Quarantine New Birds

Isolate any newly acquired quail in a separate enclosure at least 30 feet from the existing flock for a minimum of 2-4 weeks before introduction. Use dedicated feeders, waterers, and tools for the quarantine area, and attend to quarantined birds last during daily chores.

Why It Works

New birds can carry diseases such as Coryza, Mycoplasma, or Coccidiosis without showing symptoms during the stress of transport. A 2-4 week quarantine period allows latent infections to manifest visibly — lethargy, nasal discharge, abnormal droppings — before the carrier contacts your established flock. This single practice prevents the most common cause of flock-wide disease outbreaks.

Tips

• Observe quarantined birds daily for signs of illness: sneezing, watery eyes, bloody or unusual droppings
• Change clothes or wash hands thoroughly between handling quarantined and main flock birds
• If any quarantined bird shows symptoms, extend quarantine until at least 2 weeks after full recovery