Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Chickens Naturally]

Please be careful with permethrin (and Sevin) as it will also kill honeybees.

Careless, too liberal applications of pesticides and fungicides can harm the environment/beneficials too.

Yes, I agree with that. I seldom ever use poisons or pesticides. Living in the country, I have found that there is a natural way to remedy most any problem, although I have used fire ant killer. I've never had a problem with ants around the chickens. I have only used 7 dust on the rare occasions I have brought in live birds. I pick the birds up and message the 7 dust to the skin a few times while in quarantine. I would urge anyone to do their own research though because I am not sure if this is a good idea or even works. I have only done this as a precaution when bringing in new birds on a very few occasions. I may have just been lucky, but I have never had a mite problem. Other than that I just keep them dry, feed and water. I never had an issue with bugs either because the chickens eat most bugs even the ones that fly. I wonder it this isn't another symptom of moisture problems?

 

[Robert Blosl]

http://www.hpbaa.com/January_2013_Newsletter.html
found a good article for you beginners wanting to show your large fowl this fall.
These two are great exibitors and met them at our Pensacola Fla Show this past Dec.

Also for the people that wanted to see shipping crates to a show found these pictures.

 

[Wisher1000]

Quote: That's a lot of worming.... have you ever run a control batch of chicks next to the regularly wormed ones to see the difference? I'm curious if it makes a huge difference.

I accidently did that with some chicks in regards to feed. I had a hen raising three chicks she hatched. They free ranged with the hen and had a pan of chick starter that they could acess, but the adult chickens could not. I needed a turkey poult tutor and pulled one inside to the brooder. About three weeks later, I noticed that the chick in with the turkey, which was getting 30% wild bird starter was nearly three times the size of the two still with their mom. I took the other two inside and in another month, the difference is not noticeable.

I would like to see the difference your schedule of worming makes in side by side comparison.

 

[Wisher1000]

I like to use wheat straw and it works very well sometimes I rake it over to a corner in my big pens sweep up the little manure then take that out. Add more straw and do it over again. Great place to condition nice males for shows. Deep wheat little, nice fresh water and feed and boy they have a nice place to finish out before the small conditioning pens. Put a little scratch in ther for them to scratch and hunt for and they stir up the little and keep it dry.
I agree with you Walt I think you and I treat our birds like chickens and not like humans and worry about all this stuff if they make it fine if not so be it. That’s what these old timers did in the old days you and I met as kids. So if they did it with success why not us. I would rather raise 40 super chicks from a good trio narrow down to six good males and ten good females then when its breeding season time only two of the very very best is used and again the Paramount trait you look for is VIGOR. Then type and then color.
Pretty simple if you think about it. In my trio of three year old hens coming to me from my partner in December I will mate one ckl to both females pedigree each egg in the incubator toe punch each chick. Then rotate the male put his brother in and mate him to the hens again for the rest of the season. This will give me a total of four toe punches and four different looks in my program. You can do this also with your Java’s. By the way my paatner in Mottle Java’s in Texas may do the same with a male that has a great comb. Trying to stamp this head on all the off sping on his first breeding seson. Hope this helps.
Want a nice Christmas present this year? Ask for one of these. https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=77

Bob? You pitching Hovabators?

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Karen

I live in NW Ga and it is humid as "heck" here in the summer. Unfortunately, most of the dirt here is red clay and it simply holds water OR cracks like cement. My runs are all sand and could honestly use a couple of tons at the moment. Its the only way I've been able to keep them dry.

I tried straw, but it seems to become very damp as it decomposes. I also noticed that it tends to mold as well.

Just my opinion...

Karen

Just clarifying my response. My "runs" are outdoor, 10x20ish and covered across the top with wire (for predator deterrent), but not covered by any kind of roof. Thats the reason I cannot keep wheat straw (or anything for that matter) dry, and the reason

My coops are enclosed buildings with metal roofs ... inside these I use large flake pine shavings. Inside I have no problems keeping things dry

Hope that cleans up any confusion

Thanks and happy Friday!

 

[Pathfinders]

Have you sprayed your roosts with liquid Permethrin ? It gets into all the nooks and crannies that the powder doesn't. DE is vastly over rated. It does NOT grind up worms in the digestive tract of chickens. It may supply a few minerals, depending on the source.I don't think your mites are coming in on straw. More likely on wild birds.

