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 Names in
Jordan, South Carolina
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Jordan South Carolina,
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. Jordan
South Carolina also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Jordan South Carolina, 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 Jordan SC.
Baby Chicks Home in
Jordan, South Carolina
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Jordan South Carolina
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
Jordan South Carolina * 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 Jordan
South Carolina * 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 Chickens Eggs in
Jordan, South Carolina
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
Jordan South Carolina 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 Jordan,
South Carolina Baby chicks are very
cute and also
difficult to resist,
but it's finest to plan for their
arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first
by collecting not only the
appropriate materials, however
additionally the correct
knowledge to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
straightforward, you merely need
to provide them with the following: A tidy and also warm and comfortable
habitat Plenty of food and also water Attention and
love Environment Your habitat could be a basic box, aquarium,
cat service provider, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels and
blankets (without any loosened
strings!) to start, and after a few weeks utilize straw over newspaper.
Keep in mind: Avoid making use of only
newspaper or various other sandal
surface areas-- or your chicks legs can expand
misshapen. You likewise need
something to provide food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
meal from the feed store, or a pickle container
lid for food as well as a family
pet bird water dispenser from a pet store. Also, as the chicks age you can introduce a perch
into the environment to obtain them
trained on setting down. Heat To
maintain your chicks heat you should
offer them with a heat source.
This can be as basic as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from a
hardware shop, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb additionally function very
well (my
referral). Chicks need this
warmth 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
changed with feathers (which could take up to 2 months). The recently
hatched out need a temperature level
between 90 as well as 100 degrees,
as well as every week this can
be reduced by
around 5 degrees approximately. The warmth source need to be on just one side of the cage
to allow chicks an array of
temperature levels. The chicks are your best
thermostat- if they are hiding in the
opposite corner of your warmth
lamp, you should
reduce the temperature level. If
they are surrounding each various other under the
warmth (not just curling up),
you should include some heat.
Home cleaning
Sanitation is vital and also it maintains your chicks healthy. Make certain to alter
the bed linen
often and
always provide tidy
food and water Food as well as water.
Chicks expand very fast
which requires lots of clean
food and water. Supply
enough whatsoever times as well
as examine
usually to
stop dehydrated and also
starving chicks. Chick food is different compared
to grown-up chicken food, as well as it can be found in both medicated as well as non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
first two months, then
switch to a grower food (~ 17 %
protein) for an additional 2 months,
then to a somewhat
reduced healthy protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have layers). Soil Some chicks like to obtain a running start on taking
filth baths, while others won't take
up that task up until they are
older. If you have the space in your chick
room, introduce a tray of sand or
dust for them to bathe in.
Focus as well as love There are a couple of advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. Firstly, they will certainly probably bond with you and
not run away as adults. Second, if you
analyze your chicks daily and
see their behavior, you could
capture ailment or other troubles earlier. Watch out for wheezing, hopping, or
other unhealthy
indicators. Be sure to
additionally take a look at
their poop, as diarrhea can lead
to matted plumes as well
as clogged up cloaca.
Lastly, it is essential to watch out for social issues, such as the
smallest chick getting teased. Vacant nest syndrome So your
chicks are now fully feathered
and also its time for them to leave the
security of your residence
as well as move outside right into a cage. Have a look at our
section on chicken cages to learn more
regarding cages and
appropriate cage habitats.
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