Checklist for Adding or Replacing Poultry in your Flock

Starting out with healthy poultry is the best way to keep flocks safe from disease. Follow this checklist when adding new birds to your flock.

• Only purchase or source poultry from NPIP-certified breeders, hatcheries, and dealers. When sourcing replacement poultry, you can request a copy of the hatchery or source farm’s biosecurity protocols.

• Confirm that the poultry you purchase tested clean for the same diseases your current flock tested for.

• When purchasing poultry in person, check for signs of good health and approximate age. Do not purchase birds that appear old or unhealthy.

• Always transport replacement or new poultry in equipment and vehicles that are regularly cleaned, disinfected, and inspected. For commercial operations, the tractor/trailer carrying the birds should follow premises entry biosecurity protocols when entering the farm.

• Be sure to clean and disinfect tools, cages, and any other equipment used for transport. Return empty cages to the trailer and then clean and decontaminate the cages before taking them to another site.

• Wear site-specific clothing, including footwear, when loading or delivering poultry. For commercial operations, personnel loading poultry cages into the trailer should wear site-specific clothing or not enter the Line of Separation.

• Once home, quarantine the new additions for 30 days. Check for sneezing, coughing, nasal drainage, swollen eyes, mites, lice, and other health issues daily.

• After combining new birds with your existing flock, check original stock daily for any signs of illness. The stress of this change can cause an underlying illness to surface.

• To prevent bullying, do not add young poultry to your existing flock until all the birds are about the same size.

Adapted from the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service Program Aid No. 2235-5.