days later. Now I know better. My policy now is, stick with eggs and day olds to reduce the risk, maximize nutrition, minimize stress, and if there's signs of disease, that chicken is gone immediately- selecting for health and resistance are my goals. I don't see the point of keeping a known, potential carrier around in the flock to infect new chicks. If antibiotics or recovery meant the disease was cured, I'd have a different approach, of course. Sounds heartless but I think it's best for the future health of the flock- tough love. Hopefully everything will turn out OK. But do as Sandy says, check thoroughly for mites or lice.

Ladychicken · Post by **Ladychicken** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 2:01 pm

Thanks so much for the replies! I've calm down some, though I'm very leery about this new gal. She's polish, so I'm sure that's explains some of the sketchiness, but she sleeps on the grass instead of going into the coop like my other gals, and freaks the heck out when I go near her. Keep in mind that I'm used to hand raised chickens, and the polish was not. My cochin, whom is sweetheart to me, is a real butt head to her, so perhaps that's the other reason? Hoping the pecking order is done in a few days. As far as staying on top of diseases, they have electrolyte water, and I give them Activia yogurt once every few days. Do they need another form of vitamins? Should I worm all three just in case? Anything else I should do?

SandyM · Post by **SandyM** » Tue Mar 22, 2016 2:28 pm

She needs to be taught to return to the coop as its not her new home yet. She'll get there. She also will love you soon enough. They figure out quick enough who brings the treats and feed. Takes some a while to warm up to new surroundings and people.

I'll leave the professional advice on worming etc., up to others. Each individual has their own way and it does vary across the board.

If it was me (and it has been me) I would dust with DE regardless of mites visible or not. Actually I would probably be OCD over the DE dusting applications haha and do it every 3 or so days for a good 4 applications. Then leave them for a week and do it again. You can (and I do) add DE to their feed for a gentle wormer.
I add organic unpasteurized apple cider to their water almost always and they also get probiotics sprinkled on their feed or scrambled eggs once a week. Aren't you glad you asked? HAHA!

Keep us posted :)