Found Chicken (hen)

[FaelynnFarms]

Hello Backyard Fam! I am currently hosting a chicken that was found wondering the neighborhood. I have communications out hopeful to be able to get this sweet girl back home. But, in preparation for the potential of having to integrate her… I need some advice. I’ve successfully integrated babies to my adult flock, but this is an adult (at least size wise).. I have to keep them apart for 3 weeks… but how far? Feet? Miles? She was and is alone so I don’t want her to become depressed but also don’t want to risk my current ladies health because my heart is too big.
Any advice is welcomed!

 

[fluffycrow]

I'd do a month of serious quarantine. After that, try the "see-no-touch" introduction method for two to three weeks, then let her in and see how it goes. I've never met a healthy ISA brown (RSL) that wasn't up for a "pecking order" fight.

What breeds are your other birds?

 

[Ridgerunner]

You quarantine because of possible diseases or parasites. Some parasites you can see like mites or lice. Get a fecal count at the vet if they will do it to check the poop for worms or Coccdiosis. You are not likely to see anything for Coccidiosis and probably not for worms.

Diseases and parasites can be transmitted by them eating and drinking from the same bowls, pecking in ground where the others have pooped, transmitted by various insects like mosquitoes, grasshoppers, or grubs, or spread on the wind. The further apart you can isolate them the more things you are protecting against. The general recommendation is a 4 week quarantine.

Some flocks have natural immunities. They may have certain parasites or diseases but have developed immunities to the effects. They can transmit those parasites or diseases but never show symptoms. That hen is probably at as much risk from your flock as your flock is from her. Quarantine is not much help against flock immunities. If you want you could isolate one of your current flock with her and see which one gets sick if either does.

To me that looks like a battery hen, a commercial egg laying hybrid, that probably escaped while being transported. She could be a pullet just getting ready to lay but my guess would be a hen that has finished a laying cycle. As such she would almost certainly molt and then return to laying like gangbusters.

I understand many people on here think the commercial operations are disease infected pits of vile. They actually are much more biosecure than the vast majority of us are, their livelihood depends on it. She may have picked up something in her travel so she is still a threat. Even if she is someone's lost pet she is still a biosecurity threat.

I take biosecurity seriously. I don't add any chickens to my flock unless I hatch the eggs or get the chicks from a reliable source. Many people add chickens regularly and don't have any problems more threatening than a parasite that can be treated. Some people show chickens which means they mingle their chickens with others. Those typically require a medical certificate that they have been inspected but those inspections don't necessarily catch everything. Your highest risks are probably going to be something that is more inconvenient than dangerous but some people have lost their entire flocks in situations like that.

I can't tell you what to do, that has to be your decision. I sure cannot give you any guarantees one way or another.

 

[FaelynnFarms]

I'd do a month of serious quarantine. After that, try the "see-no-touch" introduction method for two to three weeks, then let her in and see how it goes. I've never met a healthy ISA brown (RSL) that wasn't up for a "pecking order" fight.

What breeds are your other birds?

I have her set up in a pen by herself outside near the others and yesterday one of my established girls picked a fight through the pen. So she is for sure feisty. I don’t exactly have the ability to totally quarantine unfortunately I recently inherited a puppy who is slowly figuring out what chickens are but is not too good with them yet so bringing her inside would not be good for the Nugget. I can put her on the other side of the yard I just worry cause she is all alone she will get too lonely.

 

[FaelynnFarms]

I have her set up in a pen by herself outside near the others and yesterday one of my established girls picked a fight through the pen. So she is for sure feisty. I don’t exactly have the ability to totally quarantine unfortunately I recently inherited a puppy who is slowly figuring out what chickens are but is not too good with them yet so bringing her inside would not be good for the Nugget. I can put her on the other side of the yard I just worry cause she is all alone she will get too lonely.

I have a mix of other breeds.. Rhode red, Brahma, Wyandot, egger, Austra… but my jersey giant is super territorial.

 

[FaelynnFarms]

You quarantine because of possible diseases or parasites. Some parasites you can see like mites or lice. Get a fecal count at the vet if they will do it to check the poop for worms or Coccdiosis. You are not likely to see anything for Coccidiosis and probably not for worms.

Diseases and parasites can be transmitted by them eating and drinking from the same bowls, pecking in ground where the others have pooped, transmitted by various insects like mosquitoes, grasshoppers, or grubs, or spread on the wind. The further apart you can isolate them the more things you are protecting against. The general recommendation is a 4 week quarantine.

Some flocks have natural immunities. They may have certain parasites or diseases but have developed immunities to the effects. They can transmit those parasites or diseases but never show symptoms. That hen is probably at as much risk from your flock as your flock is from her. Quarantine is not much help against flock immunities. If you want you could isolate one of your current flock with her and see which one gets sick if either does.

To me that looks like a battery hen, a commercial egg laying hybrid, that probably escaped while being transported. She could be a pullet just getting ready to lay but my guess would be a hen that has finished a laying cycle. As such she would almost certainly molt and then return to laying like gangbusters.

I understand many people on here think the commercial operations are disease infected pits of vile. They actually are much more biosecure than the vast majority of us are, their livelihood depends on it. She may have picked up something in her travel so she is still a threat. Even if she is someone's lost pet she is still a biosecurity threat.

I take biosecurity seriously. I don't add any chickens to my flock unless I hatch the eggs or get the chicks from a reliable source. Many people add chickens regularly and don't have any problems more threatening than a parasite that can be treated. Some people show chickens which means they mingle their chickens with others. Those typically require a medical certificate that they have been inspected but those inspections don't necessarily catch everything. Your highest risks are probably going to be something that is more inconvenient than dangerous but some people have lost their entire flocks in situations like that.

I can't tell you what to do, that has to be your decision. I sure cannot give you any guarantees one way or another.

This is a lot of great information and thank you for it.
It would be very unlikely she came from a commercial farm. The local tractor supply regularly sells the ISA breed so I’m confident she was either dumped or wondered from a backyard. Regardless she is laying… have had an egg each day since I found her..
but I will for sure look to move the pen away from my girls and do some serious soul searching on keeping her or not.