How to Introduce New Chickens into your Flock, part 2
[This article is part of a series that addresses the question of how to introduce new chickens into your existing flock, along with several related questions. To see all articles in this series, visit .]
Disease and Parasites
When you introduce new chickens to your flock, you run the risk of also introducing new diseases or parasites to your flock. If you take your chickens to poultry shows, then you run that same risk when you reintroduce chickens that were taken to the show back into your main flock.
Quarantine
The best and most effective way to protect your flock from diseases introduced by new chickens is to quarantine them. When you quarantine a chicken or several chickens, you keep them separate from the rest of the flock for an extended time period. We recommend a quarantine of at least 30 days.
During the quarantine, care for the quarantined chickens normally, giving them food and water, but do not allow any contact with the existing flock. Thoroughly wash your hands and disinfect your feet and anything else that comes in contact with these chickens or their environment or manure. We carry several that work well.
While the chickens are in quarantine, watch them closely for any signs of parasites, such as mites, and for any signs of disease, such as respiratory problems, or mucus discharges from the chickens’ eyes or nostrils.
Another Precaution
Chickens in a flock can build up an immunity to a disease yet still be carriers of that disease. If your new chickens have such an immunity and are disease carriers, the quarantine described above won’t be enough, and the new chickens could still introduce disease into your flock undetected.
There is a way to guard against this. It involves a little risk, but it minimizes the risk of infecting the main flock. Take one chicken from your main flock and move it into the quarantine with the new birds. Keep that chicken with your other quarantined birds for the entire quarantine period. Watch her closely. If she begins to develop any signs of disease, it is likely that she was infected by the new birds, so in that case, do not introduce the new birds into the flock. On the other hand, if she makes it through the quarantine period without any signs of disease, then you can be reasonably sure that it is safe to introduce her and the new birds into your flock.
With this approach, you run the risk of losing one chicken from your main flock to disease, but you greatly reduce the risk of losing your entire flock.
Baby Chicks from Murray McMurray Hatchery
Murray McMurray Hatchery takes a to make sure that any baby chicks you receive from us are healthy and free of disease. This eliminates any concern you may have about the baby chicks introducing disease to your existing flock, but there are still some things to consider.
Baby chicks are not able to defend themselves against larger, more mature chickens, so they should be raised separately until they reach maturity. Second, if you have any concerns about disease or parasites in your existing flock, take proper precautions to make sure that you don’t risk introducing it to your new chickens.
In next week’s article, I will discuss how to integrate the new chickens into your existing flock.
Baby Chicks Online in
Ewa Beach, Hawaii
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Ewa Beach Hawaii,
including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more.
Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different
egg layers in smaller amounts and buy as an assortment. Ewa Beach
Hawaii also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Ewa Beach Hawaii, bantams for sale, ducks for sale, geese for sale,
turkeys for sale, guinea for sale, peafowl for sale, pheasant for sale,
chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of
baby chicks for sale in Ewa Beach HI.
Baby Chickens For Sale Free Shipping in
Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Ewa Beach Hawaii
catalog is a yearly traditions in many houses. My kids and I eagerly await
the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. We love looking at all the cool and
different chicken breeds available. Catalogs are free so head on over to
their site and request one if you are interested.
Typically hatcheries online offer both standard breeds
and bantams. Bantams are fun hardy little chickens, they lay tiny eggs
that kids especially love collecting. Bantams typically weigh less than 2
pounds when full grown. Just like ordering anything online there are pros
and cons to ordering baby chicks online. Pros of buying baby chicks in
Ewa Beach Hawaii * Big Selection - If you are wanting a large
variety of different chicken breeds and egg colors, you will find the best
selection at an online hatchery. * Both Bantams and full sized chickens
available * You get to choose what sex you want. If you want a mixture of
both male and female then choosing a "straight run" will save you money
and you will get a mixture of male and female chicks. You can also choose
all males or all females too. * Weekly specials. Hatcheries have sales on
chicks, you are likely to get a good deal if you are flexible with the
breeds you are wanting. Cons of buying baby chicks in Ewa Beach
Hawaii * Order early to get the best selection. Certain breeds sell
out fast, sometimes as early as 6 months in advance of shipping! If you
are wanting a certain breed it's best to order your chicks in the fall
before their orders sell out.
