How long to isolate?

[Nicole B]

I posted about my new girls that I just got but have a question, well a couple actually.
I know I should isolate them from the flock. And I have them in a separate cage with a separate enclosure but my flock free ranges and can and has been checking them out.
How long do you usually keep them apart? And should I keep the flock away? How far?
I just recently got a second coop but before I had no other place to put them so when introducing others, after a couple of days in a cage away from the flock I have been putting the new birds inside the coop in their own cage and slowly introducing them. I have had no issues so far but assume I have been lucky.
The new coop needs a few finishing touches like roosts and insulation and separation in the nest boxes. My old coop is well insulated and has good ventilation and I am thinking it will be better for the flock to all be in the main coop for the winter all together.
If I get the new girls to get used to the new coop while in isolation how do I get them to accept the new coop as their winter home?

[ross]

I quarantine all birds 30 days . No where near one another .

[Nicole B]

I quarantine all birds 30 days . No where near one another .

Do you have lots of space? Large barn?
I have them in the new coop at night but put them in a small covered pen outside today. But the old girls keep going over to it to check them out. Would I need to build a pen around the pen to keep the old gang from getting near them? How big does that second pen need to be if outside?

[ross]

Fairly large barn . The pigeons I brought home today will be 20’ away from any birds upstairs in barn. All birds carry something & stress can bring it out . No fault of previous owner but also my own birds could have something that new birds have never been exposed to . . In warm weather I have a open pen 100’ away .

[kenya]

Agree with what Ross says!

[ross]

PS forgot ,halfway thru quarantine if no sickness showing I will put 1or2 of my own birds in with or within touching / water sharing to see if anybody picks something up . Better to loose a couple than your whole flock

[Nicole B]

Ok. Good advice. Thanks