Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Beekissed]

yep me to on thinking about those wind breaks Bee and getting it done really soon. Was putting on some castor oil on their feet and legs tonight and hoping I got them all. lol Doing that to 17 birds isn't easy to not miss some. I know #13 roo didn't get it as he was on the back of the roost and a pile were around him. I let #1 roo stand on the roost and I got his legs done instead of trying to hold him. Some of the rir hens were wanting to investigate my bowl of castor oil so I'd get them one at a time when they came down to that end.

They were just a squirming to start with and when I started massaging the oil on their feet and legs they got still. I was telling them see, that feels good don't it.

I think one of them even said ahhhh.

They do seem to like it! Watch how they walk tomorrow..they almost prance and strut with their new, supple scales. I didn't know your birds were having a problem with scale mite...or is this just as a preventative?

 

[RoseMarie1]

Not much cuter than a little chick doing what chicks do.

Went up to the coop to check the birds and found the coop so snug and warm, just by dropping the flaps. I don't know how folks can walk into a fall/winter coop and not feel that temperature change of warmth inside the nighttime coop. Or maybe very few folks go in their coops at night? For some reason people seem to want to put a heat lamp in the coop at the first chill in the air but if they would only go to their coop in the night and feel the difference between the night air and the coop air, even with a coop that is open air on both ends...it's very noticeable. Damp and chilly outside, warm and snug inside.

Funny you should say that because I JUST came back from out there checking on my chickens and their pen was nice and cozy to compared to the night time air out there. The pen is walled up just on the north and part of the west wall. ALL the north wall isn't tin but most of it is. Anyway they were all the way against the west wall on the front and back roosts so they know to get where the wind can't hit them. lol The other end is open on the north so they got in the end that is closed on the north and the west. Going to finish closing in that end of the north wall with some thick plastic and some staples before it gets too cold. We're not in the 40's here yet.


Checking on the chickens because I just happened to think I forgot to get a head count since I was messing with them with putting the castor oil on feet and legs as they were coming inside to roost. Got to thinking I might have freaked some out and they didn't come inside. But all heads were accounted for.

 

[armorfirelady]

If the ashes are just not cutting it any longer, an investment in pyrethrin powder(all natural and made from the African daisy, a member of the chrysanthemum family) will kick them once and for all.  If you can't find it at a garden center you can find it at Amazon and though it's a little pricy at around $20 for a 10 oz bottle, it goes a long way while being safe for use on the animals and degrades quickly in the soil.  It works both as a toxin to the mites and also works as a repellent.  I would dust the girls and spread some on the roosts only. 

I did that last spring around March and haven't seen a mite or lice since.  The ashes would work temporarily for immediate relief but they seemed to come back.  I'd never had to deal with this sort of thing in my chicken history before getting this old flock back, so this whole bug infestation on the birds was a new thing for me.  I'm glad I finally used the tough stuff because they are finally free of being bitten.  I keep checking them, expecting to see a new infestation, but the mites and lice seem to finally be gone.  Hallelujah! 

So far the ashes are working. I removed all the bedding, any wood in coop I could and sprayed neem oil on the rest. Their roost is a piece of tiger wood which is suppose to be a natural insect repellent piece of wood. So far so good.

I really think I got them because I was lax in keeping wood ash out all summer. I never had problems before now. Hopefully making sure wood ash is available for them to dust in will keep them at bay

 

[OHhappychicks]

Good Morning Beekissed!!! Such a glorious morning!!! We have light fog with the sun shining through! A little cool, 41. I love fall!!! Me again!! 2 more questions, please

. I forgot my chick starter is medicated.

Will the fermentation counteract the meds? (I would prefer it did!) And is it ok to feed to layers?

 

[Triple Willow]

Good Morning Beekissed!!! Such a glorious morning!!! We have light fog with the sun shining through! A little cool, 41. I love fall!!!  Me again!! 2 more questions, please . I forgot my chick starter is medicated.   Will the fermentation counteract the meds? (I would prefer it did!) And is it ok to feed to layers?

...OHhappychicks loves fall as I growl and grumble and don't want to crawl out of my warm bed. LOL

 

[OHhappychicks]

...OHhappychicks loves fall as I growl and grumble and don't want to crawl out of my warm bed. LOL

LOL! Oh don't get me wrong! I can't get out of bed when it is still dark out!! I pry myself out of bed also! But once the sun comes out I'm good to go!!

 

[TexasLisa]

Sorry Triple Willow, I love Fall also. Living in Texas I miss the leaves changing colors. It is 62 degrees and overcast here. Still nice enough to go outside in short sleeves. I have been busy cleaning out the coop, the water containers, etc. Flock is happy!

Lisa

 

[Triple Willow]

LOL!  Oh don't get me wrong! I can't get out of bed when it is still dark out!! I pry myself out of bed also! But once the sun comes out I'm good to go!!

I spent a lot of years getting up and off to work before the sun came up. I guess I try to make up for lost time. lol But glad you enjoy it.

 

[Triple Willow]

Sorry Triple Willow, I love Fall also. Living in Texas I miss the leaves changing colors.  It is 62 degrees and overcast here.  Still nice enough to go outside in short sleeves.  I have been busy cleaning out the coop, the water containers, etc.  Flock is happy!

Lisa

Smart lady there Lisa. I have been out in the garage talking to mama and chicks... mama really. lol She is such a pretty Aussie. I think her chicks were one week old yesterday. One is showing quite a bit more tail feathers than the other two already so I suppose it will be a roo. I was hoping for a few more Aussie pullets but I suppose one roo would be okay. I'm sure somebody could use him if I don't.

I'm not sure what it is outside, probably lower 50's. It's 65 in the house, chilly! May have to turn a little heat on today. Oh yeah, the leaves changing is pretty.

Talk to you guys later...errand to run.

 

[OHhappychicks]

Sorry Triple Willow, I love Fall also. Living in Texas I miss the leaves changing colors. It is 62 degrees and overcast here. Still nice enough to go outside in short sleeves. I have been busy cleaning out the coop, the water containers, etc. Flock is happy!

Lisa

It has been so nice here. Perfect temps until yesterday. Was overcast and rainy and in the low 50's. But I still love days like that! Good curl up with a good book, fire in the fireplace kinda day!
It is supposed to get really cool here in the next week. High a couple of days in the 40's and some nights in the 30's. Might get our first frost then too. Today is sunny, and 65! Perfect day! The leaves are beautiful! We are going to clean and scrub out coops, redo roosts, & add poop boards. Going to add a hoop coop for my silkie chicks, to keep over the winter. Hopefully start that this afternoon also. Where in texas are you?