A question about sulfur

[1 acre willows]

Not sure where to post this, but I live where the clay concentration in the soil is very high. I know how to keep it at bay and break it down so I can actually have a yard, but part of that is using disintagrating sulfur in pellet form. A couple good waterings with sprinklers or rain storms and it's gone. It's 99.9% pure sulfur but if the birds get some of it in them will it hurt them? I have to dump about 200-300 lbs/ acre of the stuff almost every year, ain't river bottom grand, or my ground no sucky up water.

 

[JaeG]

Chickens are pretty good at knowing what they need to eat to keep their nutritional balance just right. Elemental Sulfur can actually be fed to them as a supplement at a rate of 5% and it's often thought to repel external parasites. You can use sulfur powder in their coop for the same reason.

 

[1 acre willows]

Sweet! Thank you

 

[RWise]

I use sulfur also, in the coop, in the dusting areas,, they will eat some of the pellets or granules, not so much the powder.

 

[1 acre willows]

A broadcasting I will go then.....

 

[Ragna]

Chickens are pretty good at knowing what they need to eat to keep their nutritional balance just right. Elemental Sulfur can actually be fed to them as a supplement at a rate of 5% and it's often thought to repel external parasites. You can use sulfur powder in their coop for the same reason.

Will they know not to OD On sulfur? Are there any external parasites that could cause harm or death on a large scale? Would it have to be digested sulfur or do you believe sulfur sprinkled on the ground would repel parasites if in fact that was true but like you said its thought to repel

 

[JaeG]

Will they know not to OD On sulfur? Are there any external parasites that could cause harm or death on a large scale? Would it have to be digested sulfur or do you believe sulfur sprinkled on the ground would repel parasites if in fact that was true but like you said its thought to repel

Chickens are smarter than we think (though sometimes their behaviour can seem mysterious to us). The only way a chicken would eat too much of something was if they were shut up in their run with only that 'food'. They will eat certain weeds that aren't great for them if that's the only type of greens they have on offer, but given other choices they'll eat what best fulfills their dietry needs.

Red mites feed on blood so put chickens under a lot of stress if there is a massive outbreak. They can potentially kill chickens if the problem isn't brought under control. Red mites like to live and reproduce in dark places so the coop is the place to treat and sprinkle your repellents. You can sprinkle a little in a favourite dust bathing spot too as a good dust bath is a chickens best defence against external parasites. I've used neem oil very effectively in the coop as it stops mites at all stages of development (so I don't have to retreat to break the cycle).

Rodents can carry red mites so making sure they, and wild birds, stay out of the run is a good preventative step. This is an ongoing battle for me with huge brown rats who will chew through thick pieces of wood to get into my enclosed runs (I've lost many quail to them as well as having outbreaks of red mites thanks to them). Sadly in my little country they are introduced and there is very little that can catch and eat them, so we constantly have bait out which gets gobbled up, but it's a never ending battle. It's making me seriously consider getting a little terrier!

 

[elaineinspain]

you might find this interesting - about the toxicity, or lack thereof, of sulphur http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/pyrethrins-ziram/sulfur-ext.html

 

[Ragna]

Chickens are smarter than we think (though sometimes their behaviour can seem mysterious to us). The only way a chicken would eat too much of something was if they were shut up in their run with only that 'food'. They will eat certain weeds that aren't great for them if that's the only type of greens they have on offer, but given other choices they'll eat what best fulfills their dietry needs.

Red mites feed on blood so put chickens under a lot of stress if there is a massive outbreak. They can potentially kill chickens if the problem isn't brought under control. Red mites like to live and reproduce in dark places so the coop is the place to treat and sprinkle your repellents. You can sprinkle a little in a favourite dust bathing spot too as a good dust bath is a chickens best defence against external parasites. I've used neem oil very effectively in the coop as it stops mites at all stages of development (so I don't have to retreat to break the cycle).

Rodents can carry red mites so making sure they, and wild birds, stay out of the run is a good preventative step. This is an ongoing battle for me with huge brown rats who will chew through thick pieces of wood to get into my enclosed runs (I've lost many quail to them as well as having outbreaks of red mites thanks to them). Sadly in my little country they are introduced and there is very little that can catch and eat them, so we constantly have bait out which gets gobbled up, but it's a never ending battle. It's making me seriously consider getting a little terrier!

Are red mites easy to spot on the skin??

 

[JaeG]

Are red mites easy to spot on the skin??

It would be unusual for them to stay on the birds as they like to come out of their hiding places (any crack and crevice in the coop) to feed at night then go back to their hiding place. If you go out with a torch at night and look in the coop you will see them out and about. Wiping a hand (or paper towel) under the roost bars is a good way of seeing if you have them as that's a place they will lie in wait until it's dark. If you see streaks of blood then it's likely you have an outbreak.