FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[kbh82310]

I use to live in Sunrise, Fl for 19 years. I moved up to southeastern NC in oct 07 and I miss south florida every single day!

 

[dezziy]

i have heard they have bugs in it also some people say it may be chiggers

 

[stevodod]

Greetings from the northern end of the Atlantic sea board! I'm located in Maine. My favorite Florida activity is to pick strawberries... always time my visit to my folks in Zephyr Hills to coincide with you pick season! I'm posting my question here because it pertains to your poultry practices. I have a bucket of Spanish moss that I've been storing for probably 20 years! Would it be ok to use it for nesting material? Do you use Spanish moss down there for bedding or nesting material? On the personal side, I started a flock with 5 birds hatched in a home made incubator this spring, followed by 3 Araucana and 3 Dom pullets ordered from local hardware store, provided by Murray McMurray. 3 Doms ended up being roosters, so final count will be 5 pullets after culling all the roosters. Am using electronet fencing, and deep litter in 2 story cattle panel coop, garden is under permanent mulch, chickens are primarily for insect and weed control, and producing fertility, with eggs and their personalities being a nice plus! I built a hoop green house last fall, and my tomatoes, peppers and basil are thriving in the protected environment! Do any of you Florida gardeners use a deep mulch in your gardens? Do you have issues with snakes if you do?? I love my snakes up here, but am not sure how I'd feel about them if any were venomous. Hawks and ? cats have pretty much wiped out my snake population. I miss them!

Hey Maine-iac! Spanish moss does have mites, but after 20 years I can't imagine them still being there. Oven at 200 degrees for an hour might do it- but it's highly flammable. I use it to start fires in the back yard for cookouts!

Gardens- I use compost, ash, and topsoil. Mulch wouldn't provide nutrition and would be tough for the plants to get through.

Lots of snakes around here, but they are not a problem- a solution! I have a yellow rat that is practically tame now- seen him on the property 6 times. Have black racers, pine woods snakes, garters, never seen anything else. Rattlers would be immediately relocated. Cottonmouths would get killed. I love snakes, but there are plenty around, and they have a terrible personality, are very fast, and have potent venom. Take into account that most venomous are slow-moving and can be relocated.

Hawks got 1 small pullet, but do not bother them after they are big. We have LARGE owls, and I worry about them, but so far no trouble.

 

[FireflyNights]

Spanish moss can also have chiggers I treat it by putting in a black trash bag out in the hot sun for a week. I would think that after 20 years everything is gone to but who know what may have made it a new home during that time.

On another subject has anyone tried Reptilite sand for their birds to dust in. I put it in with a small group of quail to give it a try they absolutely love it and it doesn't seem to have anything that could harm them. Every bag of sand I came across today had a silaca warning on it. I usually harvest and then sanitize my sand from a creek bed on my in-laws property but its so much work and I injured my foot a week ago so I'm not getting around super well.

Any thoughts?

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I had a big owl not long ago kill 7 of my birds. I saw it on my game camera. Wasn't sure what was killing them as I couldn't find any places for critters to get in so I put the camera out in a pen and there is was on a bird.

 

[AmericaunaMama]

Hey Guys and Gals!

The COUNTRYSIDE ORGANICS chicken feed is in!!! I literally moved 2 TONS of chicken feed today sorting it after it arrived.
I'm doing 10% off for first time orders and will delivery for free to anyone in Tampa and closely surrounding areas.

Let me know if you want a few bags. THANKS!!! ~Dacia

 

[dolfi]

Hey Guys and Gals!

The COUNTRYSIDE ORGANICS chicken feed is in!!! I literally moved 2 TONS of chicken feed today sorting it after it arrived.
I'm doing 10% off for first time orders and will delivery for free to anyone in Tampa and closely surrounding areas.

Let me know if you want a few bags. THANKS!!! ~Dacia

how much and i am in kissimmee

 

[AmericaunaMama]

how much and i am in kissimmee

Hey Dolfi! It's $45 for a 50lb bag of chick start or layer and $40 for a 50lb scratch, but you can use the 10% off of that.
If you can get a few people together for an order of 10 or more bags I can deliver it to Kissimmee for you as soon as you need it. If that doesn't work, we'll figure something out.
Thanks!

 

[Funky Feathers]

Wha??? Is that feed made of Gold? That is crazy.

 

[AmericaunaMama]

Wha??? Is that feed made of Gold? That is crazy.

I think so! Lots of others do too! It's completely organic and GMO free which is impossible to find around here otherwise. I was driving 4+ hours round trip to buy it before I opened a store in Tampa. It may not be for everyone, but it's the only thing I like to feed my girls.