Eastern Tennessee Thread

[tnchickenut]

Ok, so this is going to sound like a silly post. I am going to be dusting my chickens for mites. I have found a few, and want to take care of it before it becomes a problem. I have about 30 adults that I am going to be dusting. My question is how do you dust a chicken? Do you lift the feathers and powder them, or do you just srpinkle it over them? I am either going to use seven dust 5%, or food grade diatomaceous. I just cleaned the coop, and scrubbed out the plastic nest boxes, and refilled with shavings, and treated the roosts with a liquid seven dust. Do I need to lift up the wings and dust under there, or dust around the vent area? I know that sounds silly, but I have never had to dust mine before. Also, I am going to make a large boxed in area for a dust bath. What have you all found is best to fill the dust bath with? I have also heard you can put seven dust, or Diatomaceous earth in the dust bath box also. Any advice....

I use litterboxes (uncovered) in the coops with just dirt from the ground (about 30%) and sand (20%) and Diatomacious Earth (50%). I got my DE at TSC in Athens. If yours doesn't have it, they can get it to their store from Athens. I know... I worked there... the teen at the register might not now they can do that, but they can and will at their cost.

Also twice a year I put Ivemectin Pour On on their backs... usually this time of year (mental note: got to do Ivemec again) so that they are worm and lice/mite free before winter sets in and their feathers can be at top notch before they need them the most.

I have seen people use buckets, litterboxes, even a cardboard box will work. Just need about 3-5 inches of depth so they can really get rolling in it.

 

[littlechicklet]

Ok, so this is going to sound like a silly post. I am going to be dusting my chickens for mites. I have found a few, and want to take care of it before it becomes a problem. I have about 30 adults that I am going to be dusting. My question is how do you dust a chicken? Do you lift the feathers and powder them, or do you just srpinkle it over them? I am either going to use seven dust 5%, or food grade diatomaceous. I just cleaned the coop, and scrubbed out the plastic nest boxes, and refilled with shavings, and treated the roosts with a liquid seven dust. Do I need to lift up the wings and dust under there, or dust around the vent area? I know that sounds silly, but I have never had to dust mine before. Also, I am going to make a large boxed in area for a dust bath. What have you all found is best to fill the dust bath with? I have also heard you can put seven dust, or Diatomaceous earth in the dust bath box also. Any advice....

I am not big on Sevin Dust or DE. I have and still use both but once the DE is gone I am not repurchasing. I think bairo has great information on his coop page for mixing Permethrin liquid & putting it in a spray bottle. Its easiest to spray when they go in to roost at night & the spray is also good to spray your coop with on cleaning day.

I am considering changing over to Frontline for mine. I am still doing research on it but I am leaning in that direction. The way I see it we use many things in an off label way on our chickens already so one more is not a big deal to me.

As far as dust bathing goes when I make them a dust bathing area they use it sometimes the rest of the time when they are free ranging they like to get under the shed for dust bathing. I am starting to question the effectiveness of the Sevin dust since it has been around forever but until I find something better I will continue to use it. Like I said I still sprinkle Sevin in the nest boxes, on the litter & in their favorite dust bathing areas.

I guess I am saying: ask questions, research & find what's most comfortable for you.

 

[dncarr09]

I am not big on Sevin Dust or DE. I have and still use both but once the DE is gone I am not repurchasing. I think bairo has great information on his coop page for mixing Permethrin liquid & putting it in a spray bottle. Its easiest to spray when they go in to roost at night & the spray is also good to spray your coop with on cleaning day.

I am considering changing over to Frontline for mine. I am still doing research on it but I am leaning in that direction. The way I see it we use many things in an off label way on our chickens already so one more is not a big deal to me.

As far as dust bathing goes when I make them a dust bathing area they use it sometimes the rest of the time when they are free ranging they like to get under the shed for dust bathing. I am starting to question the effectiveness of the Sevin dust since it has been around forever but until I find something better I will continue to use it. Like I said I still sprinkle Sevin in the nest boxes, on the litter & in their favorite dust bathing areas.

I guess I am saying: ask questions, research & find what's most comfortable for you.

Thank you, I will check Barios page. I would love to find something liquid I could spray on.

 

[dncarr09]

I use litterboxes (uncovered) in the coops with just dirt from the ground (about 30%) and sand (20%) and Diatomacious Earth (50%). I got my DE at TSC in Athens. If yours doesn't have it, they can get it to their store from Athens. I know... I worked there... the teen at the register might not now they can do that, but they can and will at their cost.

Also twice a year I put Ivemectin Pour On on their backs... usually this time of year (mental note: got to do Ivemec again) so that they are worm and lice/mite free before winter sets in and their feathers can be at top notch before they need them the most.

