chicks and bug's

[fowler_chick]

just wondering what every one uses to clean out there coops, we have 9 buff rock's ( 4 1/2 weeks old) 8 cornish x same age, a bantie who is 6 weeks of age and 2 bronze turkeys (a month old),who at this point share the coop, i've notice that there are small bug's in there, i'm not sure if there lice,mites or fleas.
i change the shaving's every 3rd day and scrape it out and hose it too....i notice the bugs a few days ago and went to the local farm store, they sugested to use bleach water while hosing out the coop, letting it dry out and then putting clean shavings down....ok that solves the problem for a few, just wondering if and one uses tea tree oil spray in there coop to also keep the bug's at bay, would it be harmful to put apple sider vinigur in to there water?, i've give it to my horses , dog's ,pig's, and calf to help them out with flies.

 

[kycowgirlchick]

I always keep acv in their water. It is suppose to be good for the chickens.

 

[Judy]

I might clean my coop every three months! Many on here do it once a year. I agree, ACV is fine, but it will not help with lice and mites.

I would suggest you look into using DE. But do read up (links below,) there are two kinds, and the wrong kind can kill your animals. There are other products like stall-dri that can be sprinkled on bedding to keep flies and odors down. Look in the horse section. The DE will also keep lice/mites and fleas under control. It is often hard to find locally and has to be ordered online. Another option is "poultry dust," usually a pyrethrin/permethrin combination, not hard to find around here, the feed store keeps it but has never heard of DE. Besides, it sounds like you need to dust your birds, so the poultry dust will work for this. You can also use Sevin 5% powder, if you can find it, as it will be going off the market this year.

http://www.shadowridgedonkeys.com/index.html

http://www.freshwaterorganics.com/what_is_de.htm

http://www.custommilling.com/

 

[sojeo]

Can you take a pic of your bugs? I'm curious to see what you have. I just moved mine into their coop and have been thinking about any future bug problems that may arise. I have a 50 lb bag of DE here, but not sure how much to be using on the coop floor.

I have been mixing it half in half with dirt from the garden for their dust bath dish tub and they love it, but still wondering about how much to use on the floor.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Don't use anywhere near that much! A light sprinkle under the bedding, and a light sprinkle mixed into the dust bath, is all that is needed. It is not good for them or you to be inhaling it. I have two coops and my 50 lb. bag that I bought last year is still half full. I also put a handful in their feed every week or so.

 

[sojeo]

Ok, thanks, will cut down the amount used in the dust bath tub. I only used about a cup on the coop floor so far. How often do you reapply it? When it starts getting stinky in there?

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I don't use DE for smell. I add shavings or sprinkle the litter with some pelleted lime and rake in. There are other products, stall-dri, etc. that are cheaper than DE for odor. I sprinkle a little DE around every month or so for lice/mites, flies, etc.

 

[lelisabeth]

Is there anything else that people use, other than DE, to sprinkle in the coop? None of our local feed stores carry that, and I hate paying shipping if I don't have to. Can you use garden lime? I don't know if that is edible...

 

[Judy]

Pelleted lime IS garden lime. There is another type of lime you should not use but I don't know what it is called. The chickens do not eat the pelleted lime, even if I toss it around while they are standing there, and I toss them scratch every day in the same way. The problem with the wrong kind of lime is it burns their feet. The pelleted is also not dusty.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Quote:
sweet pdz