Illinois...

[SnootyHen]

Have you seen bugs? Usually people do both if they have bugs.

I haven't seen any on them but I'm pretty sure I have mite bites on me.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

I made it to TSC yesterday without buying chicks so I sort of feel like a hero. But to be fair, they only had a few bantams. I was trying to avoid the whole area but I wanted to see these new brooders everyone's complaining about. I looked at them and they were dark and empty so I thought it was safe to look closer since it seemed like they didn't have any chicks in there yet. Then I heard the peeping. One sad lonely little section on the bottom had about 15 or so little peepsters. They seemed alert and okay unlike the ones I have heard other people finding in the new brooders. And none came home with me. Yet.

But I did buy some Gardstar poultry dust. Do I just dust their fluffy little bottoms with it or is it better to put it in the coop/run? Any caveats or tips?

One flock has a dust bath area, I just add poultry dust to the dust bath area. These hens are much better off than the flock without a dust bath. But see my post above, I'm about to give up on permethrin. I'll be Guinea pig for ivermectin.

 

[Justso]

I haven't seen any on them but I'm pretty sure I have mite bites on me.

Don't concern yourself too much, mites like this are very specific to fowl and birds. They won't live too long on humans or dogs or cats

 

[Justso]

Does anyone have info for a vet that would treat geese in the McHenry County area? Just trying to be prepared.

I suggest searching around on Facebook, there seems to be a higher concentration of people from that area. Also check Wisconsin thread here.

 

[Molpet]

Does anyone have info for a vet that would treat geese in the McHenry County area? Just trying to be prepared.

There's a FB group for dupage and Kane county
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DuPageChickens/?ref=share

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Here is an alternative tick treatment.

 

[Molpet]

Here is an alternative tick treatment.

I used turkeys to get one tick off my back where I couldn't reach.

 

[SnootyHen]

Don't concern yourself too much, mites like this are very specific to fowl and birds. They won't live too long on humans or dogs or cats

This is why I think I need to treat the ladies. I've had bites on me for months and of course they itch like a mother, so I scratch and it gets worse. So they must be living somewhere that I keep touching.

 

[Justso]

Spontaneous egg incubation here! My sis sent 15 eggs and I popped them in tonight. Hope I have better luck this time.

 

[BReeder!]

Anybody have a silky roo? Do they crow much and is it loud?