All new arrival to Chelsea , Michigan’sBarn Sanctuaryundergo a specific admittance process .
Before they can join their buster in the pig , moo-cow or goat barns or in the poultry henhouse , they have a month - long stay in one of the farm ’s quarantine barns . During these initial 30 days , each animal gets bloodwork done , dines on nourishing provender , and receives any medical care want to bestow it back to wellness .
Even if an animal looks like in peak strong-arm circumstance , it still must experience four - plus weeks of isolation .
“ We ’re very deliberate about biosecurity , ” say Dan McKernan , Barn Sanctuary founder and president .
To this end , the70 - Akko farmed - beast havenhas deposit its quarantine barns a healthy walking — and driving — length away from its other housing structure .
However , you do n’t take a huge distance to arrange up a right quarantine area . You do n’t need an entire dedicated b for your novel arrival , either . Backyard flock proprietor and fowl husbandman with small properties can set up in force quarantine areas for their incoming additions by following these five footprint .
A quarantine coop at the Barn Sanctuary (Ana Hotaling)
Determine Your Housing Needs
You may very well already have a structure on your place that can serve double tariff as a quarantine henhouse . A service department , storehouse or garden shed , an unused kid ’s playhouse — these can all be converted or adapted to fit their new use . A quarantine hencoop at the Barn Sanctuary ( Ana Hotaling )
The main factor is to make indisputable your quarantine coop is a minimum of14 metrical foot away from your live coopand run . If you do not have an subsist outbuilding that can be repurposed or dually aim , depute a location at an appropriate distance on which you’re able to set up a new coop .
If you plan to change over an existing social system , check it has a root of instinctive or artificial light to keep your layers fertile . Also verify it can be vent so that the birds have a source of fresh air .
A quarantine coop at the Barn Sanctuary (Ana Hotaling)
If you contrive to divide an existing blank space — for example , a garage or a garden shed — make certain that you set up some form of partition or barrier to keep the dame from research a potentially dangerous space .
Outfit the Area
Once you ’ve find where your quarantine coop will be , you will ask to equip it for your new arrivals . Even if you are only purchase one chicken , equip the coop for as many birds as it can conciliate . This will allow you to organize for future possible action .
In gain to a perch , nest box and bedding , you should specify a tributary and water boy for utilization by your quarantine cage only . Similarly , any tools you use keep the quarantine coop — for instance , buckets , shovels and rakes — should be used only in the quarantine coop to forbid the cattle farm of any disease or parasite brought in by your novel razzing .
forbid cross - contamination is a vast part of quarantine protocol .
Stock Your Supplies
With luck , the bird you buy for your flock will demonstrate that they are in perfect health throughout their quarantine period . Just in case they are n’t , however , you ’ll want to have some basic aesculapian supplies on handwriting versus miles out at the provender shop or farmer - supply store .
A light stock list should include the following :
Store all of these items in an airtight bath to keep them uncontaminating and quick to apply when needed .
Be Ready to Record Keep
stash away a notebook computer and several pencils or pen in your medical - equipment bathing tub so that you’re able to take notes throughout the quarantine period .
You may wish to keep track of how much food and water your new comer consume . If you suspect illness or parasite , you’re able to take preeminence on the appearing and amount of manure they farm . moreover , dog the pursuit for symptomatic or offend volaille :
Should you postulate to consult a veterinarian , you’re able to easily take your notebook with you to the medical appointment .
Don’t Forget Yourself
Microbes can easy move around from one topographic point to another , hitching a drive on your shirt , pants or horseshoe .
To forestall germ from contaminating your healthy bird , keep a spare set of oeuvre boots , baseball glove and coveralls in a covered five - gal pail or bathing tub near the ingress to your quarantine coop . Slip into this special closing off rig before lean to your fresh birds , then remove it before get out the coop .
Tend to your live pile first before caring for the quarantined brute . This will ensure you do n’t accidentally wear these clothes to care for your other chicken .
Thirty day may seem like an interminable time to wait until you could introduce your new raspberry to their permanent home . However , since several disease have long brooding periods , following a right quarantine protocol ensures your flock additions will not cause unfortunate reductions due to shared pathogen .
It ’s better to be safe than dark . Your birds — newfangled and old alike — will thank you for it .
