Colorado

[Travinara]

@alebuela - I'm 2 years into a BSN... nursing. My last career was in IT and I found it a little too dehumanizing.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Fantastic photo Uzi.
I hope you find a way to keep him. Or that if you choose not to that you can help him find a proper place. Looks like another critter that needed you and perhaps you needed him too.
Man I wish I was out in the country. I would volunteer to keep him in a heartbeat if I could. Peacocks are one of the larger birds that I find enticing and fantastic.

 

[KLBCOS]

@ 21hens-incharge:

About 4 pm on Thursday the sun was baking the west side of the coop. I had picked up some Sevin dust and went inot the coop looked and freaked out. All I could say was OMG and ICK!. They were all in the rafters and where the vertical beams support the walls. Since I couldn't make the dust get into the areas effectively, I looked online. Many recommended permethrin spray. I went straight to Big R and got that and a sprayer. Sprayed the heck out of the coop.Sevin dusted horizontal surfaces putting piles where the mites would attempt to got to get to the birds. So, Fridthe sevin dust and then the temps got very warm just a couple of weeks ago. Either way, I will be diligent to rid our coop of this pests.

I had to remove their old nest curtains and replace them. This morning one layed an egg from the roost and it fell and cracked on the coop floor. Do you think they are just a bit out of sorts because I had to do such a drastic cleaning?

 

[21hens-incharge]

It is amazing how many you can find when looking at just the right time. Yes the spray works wonders on the nasty little buggers.

Be sure and repeat the treatment so any that were missed or hatched after the treatment meet the same fast end in your coop.

Every now and then a hen will lay from the roost. Even in the oldest and most reliant flocks it happens. They are used to the nest curtains so that may be the only change that would affect laying.
Make sure and give them a tempting place to dust in. Mine cannot resist a fresh bag of pete moss. I would add some sevin to it to have them treat themselves.
When I powdered the birds I did it in the coop in the morning and OMG the dust was incredibly irritating to the lungs even with the mask on. They kind of dusted the whole house when I put them down and they set to flapping.

You can caulk the edges of the coop if you like to give the nasty things less places to hide. I would do it after treating the coop for a second time.

Glad you found them before you lost the flock to the blood sucking vermin.

 

[KLBCOS]

I will keep a close eye on it. I was thinking of caulking and painting the entire inside once I feel the worst is behind use. I wondered about adding the seven dust into the paint. Has anyone done anything like this before? Most of the interior has paint but it looks like they ran out mid way. So, it might be nice to seal some of those seams that they like to congregate in and coat everything nicely. I actually bought some cute chicken fabric for their nest boxes but I am so thankful I've been too busy to sew them. Something to look forward to. Again thanks for your help.

 

[samsr]

I wnrt through the same thing about three weeks ago. The permethrin should have a lasting kill time of about 10 days or so. I went one step farther and treated my hens with one drop per pound of invermectin. That way if one of those blood sucking critters bites one of my flock. They will die. There is a egg withdrawl period of 10 days afterwards though. At that point i was only getting 4 to five eggs a day max out of my hens anyway, so no big loss.
If you want to make sure you got all of the mites. Go out after dark and look in the nesting boxes and the roosts. I did this twice just to be sure. Carry your sprayer with you. You will probably find some.
I hate those little creepy buggers. Glad youable to find information to help you out. Keep the permethrin away from any cats however. It aparently can kill them in small doses its very deadly to them.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Don't forget if you are going to paint the coop that oops paint at Home Depot is not always a gross color and is much much cheaper than a regular priced can.

 

[COChix]

@uzisuzuki For you...

Totem animals represent the sub-conscious mind, giving the information about the energy held.

Any living creature (including trees or plants) can serve as a spirit animal.

Each and everyone of these beautiful powerful animals have medicine powers and knowledge to share in order to learn, grow and expand your consciousness.

If you are reading this you are blessed with the magic of the peacock totem.

If you want others to be blessed with this energy, share this article

Close your eyes and tune into the power of this glowing peacock and feel its vibration attuning you.
The peacock totem came to me in a vision during a full moon transmission. The visual that I had a time was of very beautiful radiating white bird, assisting us on our journey.

Beauty: within and without

The peacock energy like anything else has a positive aspect and negative one.
Be mindful and don’t step into pride and arrogance, but instead step into your wisdom with dignity and honor.
Peacock reminds us of our hidden beauty that wants to surface. Your qualities, gifts and talents are inborn gifts and your imperfections make you unique and beautiful. Use imperfections to your advantage.
The peahen is not as beautiful as the peacock, but close your eyes for a moment and visualize its inside beauty. Without the hen there will be no beauty of the peacock. Treat others with respect and see their inner beauty.
In order to look for beauty in your life, look within and you will see beauty in the world.

