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

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I was a little relieved when the mite talk ended but I had one possible pertinant question. ( I was a little worried that so much talk of mites might cause an infestation if it lasted more than 50 posts). lol.
The Bug spray guy that used to spray my house before the kiddos (I hate spiders more than anything) said that the most toxic insecticide he uses, and only for the tough cases, is tobacco. He said buy a package of chew tobacco and soak it in a 5 gal bucket and spray that around your house and no insect will cross it. I was wondering if anyone thought anything about using that and seems like the chickens would not really get any harm.....

Nicotine was an old time insecticide, but it can be dangerous to chickens if it is sprayed on the vent....they will die in short order if that is done by accident.

Walt
 
My anti bug routines are in a pecking order. This is true for the gardens (certified organic) as well.

1. Prevention through best practices
2. More prevention through better practices
Fred, could you expound a bit on what you do for prevention? From what I've read here I'd be wary of introducing someone else's birds to my flock. All of mine came from the hatchery this spring, and appear to be bug free. What are your tips for keeping them that way?
 
20 or more years ago Jerry Baker was K Mart's "master gardner" spokesman who also had a Saturday daytime TV slot on gardening. Jerry was always soaking chewing tobacco to make a tea. He'd incorporate that tea into most of his sprays. It remains quite an effective insecticide additive. Not a thing wrong with using tobacco tea to spray out your coop, in between new batches, things such as that. I agree with Walt, don't use tobacco juice on the bird directly.

Ammonia is also another effective killer. A good strong ammonia solution in hot water will also clean up a travel box, a holding pen, or a barn pen effectively.

Whenever I sweep out a pen for a new batch of birds, I clean and sanitize. I put down fresh straw and dust that pen with wood ashes and powdered lime. It's worked for me for a long time.
 
I know that I posted this before but we have been battling mites off and on for a year. Without knowing, when I was using hay/straw, I stored it in the lean to along the garage. There were birds nests over head. It's the only thing I can think of. We've built another coop further away and I've been trying to integrate the 2 flocks and burn the one down. I have tried so many things. I can get them off the birds but not out of the coop. Wish I had know this before.:(
 
Or, you could just get get a bunch of us guys to stand around and talk near your coop. After a hour or two, there'd not be a bug anywhere, what with all the chewin', dippin' and spittin'.

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Unfortunately I am a smoker. I throw my butts in a coffee can with water. After a while it is a pretty nasty mess. I strain it out and use it on the outside of the coops and the edges of the garden.
 
Sometimes your straw comes with mites. Check it before you use it or bring it home. Mice carry it also. Keep your rodents out of the coop by covering your feeds and feeding outside. You can also use electronic deterrent's. Ammonia and urine keeps not only coons and possums out of the coops, it helps to keep mice out. Re-soak those tennis balls in Ammonia just before the weather turns cold.
 
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