Eastern Tennessee Thread

[stanglover2001]

DE! I can get it for a $1 a pound at LC Feeds in Lenoir City, they've moved and are now closer to me than any other feed store

Hey do any of you use diatomaceous earth (DE) instead of Sevin Dust..? Or what are your thoughts on it?

 

[grawg]

Hey do any of you use diatomaceous earth (DE) instead of Sevin Dust..? Or what are your thoughts on it?

I tried it last year in an attempt to actually raise an eggplant to fruit... I ended up with a 3" half eaten fruit

. The last couple years I used zero pesticides and did fairly well overall in the garden. DE was so-so and tricky to apply. When it rains it washes off. If tends to cake the leaves with a white powder. I did notice less flea beetles by the end of the season, but whether that was DE or thick mulch who knows?

I honestly prefer the heavy straw/newspaper or cardboard method to any pesticides. The small wolf spiders love straw mulch and I saw them actively munching on cucumber beetles. Another good pest control method is to grow some sort of tall flowering plants nearby. I just let my kale go to flower and seed and that provided plenty of habitat for beneficial wasps. Also, don't forget your marigolds and nasturtiums, the nasturtiums really spice up a salad as well.

The downside to heavy mulch is that it provides ideal habitat for snail,slugs, and squash bugs, I hoping ducks will equalize that this year.

 

[TNBarnQueen]

I know what you mean..We were rescuing and fostering for a while and had all kinds. That last one "Molly" the St. Bernard we almost ending up keeping after getting her back to health She was about 200. Harley is my 4th GSD since I was a child. I got hooked on the breed early on. He is actually much better with the chickens than Lucy is (Lhasa/Maltese). The girls want another one (a Chiuaua) (SP) but I had to put my foot down on that one. Two is all we need right now. Our temporary neighbor has a Great Dane that has it in for our small dog and he has charged Megan and Lucy several times. I tried talking to them but they leave him off the lead about half the time still. Harley tore into him once pretty bad a couple months ago, but the other night we came home from church and he charged us again. When I could not get him to stop I let Harley out and he got him pretty good again...I told them enough was enough and I would be forced to shoot him next time as I did not want him to suffer by being torn up by Harley every time. They acted like they did not care. When that day comes, I will be very upset to have to take his life. I reported them but they wont do anything unless they see him off the lead.

Same history here on neighbors dogs. I finally got pics and that worked for us. Their dogs where confiscated and they where fined. I don't know how it is in your county but here in Jefferson the animal control is now actually a police officer. So..they have more control of what they can do now that they are not with the humane society. Our neighbors now have a GSD and some little mutt. You cannot get out of the car without them all over the fence at you. I am going to get a good sling shot. The owners have been keeping them up since I threatened to shoot them if I caught them in my yard with the chickens. This has been a problem we have had to contend with for over 18 years now. You have every right to protect your family and animals...and you have warned them more than once. So...if you have to it is their own fault.

 

[TNChick82]

@Stang Hey do they carry Nutrena Country feeds? whats their address? The next time I'm headed to Oak Ridge. I will take the long way lol. So I can go by there and check them out.

 

[xChickiex]

I have been having similar problems with stray animals over the past few years, more often times than not was owned dogs that were poorly cared for by their owners. Sad thing about the whole situation is that it's not really the dog's fault but more so the irresponsible owner. Many times we have tried to confront owners about their dogs and it either wasnt their dog, they were busy and couldnt do anything about it, or some other convinient excuse. Animal control isn't that helpful either, they only tell you to shoot the dog if it tries to harm your birds or other animals which is not something I really want to do but cant allow the birds to be killed either

.

 

[bairo]

Tnchick721

I'll start by saying that DE is not a bad thing at all. I think it does (slightly) act as a preventive for creepy crawlies, and it def can bring down moisture in the coop. With that said, I am not a huge fan of just pure DE. Only because there are better products out there (combinations of DE and something else) that are individually tailered to each situation.

You want to dry up a coop and make it smell nice, then use PDZ (DE and other stuff)
You want to prevent the creepy-crawlies, then use sevin dust (DE and Carbaryl) at every bedding change (except twice a year when you deep clean and spray with permethrin) IMPO

I found that DE probably helped...but if you ever get an outbreak then it seems those bugs are just laughing at you while rolling in the stuff.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bairos-member-page next to last article Permethrin "how to get and stay bug free".
Yes... it is a strong approach and was due to my pers. experience with lice and mites almost getting away from me (and I thought I was a clean freak), Once done though the upkeep with sevin dust at bedding changes is minimal.

 

[TNChick82]

Tnchick721

I'll start by saying that DE is not a bad thing at all. I think it does (slightly) act as a preventive for creepy crawlies, and it def can bring down moisture in the coop. With that said, I am not a huge fan of just pure DE. Only because there are better products out there (combinations of DE and something else) that are individually tailered to each situation.

You want to dry up a coop and make it smell nice, then use PDZ (DE and other stuff)
You want to prevent the creepy-crawlies, then use sevin dust (DE and Carbaryl) at every bedding change (except twice a year when you deep clean and spray with permethrin) IMPO

I found that DE probably helped...but if you ever get an outbreak then it seems those bugs are just laughing at you while rolling in the stuff.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bairos-member-page next to last article Permethrin "how to get and stay bug free".
Yes... it is a strong approach and was due to my pers. experience with lice and mites almost getting away from me (and I thought I was a clean freak), Once done though the upkeep with sevin dust at bedding changes is minimal.

I've been using Sevins dust in the bedding at every change. also would throw it in under the coop. where they like to take their dirt baths. I had read that DE could be used to dry up the coop. I thought I would keep some on hand. For those time I have to wait to clean the coop. Since it has been cold, snowing or raining. I can't clean out on time. With all that going on.

 

[bairo]

I think for a hold over it is fine...If you can find it cheap enough, throw several pounds in there and then top dress it with PDZ. That should give you a good deal more grace period on the clean out.

 

[TNChick82]

I plan on cleaning out the coop today. According to the weather we might be getting some snow. So I need to take advantage of the nice day we are having. But have to do some house work first! Thanks for all the info everyone!

 

[xChickiex]

Will be starting the incubators soon

. Does anyone have any silkie hatching eggs they would want to sell?