# Quarantine



## Mkenner (Jun 2, 2017)

How long do you all usually quarantine new birds? Do you quarantine all? Baby chicks included? I have only ever added day olds and never worried because they go to the brooder for a while but recently purchased two theee week olds, currently in day 4 of quarantine. Just curious what others do.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Minimum two weeks. But a month is generally recommended.

The reason for quarantine is not so much that the peeps hatched with something but that they've had an opportunity to be exposed to something. They can come from what appears to be a completely healthy flock but add the stress of a move and the hidden issues can make themselves known.


----------



## Mkenner (Jun 2, 2017)

robin416 said:


> Minimum two weeks. But a month is generally recommended.
> 
> The reason for quarantine is not so much that the peeps hatched with something but that they've had an opportunity to be exposed to something. They can come from what appears to be a completely healthy flock but add the stress of a move and the hidden issues can make themselves known.


These went from incubator to brooder to me..would I be safe to assume the chance of them bringing a disease is quite low? They will stay in quarantine for 30 days but I have been so paranoid about bringing in older than day old chicks! These being 3 weeks old.


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yes, it is possible if they were not hatched by you but by someone else. Not saying that the flock owner has a diseased flock but many times they are not even aware because many chronic poultry diseases are dormant until there is a trigger of some sort. Stress is like an on switch for these diseases. Moving from one home to another is stressful.

Some years ago a bunch of backyard flocks were infected from chicks that arrived from a hatchery. The water source at the hatchery was contaminated with a communicable bacteria. 

We can carry bugs back to our flocks just by going somewhere where other birds are carrying something communicable.


----------



## Mkenner (Jun 2, 2017)

robin416 said:


> Yes, it is possible if they were not hatched by you but by someone else. Not saying that the flock owner has a diseased flock but many times they are not even aware because many chronic poultry diseases are dormant until there is a trigger of some sort. Stress is like an on switch for these diseases. Moving from one home to another is stressful.
> 
> Some years ago a bunch of backyard flocks were infected from chicks that arrived from a hatchery. The water source at the hatchery was contaminated with a communicable bacteria.
> 
> We can carry bugs back to our flocks just by going somewhere where other birds are carrying something communicable.


Thank you for answering my questions! Again, mine seem pretty healthy but how long do you think it would take for a hidden issue to show?


----------



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If there is a problem, it almost always surfaces within the 30 days. 

Try not to focus a ton on this, just be aware. Stay away from buying birds from an unknown source like auctions or farm sales. Almost everyone I've known that ended up with problems got their birds from situations like that. If you go to a show or auction, don't go to your birds unless you change clothes and wash your hands. Purchase from a reputable breeder. It's pretty easy to determine who those folks are from traffic on the net. 

I've always had my town clothes and my farm clothes. I always changed before going to my coops. 

You can't stop all of the possibilities because we only have so much control over nature. That said there are several on this forum, me included, that have birds over ten years old. That should tell you that what's out there doesn't necessarily find it's way to our flocks on a regular basis.


----------



## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Mkenner said:


> Thank you for answering my questions! Again, mine seem pretty healthy but how long do you think it would take for a hidden issue to show?


It would depend what disease(s) it would be. Different diseases have different incubation times before symptoms can be seen. Symptoms can be seen in as little as 2 days or up to 6 weeks with some diseases. Most common disease symptoms generally appear within two weeks. As Robin mentioned, birds are experts at hiding diseases until they are practically at deaths door. This is instinctive behavior as not to attract predators to the flock. Survival of the fittest. Sometimes healthy birds will try to kill a sick bird for that reason.
Personally I dont think you have anything to worry about in this instance, just observe your birds for anything out of the ordinary and be cautious in the future.


----------



## Mkenner (Jun 2, 2017)

Thank you all so much! These came from a pretty good local breeder...they are just the only ones I've added that weren't little brand new babies! I appreciate everyone's help!!


----------



## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Robin brought up a very important point regarding biosecurity. The clothes and shoes you wear can "carry" transmittable diseases back home to your birds, even tires on a vehicle and farm equipment. A trip to a swap meet, feed store or farmer down the road can have costly consequences for your birds without biosecurity. 
When I return home from a feed store, I change into chicken clothes and chicken shoes before stepping out into the back yard where my birds are located. Personal hygiene is very important as well.


----------

