Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[foreverlearning]

Okay, I'm a little freaked! Early in the year I couldn't go outside without having dang ticks all over me when I came back in. I bet I have got over 30 ticks, shoot maybe closer to 50, off of me this year. Probably 8-10 of them were stuck! Last week I found one on me and a few days ago I found another on me. The little vermin! Well last night I was in the grocery looking at apples and I noticed a tiny tiny one crawling on my hand. I really think it came from one of the bags of apples! Well I was trying to kill it and I lost it, it got away! I'm pretty sure it was crawling on me somewhere but it was so dang small I'd never know - I'm talking like the size of a small ink pen dot. Well I get home and immediately strip down to my undies and put my clothes in the washer, doctor them up with extra soap and ammonia and wash them. Then as I am in the bathroom pulling off my socks about to get in the shower for a Dawn dish washing liquid shower and head washing (lol) I find three dang FLEAS on one of my socks! Ahhhhh! Now where in the heck did they come from! I've never seen fleas in my house unless it was on a dog and immediately went back outside with him! So now what to do? Did they come from my coop/chickens? Did they come from my boyfriend's yard? (- his next door neighbor has somewhere between 9-12 dogs plus 3-4 cats on a postage stamp sized lot, but most of them in her house.) Did my nephew bring them whose friend has had an infestation at their house? Did they come from the feed store? OR ALL OF THE ABOVE! LOL

Okay, so I guess my question for you folks is how do I treat my chickens and coop for fleas (and any other nasty critter) if they do have them??? I hate poisons and don't use any unless it is a last resort! I REALLY hate to kill the good bugs but I have got to get ahead of these fleas before I develope a full blown infestation. I think maybe ticks aren't so bad now. lol ...just not on me!

I know it sounds strange, but I hang those vanilla trees for cars in my coop. I got the idea from this site to rid my coop of mosquitoes and I haven't seen another bug in there since. I haven't had fleas yet, but it worked for flies, mosquitoes, and ticks.

 

[Beekissed]

Bee in the south? She would never be the same! Celebrity she would be! She would have to start a class and accept getting fat as we would all flock to her for her knowledge with food in trade.

I'm already in the South...somewhat..well, below the Mason-Dixon...but no one really wants anything I have to offer up here! Could be a move south is in order...especially if I can get some of them there pig skins they fry up~cracklins! They don't do that here and ever since I watched a Dirty Jobs episode where they made cracklins I've wanted to go down where they make them and gnaw on a few!

Gettin' fat? Honey, I'm THERE. Fat as a tick! Oops...sorry, Triple Willow...didn't mean to mention the "T" word.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Heh, my birds are actually in a small tractor. Without it they'd fly away! I have to keep them confined because I'm in a suburb and it's tricky, even getting to tractor them on the grass is sort-of not allowed. It's either tractoring them or putting them in with my laying hens so I decided tractoring. They're all healthy, running, trying to fly, moving around a lot. They just seemed small to me. I sure hope they do finish growing before they start crowing! That's my biggest concern. No way I could grow them out 16 weeks and have them all crowing at me on a suburban lot...!

 

[foreverlearning]

I'm already in the South...somewhat..well, below the Mason-Dixon...but no one really wants anything I have to offer up here! Could be a move south is in order...especially if I can get some of them there pig skins they fry up~cracklins! They don't do that here and ever since I watched a Dirty Jobs episode where they made cracklins I've wanted to go down where they make them and gnaw on a few!

Gettin' fat? Honey, I'm THERE. Fat as a tick! Oops...sorry, Triple Willow...didn't mean to mention the "T" word.

In Louisiana you can get fresh cracklins at just about any meat market or gas station. I say move to TX because us in LA have to go that way for something or the other (best organic feed mills and cheap cattle). We love to eat and talk about older was of doing things, you would fit in perfectly.

 

[TexasLisa]

I've always wanted to SEE Texas...I grew up on Louis L'Amour books and always wanted to be a cowboy...um..cowgirl. But...it's a little too warm for this fat ol' gal!

I melts and I smells when I am in the heat too long...must have my fall, winter and spring!

I married an Okie and was introduced to the Louis L'Amour books. I have everyone of them sitting on my shelf now. Just sad he died before finishing up the Sacketts!! I've always wanted to be a cowgirl and got west ASAP!! If you ever venture this way, you are more than welcome to stay with us.

Lisa

 

[Beekissed]

Oh, Lisa! I would love that! Who knows what the Lord has in store for me in the coming days? It would be the neatest thing if I could visit all you wonderful people and spend a couple of days on the front porch just chattin' chickens, wouldn't it?

 

[TexasLisa]

Oh, Lisa! I would love that! Who knows what the Lord has in store for me in the coming days? It would be the neatest thing if I could visit all you wonderful people and spend a couple of days on the front porch just chattin' chickens, wouldn't it?

Yes I think it would. I am sure you will be slapping me for doing things the wrong way.

I can put up a sign saying, "The famous Bee is staying here"!!

Lisa

 

[foreverlearning]

Start the tea and the fryer, I think we need a bigger front porch for this!

 

[TexasLisa]

Start the tea and the fryer, I think we need a bigger front porch for this!

O goodness, I only have 14 in my flock! Can I forgo the fryer?

Hmmmm, I only have 1 extra bedroom. I do have a big barn people can stay in.

Lisa

 

[Beekissed]

Yeah...I'm sure that would really impress folks....

I wouldn't slap you...maybe snicker a bit here and there or bang my head against a wall...but no slapping.