ALABAMA!!

[Bama1]

Okay, so I have question regarding worming here in the South...How and When? I've already COMPLETELY creeped out

by the mite/lice reading I did when the no-see-ums started to come out and I wasn't sure if the chickens had mites or I had no-see-ums ( I know, DUH, right? ) Parasites just make me want to take a boiling bleach bath when I think about them too much so...would REALLY like to avoid them if possible (ok and I want my babies nice and healthy too!)

I like to use DE diamatacious earth for worming and mite lice. I cut the bottom off a milk jug and keep some in their pen and I layer some over the shavings in the coop. If a chicken is scratching I rub some on it. Don't get it in their lungs though by throwing it. They eat it and dust bath in it.

 

[Bama1]

Oh and I also keep apple cider vinegar with the mother in their water. It has to have the mother in it. Not the regular kind.

 

[Orps]

Where can you get these?

The person said it was a suet basket so I assume you can buy it anywhere they sell wild bird feed.

 

[chirpingcricket]

Okay, so I have question regarding worming here in the South...How and When? I've already COMPLETELY creeped out

by the mite/lice reading I did when the no-see-ums started to come out and I wasn't sure if the chickens had mites or I had no-see-ums ( I know, DUH, right? ) Parasites just make me want to take a boiling bleach bath when I think about them too much so...would REALLY like to avoid them if possible (ok and I want my babies nice and healthy too!)

If I may, re: mites/lice/worming schedule.

Mites/Lice: There are many routes, including 7 dust, DE, etc. Someone here probably has already outlined that, but, it's one of those things I have notes/threads on, but 1 day would like to get it posted all together in 1 spot.

My best immediate/remedy/solution for mites is a product I purchased from Murray McMurray Hatchery,
Scalex Mite and lice spray. I also picked up the strips too. You spray nesting boxes (any wood surface-clean poo etc. first) and mist the front and back/top sides of birds, OK for chicks too. Great, fast, effective.

As for me, wash clothing separate, take a shower, use a little regular vinegar in shampoo/body wash to make sure there are none of them boring into my skin, gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it! hehee.

The product is $18.30 for spray and $5.25 for strips + shipping. Worth it, fast acting, don't have to dip/bathe chickens. There are other things that are beneficial in an organic/preventative format, ACV w/mother, garlic, but it helps if you knock them back first and periodically.


Worming: That will take a little longer to compile and simplify what I do so, it's easy peasy. I follow Dawg53 on alot of these issues. BYC on line has good info to get you started on signs/symptoms/treatments.
Type in search bar "worms", "cocci", "mites", etc., to give you an overall perspective. Just remember, depending on coastal conditions, the decision to worm or not is very important


Cocci: Just finishing up with that, I hope, first time, heavy rains/humidity/cold/humid/rains etc. Chicks/peepers didn't have enough time to develop immunity. A real bloody mess, but treatable if caught early.

Use Corid if possible to treat chickens. Treats 9 strains of Cocci and easier on the stomach/intestines. Liquid, if not, use powder. Will follow up with dosage, if needed. I use medicated feed, but will keep peepers inside, off ground for 4 weeks to give their immune system a head start in the future. Especially if the weather goes sour again.

Mine were 2 1/2 weeks, with their Mom's in the pens, when I noticed something wasn't right (ruffled feathers, hunched over, not sitting on the ground) and brought them inside. That's when I saw the blood. Lots of wierd weather this spring so far. They are now 4 weeks and have turned the corner and starting to thrive. I'll move them back outside after I'm through treating the ground/pens, hopefully this weekend. They are tired of being cooped up in brooder boxes. And I'd love to have that spare bathroom back! haha

On that note, there is another product I'm using now that will knock down the eggs from Cocci, called Oxine. Use it as a spray on the pens/coop/ground. I ordered it from Revival Animal Health. $24.99 + shipping. Costly, but doesn't take a lot, and you can use it in many ways/places. Very safe, very effective, stronger than bleach, but again safe to use to disinfectant kitchen counter tops/drinking water mixed appropriately...read on BYC line for more info. Just don't use/purchase oxidizer. Again, more details later if needed.