I have seen people use buckets, litterboxes, even a cardboard box will work. Just need about 3-5 inches of depth so they can really get rolling in it.

Thanks for the info,I will check the TSC in Lenoir City to see. I will get a couple of jumbo cat boxes and put in the coop.

 

[itsthelaw37801]

Thanks for the info,I will check the TSC in Lenoir City to see. I will get a couple of jumbo cat boxes and put in the coop.

Will you let me know if TSC in Lenoir City has it? I am finding that TSC is better than the one on 321. But I want the rooster booster stuff too. I saw the whole line at the COOP in Maryville next to Mr. Ghattis/Food City on 411 going toward town.

 

[tnchickenut]

Thanks for the info,I will check the TSC in Lenoir City to see. I will get a couple of jumbo cat boxes and put in the coop.

No problem... the TSC has the ivemectin pour on too... in "Ivemec" and generic. I have had a $12 bottle of generic for two years now and not even half used... and I have spilled it on myself. (I got wormed!!!)

They say don't overdose, and I don't recommend bathing them in ivemectin, but I don't come close to measuring anymore. I started off being really careful. At the time I had about 300 chickens and tried to do this all at night the first time. Well... I forgot the lid was off and bent over, spilling it down my arm. I felt drunk... that is about the extent of the overdose. So that coupled with having so many to do, I just started eyeballing the right amount on their backs. Never lost one or had one puke or anything over it. Just some FYI.

Now... I have put it on the dog's back (only safe if they are heartworm negative) and they did puke. And it only seemed to anger fleas. Some more FYI for ya'

 

[TNBarnQueen]

Permethrin is a great way to go. It may be a little bit more work but worth it. I also put everyone outside and spray down the entire hen house including nesting boxes. I use permythrin in the spring and if something shows up during the summer. In the fall I use Ivomectin.

All through the year I keep nesting boxes, cages and floor before I put shavings down. I am getting ready to worm with Valbazen and for the second worming use Ivomectin and drops under the wings for mites.

In the spring I sprinkle sevin all over the entire run. At a hardware store close to me you can get the generic Sevin for a little over $5. I have been so fortunate that my problems have been minimal with mites. When I do find some I spray with Adams flea spray immediately to get things going til I can treat everyone. I know this may be a bit anal but mites give me the creeps!!

 

[tnchickenut]

Permethrin is a great way to go. It may be a little bit more work but worth it. I also put everyone outside and spray down the entire hen house including nesting boxes. I use permythrin in the spring and if something shows up during the summer. In the fall I use Ivomectin.

All through the year I keep nesting boxes, cages and floor before I put shavings down. I am getting ready to worm with Valbazen and for the second worming use Ivomectin and drops under the wings for mites.

In the spring I sprinkle sevin all over the entire run. At a hardware store close to me you can get the generic Sevin for a little over $5. I have been so fortunate that my problems have been minimal with mites. When I do find some I spray with Adams flea spray immediately to get things going til I can treat everyone. I know this may be a bit anal but mites give me the creeps!!

Permethrin is a great way to treat a whole coop. Plus I like the smell of it. Weirdo, right? Already knew.

 

[bairo]

How to get and stay parasite free​

• It is necessary to do this on your clean out day when you change the bedding, etc
• Mix 4 Oz's of 10% permethrin into one gallon of water. Lock the hens in the run or let them out to free range and lock them out of the run/hen house.
• Clean out all bedding thoroughly and remove anything removable (feeders, waterers, removable metal or plastic nest boxes, etc) take those out to the garden hose and use bleach water or a good disinfectant type cleaner.​
• Apply the permethrin spray to all ceilings, walls, roosts, nests, cracks, crevices, holes, etc. at the rate of about one gallon for every 750 square feet. (I use a pump up sprayer)​
• Let the coop air out until dry (a couple of hours in warm breezy weather).​
• Lay in new bedding and top dress with Sevin dust.​
• Replace cleaned and disinfected feeders, waters, nest boxes, etc.​
• That evening when they are on the roost, you should treat them with Ivermectin Pour-On (dosage above)​
• 10-14 days later treat them with Valbazen (dosage above)​

If you do this twice a year , and keep the coop clean and sanitary; your flock will stay both bug and worm free.

I do the above the first of March, and about the middle of September. I keep a little dust on the bedding all year (not much).​

If I see anything in between these two major cleans...I spritz them with my small spray bottle. That one is 1 oz permethrin in 1 gallon and then I take the gallon and fill my little 1/2 qt. spray bottle. I rarey need to use it usually although this year was bad and I had to a couple times. I also keep fly tape up all year. The "dosage above" is on my coop page.

 

[bairo]

Contrast...

Did you hear anything from the photo submission on the Calendar?? I have not, but need to check the end dates/publish dates.