Poorly treated chick, hoping to rescue. Need help.

[Tyler J Walsh]

I currently have 6 Leghorn chicks, all five weeks old. This is my first time raising chickens. All 6 is what I've started with, I've had no deaths and they are all doing amazing. My girlfriend was browsing through Craigslist and sees an ad for a chick that needs to be rehomed. I hope to save it but I don't want any chance of harming my 6 current chicks. What should I worry about, what course of actions should I take if I do get the 2 month old chick? If it needs to stay in a separate room for another two months (even though 2 months old is when they should go into the coop) I can make it work.

 

[Tyler J Walsh]

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, I just hope I can get the info so I can get the chick before some other kid wants a cute chick pet to neglect.

 

[Carol0622]

I would def quarantine until you know it's safe to introduce to your flock.

 

[Carol0622]

I would also be saving it ASAP and figuring it out later .

 

[Southern by choice]

There are some diseases that no matter how long you quarantine it doesn't matter because those diseases can lie dormant.
MG is one, and you could be bringing in carriers.
Know who you are getting chicks from. Don't risk it.

 

[Tyler J Walsh]

Ok, and what sicknesses can a chick get from not being treated right? For 2 months old that chick looks both smaller than my 5 week olds and is a lot less feathered. Any recommendations on tests to give or signs to watch for to indicate any illness? If there's any illness that I wouldn't want around my chicks I may be able to find a relative that would take care of it as a pet but at least those people would treat it very well as they use to have flocks of ~30 for years.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

IMHO the biggest concern would be "HE" having a contagious respiratory disease. Notice the ad say "he" can you have a rooster where you live, what are your laws/ordinances?

Second thing in the ad I see is "comes with vitamins and antibiotic treatment" Hmmm....is the chick on ANY antibiotics? if so, that would be a red flag that he may have had some type of illness.

"$20 rehoming fee" well, that's up to you, but if someone needs to rehome a chicken most of the time it's free. fwiw - A 2month old chick won't need heating lamp/bulbs, etc. so you probably don't need that. I understand they want it gone, but only take what you need - negotiate pricing if you decide you just have to have him. To me this chick does not look 2months old in the photo, but looks can be deceiving.

ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS!!!! Ask if the chick has every had sneezing, runny eyes, mucous from the nostrils, coughing, Coccidiosis and whether or not he has been vaccinated (if so, which vaccination(s) - usually Marek's is the only vaccination). Also ask where he came from - hatchery, feed store, breeder, another backyard chicken owner, etc.

I recommend that you do some research/reading on quarantine, bio-security and poultry illnesses. Quarantine and bio-security should be followed when getting new chickens. I'm not trying to be the "boogie-woman" or trying to scare you. Too often on BYC, I see someone get new chickens, add them to their existing flock and all of sudden their "old flock" is sick and/or dying while the new bird seems to be just fine (new bird is carrier of illness), this can happen in reverse as well.

Here's a few well written articles on quarantine/biosecurity to help you out - there's plenty of info on BYC and the web as well:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2016/08/biosecurity-for-backyard-chickens.html
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/12/quarantine-of-backyard-chickens-why-and.html
http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2012/07/backyard-biosecurity.html

Just to help out with my boogie woman rep, here's a list of common poultry diseases as well:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Southern by choice]

You really don't know how this chick was treated you are making assumptions... it appears their cat is going after it and that is one reason it is being rehomed.... it is on antibiotics & vitamins... so obviously someone thought enough to treat it.

You have no idea the background. Some chicks are hatched with severe deficiencies, some hatch with disease present, other issue can cause failure to thrive.

Here ya go... it is a long list...
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Southern by choice]

LOL @Wyorp Rock we were posting at the same time. Nice to see someone who understands carriers!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Haha! I noticed your post when I replied - still getting used to this system - the old BYC would flash when someone was posting!

It's important that people do try to understand carriers - it may not seem that big of a deal, but I see it all to often and people are just devastated when their flock becomes ill, they have to cull, start over, keep a closed flock, etc.

Best to be safe than sorry.