I hope this is helpful, not to confusing. I think and hope it's OK to mention these products, since I learned about them through other BYC posts. Take care.

 

[chirpingcricket]

Okay, so I have question regarding worming here in the South...How and When? I've already COMPLETELY creeped out

by the mite/lice reading I did when the no-see-ums started to come out and I wasn't sure if the chickens had mites or I had no-see-ums ( I know, DUH, right? ) Parasites just make me want to take a boiling bleach bath when I think about them too much so...would REALLY like to avoid them if possible (ok and I want my babies nice and healthy too!)

Re: Worming/dose/when/what product/how often
How old are your birds?

 

[alexplustrips]

I had my first chickie casualty Everyone seems healthy and they are at the end of a Corid treatment.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Sorry about your chick.

 

[chirpingcricket]

Hello, I've got the photos for the open air coop.
Please note that it is functional, not real sophisticated, so please be nice.

The birds love it, especially when it's open. We put up tarps, when there is a moderate rain, as needed.
We use panels when the weather is cold, heavy rains, high winds, etc. Easy to put up and remove.
I'm getting ready to paint it, since we have been adding on to it over the past year or so. You guys know how that chicken math works!

We have a heavy hawk and coon presence here, so free ranging is limited to a few hours a day, when we are outside with the birds. Otherwise, they enjoy their coops/runs.

The walls of the coop and runs are covered with traditional 1 inch chicken wire, to keep the chickens inside. It then has any where from 18" to 2 feet of 1/2" hardware cloth around the bottom of the walls, on all 4 sides. The top edge of the hardware cloth is wired onto the chicken wire to keep it from being pulled down or off by coons.

It also has hardware cloth at doors and up higher where the perch bars are located so they can't be grabbed off of a perch. Again, wired onto the chicken wire to keep it secured. The perch's are backed off the walls, but coons can stretch their arms a long way if opportunity presents itself.

We also have at least 6" of 1/4" hardware cloth around the bottom of the walls at ground level. It is on the inside where the chickens are so they can't scratch a hole under the floor framing.

On the outside of the 2 x 4 framing base, there is at least 6" of the same hardware cloth at the ground level, tacked onto framing and buried under dirt so coons have a harder time reaching under the pen walls to grab a chicken by the leg, etc. Each exterior and interior corner has on overlay of hardware cloth (6" wide) nailed and wired in to reinforce/connect the corners to the wire at the bottom edges of the walls to keep them (corners) from being exposed.

You could use roofing tin (or wood) around the bottom of the walls of the pen and run a piece just underneath the edge of the pen to deter coons, from digging under the pen, to save yourself the trouble of wiring the hardware cloth onto the chickien wire. (This happened to my neighbor, the coons dug a tunnel underneath her tractor pens, crawled in and had a feast. The hens had no where to go, as they chased them around and around. Tractors were only a few feet high.)

We decided to keep it wire, so it could be cleaned/rinsed and drain/dry quickly since it is on a bit of a slope on our land.

Also, on the tin roof, be sure to leave an overhang of about 4 to 6" on all 4 sides. This will minimize rain splatter to the inside edges of coop. Dries faster.

We are in the process of setting ours up so the water is to the back of each coop (north side), food underneath coop box, covered from rains etc. this way. Then they are able to dust bathe on the south and west sides inside the coop and runs, safe from predators.

They will also take advantage of dust baths when outside the pen when we let them free range.

Note: I am sending pictures separately since it usually takes me a few trys to get the picture and message together on the same page. This way, I won't have to re-type this part of the message if I don't get it right the first time. . .thanks for your patience!

 

[chirpingcricket]

Quote:

Side view of 1st coop and Playpen (run).


From view of 1st coop and playpen. Note: The Playpen, part that is sticking out has a middle divider wall with and interior door for me to walk in and clean as well as the exterior door.

 

[Jeanna Marie]

Side view of 1st coop and Playpen (run). From view of 1st coop and playpen. Note: The Playpen, part that is sticking out has a middle divider wall with and interior door for me to walk in and clean as well as the exterior door.

So..would you say that you framed it as if it were going to have solid walls but instead used the wire. You said u have removable panels for harsh weather. What are those made out of?