# Question about quarantine



## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

Here is something I have wondered about, If you order chicks from the same local breeder you order your original flock from do you still need to quarantine prior to integration? I plan on having 8 hens total however she may not have all the breeds I want at the same time so I may get 2 or 3 a few weeks later. I know I will still need to integrate slowly, just didn't know if it was entirely necessary to quarantine for say a month or so.


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## rosco47 (Jul 6, 2015)

others will be able to steer you better on this but it is something I am currently doing.
it is best just to gauge it yourself. there are so many variables. how established/old is your current flock? breeds? chickens personalities, size of coop/run, amount of free range, etc etc.........
trial and error works everytime!


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

rosco47 said:


> others will be able to steer you better on this but it is something I am currently doing.
> it is best just to gauge it yourself. there are so many variables. how established/old is your current flock? breeds? chickens personalities, size of coop/run, amount of free range, etc etc.........
> trial and error works everytime!


I get the first five on September 18th, from what the breeder said, it will be just a couple of weeks later when the other 3 will be ready. I will get them all between 5-7 weeks of age.


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## rosco47 (Jul 6, 2015)

again trial and error.
it may be easier to observe them then figure out who the bully/bullies are, then separate them frm the flock. although this might allow a new "queen bee" to arise lol you never know


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The reason for quarantine is disease and protecting the existing flock. There are diseases that poultry can have that is hidden until they are put under stress, Moving the to a new home usually causes these issues to surface.

But if I remember right, you don't have any yet, right? Being as you're getting them so close together I don't think there is much to worry about.

I shouldn't tell you this but I will anyway. A friend and I swapped birds back and forth for years. Never quarantined each others birds. Anyone else the birds were always put in to quarantine for several weeks.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

robin416 said:


> The reason for quarantine is disease and protecting the existing flock. There are diseases that poultry can have that is hidden until they are put under stress, Moving the to a new home usually causes these issues to surface.
> 
> But if I remember right, you don't have any yet, right? Being as you're getting them so close together I don't think there is much to worry about.
> 
> I shouldn't tell you this but I will anyway. A friend and I swapped birds back and forth for years. Never quarantined each others birds. Anyone else the birds were always put in to quarantine for several weeks.


I won't tell on you lol! I figured strict quarantining would not be necessary,in this case, as they will be all from the same source and not too long apart. I will try to integrate them gradually til they get used to one another. I am quickly learning that this will be alot like parenting... no one right way, just as Roscoe said, trial and error. I do so much better when everything is by the book so to speak. Oh well guess trial and error means less chance of me REALLY screwing up lol.


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## rosco47 (Jul 6, 2015)

oh. I slightly (or grossly) misinterpreted the OP. woops


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Well, kind of but not really. Quarantine is one thing, integration is another and since both were mentioned in 8's original post then both things got covered. We just split them up.


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## rosco47 (Jul 6, 2015)

woooooooo team work


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

rosco47 said:


> woooooooo team work


That's what makes this chicken thing work. Even if we were not aware we were teaming up.

BTW, I get first choice on who I pick for my team.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

rosco47 said:


> oh. I slightly (or grossly) misinterpreted the OP. woops


It's all good Rosco, I knew what you meant.


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