Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[micstrachan]

A bit of research on poultry dust.
I Googled 'poultry dust' and looked at the top 9 products that Google puts at the top of the page (there were only 9). I also looked at Tractor Supply (TSC) and examined the products they had under poultry dust.
Of the 9 Google search products, 2 were also on the TSC list and TSC had one that wasn't in the 'Google 9' for a total of 10 unique products.
Here is what I found:
- In the 9 from Google: 6 were Permethrin 0.25%; 1 was DE; 1 was Aluminum Silicate; and one was 50% Rosemary, 25% mint with the rest made up of garlic, thyme and cloves (and no, it wasn't being promoted as a seasoning)
- At TSC one of the ones that was on the Google 9 list with Permethrin 0.25%, was described by TSC as Permethrin 25%, and the one that was not in the Google 9 was also Permethrin 0.25%
So, of the the total of 10 unique products, 70% were Permethrin 0.25% (though one was wrongly described) and the remaining 30% were each different.
From this you can conclude:
1) RC has lost her mind
2) There is absolutely no regulation in the US on what is described as Poultry Dust
3) There is a good chance of getting the right stuff (Permethrin 0.25%) if you just buy whatever is on offer, but it is probably a good idea to read the actual label

And for that little excursion I will pay Chicken Tax. Minnie growing her new tail.
View attachment 2901323

Thanks for taking the time to look around and share the info. Minnie is looking great!

 

[micstrachan]

I'm thinking about starting a thread for Ex Batts and Rescues.
I would like to tell the story of what has and what may happen to these poor creatures.
The full horror of their previous lives will never been known but the terrible circumstances they are now in I have well documented and photographed.
The way things are going an awful lot of Bob's thread will get taken up with people posting commiserations as the chickens gradually die off. They are unlikely to live long no matter how well anyone cares for them.
Some of you have seen the coop and run. What I doubt many have fully realised is just how shocking it is.
The coop without the nest box roughly measures 1.131 metres by 0.75 metres.
The nest box measures 0.75 metres by 0.32 metres. Roughly we are looking at a bit over 11 square feet. There are 20 chickens sleeping in this. 20!
There were 25!
The coop wasn't even getting cleaned out every week let alone evry day. Imagine what a weeks worth of 20 chickens pooping in 11 square looks and smells like.
Most have some respiratory problems. The amonnia build up is considerable.
The coop is one of those off the shelf jobs. It's really really bad. Nobody who knows the basics about chickens would build such a coop.
Most weeks I'll be posting sad news. I don't want to spoil all the lovely chicken stuff with what is likely to happen.
Vet isn't an option. A vet visit here just to get seen is around £60.00. Treatment is expensive. Roughly if one allowed even £300.00 per chicken in vets bills that's £3,000.00.
My job is mainly to try and make sure the sick die quickly and the living have the best quality of life I can afford to give them. Not much of that is going to be happy news.

I think it’s a wonderful idea to start an Ex-batts and Rescues thread, as people can learn from you and give their adoptees their best chances. But I wouldn’t want you posting less here.

 

[micstrachan]

Blast from the past again, as I try to read all the old stuff:

@micstrachan OMG, Mill is so gorgeous in this vid! The iridescence of the black spots really shows well here...and I love the vocalizations...it sounds almost like a momma clucking to her chicks.

Aww, thank you! I agree she is a real looker, as Bob would say, and very sweet. Except when she pounces on the young ones while broody. Her feathers are incredibly soft, too. Even softer than Cashew, who is an Orpington. She also knows her name. When she comes back into lay, if I just say her name, she’ll squat. It’s hilariously cute.

