Chickens to Lay Eggs in the Winter

[justplainbatty]

Ah wow! I didn't realize. This is the 1st day that the light is on, so it should be 4 hours early in the morning? Or when should the light come on, or go off? Two hours early and two hours at night? Maybe just 3 hours in the morning? This is my first time having a light to continue egg laying..

That's ok, you didn't know. You can start the light early in the morning and even have it turn off once full day light starts if you have enough windows/ natural light in the coop. You'll get the hang of it!

 

[gcmitchell7]

Hello,

You mentioned "pests" - I was wondering what you use to get rid of lice/mites? We have tried several options but have resorted to individually treating the chickens with ivermectin, which with a flock of over 50 is rather cumbersome. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Hello,

You mentioned "pests" - I was wondering what you use to get rid of lice/mites?  We have tried several options but have resorted to individually treating the chickens with ivermectin, which with a flock of over 50 is rather cumbersome.  Do you have any suggestions?  Thanks!

You can get Ivermectin injectable and place in water (I don't have dosing by memory). Many poultry studies with Ivermectin efficacy use water or feed based Ivermectin....but those may deal more with internal worms rather than external...I'd have to reread. Google Ivermectin injectable water treatment for poultry.

The other option is a spray based Permethrin that you spray the flock with. You can get that at the bigger or more farm related feed stores.

For maintenance, I put lots of Poultry Dust in their dusting area which I have created with kiddie wading pools. The birds do a decent job of dusting themselves.

I only run 20 birds on average, sometime spiking to 25 or so, which I agree begins to become a real hassle for individual dusting.

lofMc