Write a biosecurity plan and quarantine routine
Biosecurity stops disease getting in and spreading. It matters more on an off-grid estate where a vet may be hours away.
How
- Buy animals from health-tested sources. USDA suggests day-old chicks or hatching eggs from NPIP-approved hatcheries (US example).
- Keep new or returning animals in a separate pen, away from your herd or flock, and watch for illness before mixing. For poultry, Agriculture Victoria advises at least 30 days of quarantine with no signs of illness, at least 10 m from the main flock, restarting the count if any bird falls ill or new birds are added. Agree the period for other species with your vet.
- Give quarantined birds their own feeders, drinkers and boots, tend them after the main flock, and ask a vet to test droppings for parasites on arrival and again at 2 and 6 weeks, as Agriculture Victoria suggests.
- Keep dedicated boots and clothes for animal areas, wash hands on entry and exit, and limit visitors, especially other poultry keepers.
- Net runs and cover feed and water so wild birds and rodents cannot reach them; do not give poultry untreated pond water.
- Report sick or dying birds promptly to a vet, extension office or state veterinarian. Know your country's notifiable disease rules.
Sources
- Defend the Flock newsletter, Spring 2024. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), accessed 2026-11
- Quarantine advice when introducing new birds. Agriculture Victoria (Australia), accessed 2026-11