 

[rural mouse]

I'm thinking about starting a thread for Ex Batts and Rescues.
I would like to tell the story of what has and what may happen to these poor creatures.
The full horror of their previous lives will never been known but the terrible circumstances they are now in I have well documented and photographed.
The way things are going an awful lot of Bob's thread will get taken up with people posting commiserations as the chickens gradually die off. They are unlikely to live long no matter how well anyone cares for them.
Some of you have seen the coop and run. What I doubt many have fully realised is just how shocking it is.
The coop without the nest box roughly measures 1.131 metres by 0.75 metres.
The nest box measures 0.75 metres by 0.32 metres. Roughly we are looking at a bit over 11 square feet. There are 20 chickens sleeping in this. 20!
There were 25!
The coop wasn't even getting cleaned out every week let alone evry day. Imagine what a weeks worth of 20 chickens pooping in 11 square looks and smells like.
Most have some respiratory problems. The amonnia build up is considerable.
The coop is one of those off the shelf jobs. It's really really bad. Nobody who knows the basics about chickens would build such a coop.
Most weeks I'll be posting sad news. I don't want to spoil all the lovely chicken stuff with what is likely to happen.
Vet isn't an option. A vet visit here just to get seen is around £60.00. Treatment is expensive. Roughly if one allowed even £300.00 per chicken in vets bills that's £3,000.00.
My job is mainly to try and make sure the sick die quickly and the living have the best quality of life I can afford to give them. Not much of that is going to be happy news.

Little joys are still much appreciated. Moved a fence post. MTH had a day sunbathing. Lima perched on my shoulder. Got a hold of some pallets to expand (replace) the coop (well, that would be a big deal). another looks to be reaching the end...walnuts in her last meal

 

[LozzyR]

That is an amazing photo. How heavy was that owl?

It’s been 17 years since that photo was taken, but from memory he was a decent weight. More like a Hattie rather than a Phyllis?

 

[LozzyR]

My non- engineer answer: Liquids make light behave differently. Also river or sea rocks or sea glass look different wet versus dry. Like with car headlight lenses, windshields, etc that get sandblasted over time, the wet fills in the little pocks & texture which refract light away and smooths it out. But also likely is that the egg bloom is a bit opaque when dry.

Are you an engineer? What would be your engineer answer?

 

[BY Bob]

Some of you may remember my earliest posts about this lot. I mentioned that Henry 11 roosted outside the coop with a couple of his favourites.
Fret, when they were roosting outside slept under Henry's wing if she could squeeze under without him pushing her out.
Since the coop has been treated for mites and now gets cleaned evrry day he's been sleeping in the coop. That's Fret trying to get under his wing. It's got a bit chilly and Henry has most of the hens around him. Maybe Fret thinks he's going to roost here.
Very sweet to watch her burying herself beneath him.View attachment 2901158View attachment 2901159

It is kind of similar to Sylvie's burrowing under Legertha.

 

[BY Bob]

Get her a bikini and a cute sun hat. If phyllis can have pearls why not

Excellent idea!

 

[BY Bob]

They get more lovely all the time. The 3 colors are really stating to show in their mop-tops now!

It really is! Lovely and endearing these two are!

 

[BY Bob]

A bit of research on poultry dust.
I Googled 'poultry dust' and looked at the top 9 products that Google puts at the top of the page (there were only 9). I also looked at Tractor Supply (TSC) and examined the products they had under poultry dust.
Of the 9 Google search products, 2 were also on the TSC list and TSC had one that wasn't in the 'Google 9' for a total of 10 unique products.
Here is what I found:
- In the 9 from Google: 6 were Permethrin 0.25%; 1 was DE; 1 was Aluminum Silicate; and one was 50% Rosemary, 25% mint with the rest made up of garlic, thyme and cloves (and no, it wasn't being promoted as a seasoning)
- At TSC one of the ones that was on the Google 9 list with Permethrin 0.25%, was described by TSC as Permethrin 25%, and the one that was not in the Google 9 was also Permethrin 0.25%
So, of the the total of 10 unique products, 70% were Permethrin 0.25% (though one was wrongly described) and the remaining 30% were each different.
From this you can conclude:
1) RC has lost her mind
2) There is absolutely no regulation in the US on what is described as Poultry Dust
3) There is a good chance of getting the right stuff (Permethrin 0.25%) if you just buy whatever is on offer, but it is probably a good idea to read the actual label

And for that little excursion I will pay Chicken Tax. Minnie growing her new tail.
View attachment 2901323

Excellent research. Thanks so much. I appreciate you running this down for everyone.