10/26/2026
🖤THE FLOCK FILES | NO. 001 🖤
Let’s Talk: QUARANTINE.
We’re kicking off our very first Flock Files with something I am extremely passionate about. And before anyone asks, yes, I learned some of these lessons the hard way and am sharing them so you can learn the easy way. 😂
When I first got into chickens, I purchased some birds that turned out to be extremely sick. Unfortunately, those birds never recovered. It was devastating. Not just financially, but having to watch those poor birds in such horrible condition was extremely hard.
Thankfully, I had already learned about the importance of quarantine so those birds never came into contact with my existing flock, and my flock was spared. Had I skipped that one little step, I would have lost everything and been forced to start over from scratch.
So, when I tell you quarantine is important, I’m speaking from experience.
First things first: WHAT IS QUARANTINE?
Quarantine is simply keeping new birds completely separate from your existing flock for a period of time so you can monitor them for signs of illness BEFORE potentially exposing your other birds.
And listen, I don’t care if that chicken came straight from the Queen of England herself. QUARANTINE IT. 😂
“But the birds look healthy!”
That’s wonderful. Quarantine them anyway.
“But they’re NPIP tested!”
Also wonderful. Still quarantine them.
Here’s the thing. Birds can carry certain diseases without showing obvious symptoms. And while NPIP participation is an important part of responsible poultry breeding, it does NOT mean a bird has been tested for every disease under the sun.
So, how do we quarantine at Laree Ranch?
✨ Distance matters. Our quarantine area is located 50+ feet away from our breeding birds, grow-out pens, and other enclosures. Separation helps reduce the risk of disease spreading, although distance alone can’t eliminate that risk.
✨ 30–60 days of isolation. Every new bird stays in quarantine for a minimum of 30 days. Depending on the circumstances, we may extend that to 60. During this time, we’re keeping an eye out for sneezing, abnormal breathing, discharge, unusual droppings, lethargy, parasites, and changes in eating or drinking.
✨ Quarantine gets handled LAST. We always tend to our established flock first and our quarantined birds last. This helps reduce the chances of carrying something from our new birds back to our existing flock.
✨ Absolutely NO shared equipment. Feeders, waterers, cleaning supplies, and other equipment stay separate. Clean hands, dedicated footwear, and good sanitation habits matter!
✨ Clean, disinfect, and REST. Once our quarantine pen is empty, we thoroughly clean and disinfect it, then allow it to rest before introducing another group.
And please remember, even a proper quarantine doesn’t guarantee that a bird is free of every possible infection. If a bird becomes sick, don’t introduce it to your flock just because the calendar says its quarantine is over. Get veterinary guidance.
At the end of the day, quarantine isn’t about distrusting other breeders. It’s about protecting the animals we’re responsible for.
We spend so much time, money, and energy building our flocks. Taking a few extra precautions is a pretty small price to pay to help protect them.
LET’S TALK! 🖤
Do you quarantine every new bird you bring home? Have you ever had an experience that completely changed the way you approach biosecurity?
I’d love to hear what you’ve learned along the way!
Picture of this cutie my flock made for tax! 🖤
