An illustrative story — the situation repeats in many lofts; names and details are changed. Not a customer testimonial.

Sayed from Sharqia, first year of breeding. His loft held 24 healthy Ablaq, weighed every two weeks and vaccinated on schedule — he was doing everything right.

He went to a well-known breeder and bought a pair of Ablaq for two thousand. The breeder said "these birds come from a clean loft, don't worry." Sayed believed him — and the pair went into the main loft that same night.

Day five: the new hen's droppings were watery green. Sayed said "travel stress." Day nine: three squabs lost weight. Day twelve: 23 birds out of 26 had diarrhoea, and two had swollen joints.

The vet ran a droppings test: heavy coccidiosis + salmonella. The new pair were carriers of both with no obvious signs — the famous breeder's loft had built-up immunity; Sayed's did not.

The cost

A three-week treatment course for the whole loft, two birds dead, and a full breeding season lost because the pairs were under treatment. The bill: more than twice the price of the pair.

What would have prevented it

Two weeks of quarantine in a separate cage away from the loft, with its own water and feed:

  • Day one: a droppings test at the vet (20–40 EGP) — it would have caught the coccidiosis immediately.
  • Days 3–10: treating the pair alone if something showed up, instead of 26 birds.
  • Day 14: vaccination and entry into the loft.

And if the pair had been registered on Ghuzar with the seller, Sayed could have seen their health status and vaccination record before buying — and if it was empty, that tells you something.

How it ended

Sayed built a quarantine cage from mesh and timber for 300 EGP, and now registers every new bird in the app with the status "under observation" until the two weeks pass — the app reminds him of the test and vaccination dates. Since then no disease has entered his loft from outside.

The lesson: there is no such thing as a "clean loft" — there is a tested bird and an untested bird. Two weeks of quarantine and a 40-pound droppings test are cheaper than any treatment. Medical details in the coccidiosis article and part 3 of the guide. And if you are about to bring in your first bird, read The first 90 days: quarantine and settling in beforehand.

Want to tell your real story? We publish it under your name with your photos, with your consent — share your story.