I use "dairy spray", which contains Permethrin, and which when used in a closed area (like a coop) and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, settles into all the cracks and crevices. It works really well against mites, and can be found in most feed stores or easily online. Love that stuff.

 

[Pathfinders]

Shipping Live Chicks



My buddy Jimmyjay54 and I have been chatting about this shipping eggs fiasco that just happens so darn often. Won't bore you with the details, but lost, I mean LOST boxes for days, scrambled egg insides even though the very best methods are used, hot trucks, freezing trucks, rough handling, dumped on conveyor belts, sent in jet cargo bays, and who knows what else.

Now, let's get down to brass tacks. Those with experience. Here is the scenario. Gonna send someone 9 chicks, 5 weeks old. Best price on a "good enough" shipping box? Bought in a package of less than 8. Who's gonna buy 30 shipping boxes, certainly not me.

Cost to ship? Current prices, as I understand there's been a rate spike. So what does a breeder have in the box and postage to send out 8 or 9 chicks?

Real experience please. Shoot, any of us can speculate.

Just the facts, as Joe Friday used to say.

I actually just shipped 12 two week-old Buckeye chicks across the country to Utah, first time I had ever shipped birds that age, it was an experiment and it went extremely well!

It has been very cool here this summer, and I have been able to ship when normally I can't (we are told if it's over 85 we can't do it.)

I put the chicks into a 25 chick box with a double dose of Grow Gel Plus and a cut up apple, as well as a heater pad for the cool night conditions. They arrived healthy and happy. Cost to ship by Express Mail (the only way I will) was $52.00.

I have also shipped started Dutch birds in the larger shipping boxes, usually pairs or trios. When you get into that size box, shipping can cost $65 and up. I use the Horizon ones, and you can find them in pairs, don't have to buy 30 usually. I think you could put nine 5 week-old chicks into one of those, and if you included a heater pad under the excelsior/shavings, and some of the GGP, with an apple or two, you should be fine.

Here's the link for the Horizon boxes, you might be able to use one of the pigeon ones: http://www.hm-e.net/

Or, if you just want one or two, get them at Cutlers: http://cutlersupply.com/zen_new51/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_134&products_id=668

Here's where I buy the Grow Gel Plus: http://cutlersupply.com/zen_new51/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_134&products_id=442

And the heater pads: http://cutlersupply.com/zen_new51/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_134&products_id=939

Good luck!

 

[Fred's Hens]

I put the chicks into a 25 chick box with a double dose of Grow Gel Plus and a cut up apple, as well as a heater pad for the cool night conditions. They arrived healthy and happy. Cost to ship by Express Mail (the only way I will) was $52.00.

Laura, just to clarify, $52 was for the postage, the box was .... $8 ??? And, assuming this dozen chicks wasn't a gift, so add whatever they paid for the chicks? Thus, without having to say so or disclose anything, this dozen chicks could easily have cost the buyer $180-$200.

 

[thedragonlady]

Best part of Permethrin is when you dip birds, you can dip several. They all get the effects of the medication.

In my opinion it's more valuable than DE. Which I honestly can't see how DE does much of anything other than cut back on flies when mixed into bedding.




Just have to dip birds and dry them indoors. We have Honey Bees and they go for anything liquid. Including our scald buckets(fair warning if I ever give you honey... it may contain blood of culls).

When using Permethrin liquid it is NOT necessary to dip your birds. Use a spray bottle, and spray around the vent, and under each wing.
If you have bearded ,or crested birds, a shot of spray to the beard and crest will kill crest mites too. I usually spray my birds at night when they are on the roost. It might take me 15 minutes to do 20 birds. The birds are dry by morning, with no danger to the bees.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

When using Permethrin liquid it is NOT necessary to dip your birds. Use a spray bottle, and spray around the vent, and under each wing.
If you have bearded ,or crested birds, a shot of spray to the beard and crest will kill crest mites too. I usually spray my birds at night when they are on the roost. It might take me 15 minutes to do 20 birds. The birds are dry by morning, with no danger to the bees.

Vickie

Do you buy a prediluted spray (like Adams) to spray on the birds or do you mix your own?

Thanks!!