Baby Chicks Needs in
Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Quantity - you must order a certain number of chicks. Typically hatcheries
will require you buy a minimum of 25 chicks at a time. The number is
necessary for the chicks survival during shipping. All 25 chicks are put
in one small box without heat. They are crowded in the box and produce
enough body heat to arrive in good shape. * The wait - If you choose to
buy chicks from a feed store you will have them the same day but if you
choose to go with a hatchery you have to wait until they are ready to ship
and then wait for the chicks to arrive. Ordering baby chicks online in
Ewa Beach Hawaii is easy and has always been a very pleasant
experience of me. It can be a little frustrating waiting for the chicks
but it's so worth the wait. When the post office calls and you hear all
those little "cheeps" or "chirps" in the background you'll know the wait
was worth it! How to Care for your new baby chickens in Ewa Beach,
Hawaii Baby chicks are very
charming and also
hard to resist,
but it's ideal to prepare for their
arrival before you get them. Prepare initially
by gathering not only the
proper products, but
additionally the appropriate
understanding to care for
them. Raising baby chicks is fairly
straightforward, you merely need
to provide them with the following: A tidy and cozy
habitat A lot of food as well
as water Attention and also
love Environment Your environment can be a straightforward box, aquarium,
feline carrier, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels as well as
blankets (with no loose
strings!) to begin, and after a
couple of weeks utilize straw over paper.
Note: Avoid making use of only
paper or various other sandal
surface areas-- or your chicks legs could grow
malformed. You additionally require
something to dish out food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
meal from the feed shop, or a pickle container
cover for food and a family
pet bird water dispenser from a pet shop. Additionally, as the chicks grow older you can introduce a perch
into the habitat to obtain them
educated on setting down. Warmth To
maintain your chicks warm you need to
offer them with a heat source.
This could be as straightforward as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp style light from a
hardware shop, or an infrared reptile warmth
bulb likewise work very
well (my
referral). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
replaced with feathers (which could occupy to two months). The recently
hatched need a temperature level
in between 90 and also 100 levels,
and each week this can
be lowered by
about 5 degrees approximately. The heat resource should be on just one side of the cage
to allow chicks a range of
temperatures. The chicks are your ideal
thermostat- if they are concealing in the
contrary corner of your heat
light, you should
reduce the temperature level. If
they are surrounding each various other under the
warmth (not simply snuggling),
you have to include some heat.
Housekeeping
Sanitation is vital and it keeps your chicks healthy. Be sure to alter
the bed linen
frequently and
consistently supply clean
food and also water Food as well as water.
Chicks grow really quick
which requires lots of tidy
food as well as water. Supply
sufficient whatsoever times as well
as inspect
often to
stop thirsty and also
starving chicks. Chick food is different than grown-up chicken food, and also it can be found in both medicated and non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the
first two months, then
change to a raiser food (~ 17 %
healthy protein) for another 2 months,
and then to a slightly
lower protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have layers). Soil Some chicks like to get a running start on taking
filth baths, while others won't use up that task till they are
older. If you have the space in your chick
unit, introduce a tray of sand or
filth for them to shower in.
Interest and also love There are a
few advantages to spending time with your chicks. First off, they will more than likely bond with you and
not run away as grownups. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and also
view their habits, you could
catch illness or other problems previously. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or
various other unhealthy
signs. Make certain to
additionally take a look at
their poop, as looseness of the bowels could cause matted feathers and clogged up cloaca.
Finally, it is necessary to keep an eye out for social concerns, such as the
smallest chick getting teased. Empty nest disorder So your
chicks are currently fully feathered
and its time for them to leave the
safety and security of your home
as well as move outside into a cage. Check out our
area on chicken coops to find out
more
regarding coops and
correct coop habitats.
Baby Chickens RaisingBaby Chickens And Ducks For Sale More Posts Baby Chickens for Sale in Anahola, Hawaii Baby Chickens for Sale in Captain Cook, Hawaii Baby Chickens for Sale in Fort Shafter, Hawaii Baby Chickens for Sale in Camp H M Smith, Hawaii Baby Chickens for Sale in Aiea, Hawaii