For those who keep flocks of 50+ birds

[Katydid2011]

How do you manage pest control? I have DE dust baths and I clean and dust the coop regularly with Seven, but I'm not sure what I'll do if/when I have a pest outbreak in my largest flock where the thought of dusting individual birds seems daunting. What preventative measures do you take and how do you handle an infestation once it happens? I assume each bird would need to be dusted but what's the more efficient and easiest way to do it?

 

[Katydid2011]

Anyone?

 

[Avalon1984]

I have 60+ birds but I also have them in separate houses. I clean regularily and use a lot of DE. Twice a year I scrub the coops down to nothing and use a bleach solution. I haven't had any troubles so far but I only started doing chickens again after a long break 2.5 years ago. I also deworm with organic dewormer. I have not seen worms so far. I would think I would see them when I process birds but I am not sure about that one. I also use a lot of ACV and either sell or process birds over 2.5 years old. Hope that helps a little.

 

[clairabean]

My inlwas have between 40-60 chickens at any given time. I only have 10-20, so I am speaking for them...
Not much help, but we have never had a major problem. *knock on wood* I credit it to the fact that we get five months of freezing temps. Coop is kept clean, birds are slaughtered every three to four years and they start fresh.

I did go in and clip all their wings one night with father in law. (My hands were cramped after we hit 50... ) Plucked them right off the roost and did our thing. We used headlamps with pencil thin beams to see by. The silly birds were none the wiser. I assume this method could be used in applying any dust/meds.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Sorry, just say your post.

This is what I do:

1. I dust my brids with Sevin twice a year. I wait until the birds roost at night and I take each individual bird from the roost and I dust them and place them back on the roost. I put a zip tie around each bird to make sure that I get everyone and no one flies off the roost and flies out of the coop.

2. I clean the nesting boxes out every 2 months or sooner depending on if they have kicked all of the hay out. I remove all old bedding and sprinkle Sevin Dust in each nesting box. The evening that I dust the birds, I also clean out the nesting boxes as well.

3. I also sprinkle the roosts with Sevin dust as well.

4. Clean coops out regularly.

I have never had an infestation, so I assume that my Sevin Dust preventive maintenance is working.

 

[ChooksChick]

I dust with Sevin when needed, use it when I clean, and use Ivermectin when they're on the roosts once a year. I break it up by coop, because I have 100+ in a dozen coops.

 

[Katydid2011]

Quote:
Thank you for the break down and the precise explanation of how you dust the birds. It sounds manageable. I typically dust my smaller flocks during the day and it's a chore but we can get it done in about an hour and I can tell who's been dusted b/c I know each bird by sight/name. It's not so easy with the big flock. I like the idea of going down the roost, one by one, after they're tucked in for the night and marking each bird with a zip tie. Thankfully, we've never had an infestation but it seems like most people I talk to have had horrible infestations this year. I want to be prepared come Spring. Thank you!

 

[Katydid2011]

Quote:
Where do you get your Ivermectin and is it specifically for poultry or marked for other use. How do you administer it?

 

[Katydid2011]

Quote:
My chickens are all clipped as well. We did it during daytime this past summer and it was a chore but we managed. I like the idea of headlamps. I'll have to run out to Home Depot and grab a couple; that will help with night time dusting! Thank you!

 

[Katydid2011]

Quote:
What organic dewormer do you use? I would love to find an effective organic dewormer!