Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[3riverschick]

Hi,
I was cleaning the refrig today using the instructions on wikihow. There are suggestions there. 2 of them:
2
Use a homemade air freshener to absorb unpleasant smells and keep your fridge odor-free. Before food goes bad, and starts coating the inside of your fridge with regular blasts of malodor, it's time to act. Here's what you can equip your fridge with to combat these smells: •A clean sock filled with activated charcoal — from an aquarium store, not from your bbq briquettes. The charcoal absorbs bad odors for up to three months.
4
Crumple a piece of a brown paper bag into a ball and place it alongside fruits and veggies in the crisper for odor protection. A crumpled paper bag works wonders at removing smells in the crisper.
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Ok so how about this? I get one of those screen sided firefly cages. Buy some activated charcoal and fill it. Then hang from the rafters of my 4" high coop where the birds can't peck it. Think it would help keep odors down during the winter when the birds are cooped so much because of the weather? I was thinking a screen house might be better than a sock because a sock might attract cobwebs which could attract listeria.
Merry Christmas,
and Happy Holidays!
Karen

 

[gjensen]

Karen it does reduce ammonia and as a result improve air quality. The trick would be to get them to eat enough. You would have to add it to their feed. And yes it will darken their droppings.
I would guess that it would be more practical to insure that there is adequate ventilation.

I mentioned the charcoal/wood ash for the phosphorus. My thought was if the person was having egg shell quality issues that this would tell them if it was nutritional. If they supplemented with cod liver oil (D), phosphorus free fed, and oyster shells . . . their would be no doubt that they had what they needed.

I suspect that the cod liver oil and getting rid of the mites would solve the problem.

Adequate sunlight and fresh greens with good feed and there is no need for cod liver oil. I imagine that might be more difficult for people up north.

I do not know if hanging it in a house would help odors. My houses are too open to smell anything. If I get a bad odor in the housing I need to fix something.

 

[brahmabreeder]

Depends on the mite. red mites feed on the birds at night. Fowl mites live and breed on the bird. It is helpful to know what you are dealing with. I am a believer in stripping and cleaning and treating the coop regardless. It is not like the fowl mites spontaneously generate on the fowl. Any left behind is the start of a new problem.

If there is temporary quarters for the birds, this easy to accomplish.

I think they are northern fowl mites because they like to crawl on me when I go to check my rooster. Plus the rooster had a nice sized infestation during the middle of the day.

 

[normanack]

I think they are northern fowl mites because they like to crawl on me when I go to check my rooster. Plus the rooster had a nice sized infestation during the middle of the day.

I knew my hens had northern fowl mites when I got itchy arms picking up their eggs.

 

[brahmabreeder]

Ok so I went to put the DE out in the feed when I locked them up at night but it all sank to the bottom. Is there something I can add to their feed to keep that from happening?
ETA: I was able to let them outside all day today since it didn't rain for very long. It was a little muddy but they'll be fine.

 

[hellbender]

Ok so I went to put the DE out in the feed when I locked them up at night but it all sank to the bottom. Is there something I can add to their feed to keep that from happening?
ETA: I was able to let them outside all day today since it didn't rain for very long. It was a little muddy but they'll be fine.

Along with putting DE in the feed, I have dusting boxes in the houses and when I clean the buildings, I generously cover the floor before putting down bedding. It keeps the bedding dry longer and helps prevent mites and lice from getting a foot-hold. I also dust the nesting boxes with it...has worked great for me for decades.
In my case, I feed a 'porridge', ...warm in winter, cold in warmer months. The chickens love the moistened food and it assures ME that they get plenty of moisture in their feed and they clean it up. It can be a pain in the butt...having healthy birds and high quality eggs makes it worth it for me.

By the way...I have more than 450 birds at this time but will cull about 85 to 100 in the spring.

 

[cbnovick]

I am in the process of getting my pens set up with lights. It is a process with so many pens. Can someone tell me what is the minimum # of lumens (or watts) needed for this? I am planning on using compact fluorescents since the LEDs are still too expensive and was thinking 100 watt equivalent, but perhaps I don't need that much? I ordered the reflective shields so I can direct the light better and will put them over the roost in each pen. Thanks for your help.

Marcia, I am using a 100 watt 'energy efficient' light bulb in my 8'x12' pen...birds are laying very well with this....K is fertile too.

 

[3riverschick]

In my case, I feed a 'porridge', ...warm in winter, cold in warmer months.
By the way...I have more than 450 birds at this time but will cull about 85 to 100 in the spring.

Hi hellbender,
Please could you share your recipe for the porridge? I think maybe my birds need it because
of the odd weather we have been having. It's up and down. Freezing, then in the 50's-60's.
Tired of winter already,
Thanks,
Karen and the 10 Light Sussex
in winter weary western PA

 

[hellbender]

Hi hellbender,
Please could you share your recipe for the porridge? I think maybe my birds need it because
of the odd weather we have been having. It's up and down. Freezing, then in the 50's-60's.
Tired of winter already,
Thanks,
Karen and the 10 Light Sussex
in winter weary western PA

Yes I will but it's a bit complicated and might just a tad controversial. I'm a bit tired now and will give the whole rundown tomorrow.

 

[3riverschick]

Yes I will but it's a bit complicated and might just a tad controversial. I'm a bit tired now and will give the whole rundown tomorrow.

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!
Best Regards,
Karen