Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[HappyHenMama]

Wow! I fight cliques at school all day long, now I have to worry about cliques with my girls at home? hahaha

Yes, it's true. I have 2 BO's that I introduced to a flock of 7 at 5 weeks old. They were 8 weeks old at the time and my two BO's are BFF's still hanging together seperately from the other 7. They have been in their for 11 weeks now!

 

[EMantooth]

I've really appreciated everyone's advice, and I'm hoping you can come through with some more for me!
1. My three girls have dry pox. Any advice on helping them through it? Does putting iodine on combs really help? So far they seem to be doing okay...a little more subdued than usual, but still eating and drinking well. No eggs from my older 2, though. My 2 10 month-ers have it worse than my 4 month old, but it may just be a matter of who is farther along than who.
2. From what I understand, pox is often spread through mosquitoes. I live on the West coast of Central Florida -- mosquitoes are a way of life around here.

I have noticed that there is always a swarm of them in the enclosed portion of the coop. Any suggestions on keeping the mosquito population down besides the usual empty standing water advice? Is there any sort of repellent I can put in/around the coop?
3. Speaking of other uninvited guests in the coop...we have a big problem with brown widow spiders (cousin of black widow with pretty much the same characteristics) all around our yard. I saw one in the coop this morning while I was fluffing bedding. Do I need to worry about them?
I'm doing my best to keep my girls as natural as possible...I want to avoid antibiotics, pesticides, etc as much as possible, but I will not rule them out completely if absolutely needed.
Thank you for your wisdom!
Eliza

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I'd be more worried for myself getting bit by the brown recluse. Clear out all dark areas and get leaves and litter out of there....the recluse likes to hide in dark corners, eliminate it's habitat. I don't know what you mean by dry pox. Are they sores from mosquitoe bites? Get a few strips of tough strong adorbant fabric--like jeans---tack it above your chicken door, hanging half way down, now cut it so you have strips hanging down, go to your local feed store and get a mosquitoe oil for livestock--make sure it can be used on chickens...saturate the strip of fabric..it will run down the strips and your chickens will apply it when they go in and out the coop...you can do nothing to eliminate mosquitoes there. PS..keep your chickens away from ponds-gators love chickens

 

[wgidir]

I have a question about the nesting boxes. I know about the curtains that people put up on their nesting boxes but do I train the girls to use the boxes first without the curtains and then add them or put the curtains up first? Silly question I know, but these girls are my first!

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Idon'tt use curtains, sorry

 

[stonykill]

curtains? Seriously?

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I haven't gotten curtains up on all my windows yet...those little buggers gotta get in line!,,

 

[wgidir]

Stonykill, this is why I am a newbie - you really want to tease me? I have spent literally hours and hours on this site and many people do recommend curtains for privacy - I am only trying to do the best for our chickens

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I will I'm thinking cafe style...on the west side...

 

[Ridgerunner]

Stonykill, this is why I am a newbie - you really want to tease me?  I have spent literally hours and hours on this site and many people do recommend curtains for privacy - I am only trying to do the best for our chickens

A lot of people recommed a lot of different things. Most of them work or at least do no harm.

Do you have something specific to make you think you need curtains or is it just something that somebody said was a neat thing to do? We all keep them in different circumstances. I'm sure for some people curtains are the way to go, but I don't use them and don't see a need for them with my set-up.