Self Esteem ~ Love Yourself
Peacock helps to reclaim your powers and rejuvenate your self esteem.
This animal totem teaches us how to love ourselves. Whenever I help people with spiritual counseling or talk about self love I am surprised to see a large number of people resisting self love. This might come from a hidden belief system rooted perhaps in previous lives.
Self love is NOT being narcissistic.
Narcissism comes from fear of failure, insecurity, inadequacy. The focus is on the self, and although it is perceived as self love it is not. It is a false idea of self love, it has to do with vanity. It comes from ego, wanting to be the best without caring about anyone or anything.
Self Love is closely related to self esteem.
Self Love is feeling good about yourself without being vain. It is about understanding of the self with kindness, appreciation, compassion, gratitude.
Trust yourself and be confident. As long as you don’t harm anyone and treat everyone including yourself with kindness, don’t be afraid to shine your gifts and share them with the world. If you feel a slightly jealousy towards others think about why you feel that way. You might want to change and celebrate others because if you do so you will invite same energies.

Choose to ACT
If you find you don’t want to be involved with others and community, the peacock has a message for you: “shine, instead of shying away from situations and people”. You are not a victim; share your gifts and talents with the world. If you hide and choose not to be part of what’s happening in your life, in your community, in your world, you let others choose for you. This is not empowering. You have a voice, you have a gift. Use it. Use it with grace, passion and wisdom.

Leadership
Whenever the peacock totem visits, it is an invite to take charge of own life and step into your leadership. Be the leader in your field. Inspire yourself and inspire others. Leaders lead by example, bosses tell you what to do.
Peacock teaches us to be happy in own skin and shed any guilt we have about who we truly are. Remove masks and be authentic. Don’t be afraid to be YOU, to dance, sing, express yourself and wear nice colors even if others might seem to be intrigued by your behavior. Raise your vibrations so others will get inspired and do the same. Get noticed!

As a leader you might take some risks when you speak your mind. Some people will criticize or judge you. Remember if you are in integrity with yourself and others, if you are honoring others then criticisms and judgment is not about you, is about them. All you can do let people be. Sooner or later they will have to learn their own lessons on their own time. Don’t take things personally and move on fast, without dwelling in the low energy vibrations as it slows you down from your own journey.
Don’t hold back, let your heart and creativity be known. It is time for you to shine and radiate your powers and beauty in the world. Be yourself. The fake Hollywood is slowly started to fade and loses fans because people are headed towards authenticity, transparency and truthfulness…

Healer, shamanic gifts
Peacock as a power animal can get insights into the past lives and the karmic connection to this life. It also symbolizes inner wisdom.
In Shamanic rituals peacock feathers are used for healing, in particular removing energetic pollution from aura. They are believed to have protective powers. If you have peacock feathers, use them to cleanse your aura, if not just imagine peacock feathers over your energy field dusting off any psychic pollution in your aura.

Protection
Peacock can be a protector and a guardian. Work and ask the peacock to warn you ahead about any troubles or dangers. Ask to lend you powers to find the truth and discern in any situation that needs clarification.

There is a great spirit within you. There is an artist within you, a shaman, a healer, a poet, ready to emerge from within and show the world your gifts and talents so you can inspire others.
Allow the Spirit of Peacock to grow within you.
Namaste

​

I would say that you are well on your path and the universe is helping you by sending you various creatures to help with the healing. Embrace, how lucky you truly have been!

PS - amazing correlations with the full moon and such....

 

[COChix]

Natural remedies for mites...


http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2013/02/mites-how-to-prevent-them-and-treat.html


http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/laura_e_john/


http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-get-rid-of-your-chickens-external-parasites.html

If they have mites on their legs, cover the legs in Coconut oil, the oil suffocates them. Often sites recommend Vaseline, I prefer the natural Coconut oil and Waxlene for these things. Coconut oil is very beneficial in general and in fact, I add some raw cold pressed organic oil to the feed once a week, it is great stuff. Anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti- bacterial!

 

[Percheron chick]

I'm going to jinx myself but I thought we were one of the few places lucky enough to not have mites. I have never had any on my chickens or fleas on the dogs. Those that have had problems, how do you bed your coops? Mine are mostly bare dirt in the summer. I did see my first grasshoppers since I got chickens. Grass was so tall, I don't think they could chase after them.