INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[ellymayRans]

They haven't been outside with the other chickens but they are in my garage, and I don't change clothes to feed everyone. So it's possible. I think whatever hoosiercheetah's orps had my chickens have. :/

You can carry it in on your shoes but not really on your clothes enough to infect them.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
Lonely I sent you a message but we had a food issue and lost some chicks. Basically grain mites had eaten the protein and the chicks were not getting the right amounts of anything to grow. Think feeding a toddler only sugar. Thankfully grain mites don't latch on to chickens, but they spread fast. It starts off looking like a bit of dust on the bag. Then when looked at closely the dust moves. After that those mites multiply so fast. if it is mites I recommend burning the bag and any remaining food as eggs could be in it.

I suppose you could check for chicken red mites but it sounds so similar to a feed issue.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
Lonely I sent you a message but we had a food issue and lost some chicks. Basically grain mites had eaten the protein and the chicks were not getting the right amounts of anything to grow. Think feeding a toddler only sugar. Thankfully grain mites don't latch on to chickens, but they spread fast. It starts off looking like a bit of dust on the bag. Then when looked at closely the dust moves. After that those mites multiply so fast. if it is mites I recommend burning the bag and any remaining food as eggs could be in it.

I suppose you could check for chicken red mites but it sounds so similar to a feed issue.

Is there a good way to check feed for the grain mites? I'm thinking maybe pulling out a little and putting it on a piece of black construction paper (or any black surface) and watching it for a few minutes?


And...how did you realize that was the problem? What were the symptoms and how did you figure out it was the bugs reducing the nutrient value?

 

[Leahs Mom]

PS:

An "old fashioned" safe repellant for bugs in the feed is a bay leaf. People used to put a bay leaf in their flour canister (back when the flour still had something left to eat in it) to repel bugs.

When I bring home any new bags of grain, I put several bay leaves into the bags immediately. This can be done with any over the counter feeds you purchase.

I do use the ORGANIC ones because the spices and herbs that you find in the grocery have been irradiated which removes their health-giving properties. I only get the ones that plainly state NON-IRRADIATED on the bottles and they are mostly the organic ones.

I started doing this after I got a bag of corn last fall that became infested with weevils. Have never had a problem since putting in bay leaves. It's a pretty CHEAP answer and is not toxic to the birds or feed.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Just cam across snowflake bobwhite quail. Now I really want some! They are just so beautiful

BTW not my pics

 

[raisinemright]

I've collected 15 of my new Wheaten Maran eggs and 6 from my Golden Comet (fertilized by Cricket) eggs! Due to hatch on 6/3. I also let the Marans out of the coop to free range for a little bit today and they behaved very well.

Here is a pic of a couple they are a beautiful bird.
I have know idea if they are fertile, they should be they were with a Wheaton Maran rooster!! Fingers crossed.

 

[ChickCrazed]

I've collected 15 of my new Wheaten Maran eggs and 6 from my Golden Comet (fertilized by Cricket) eggs! Due to hatch on 6/3. I also let the Marans out of the coop to free range for a little bit today and they behaved very well.

Here is a pic of a couple they are a beautiful bird.
I have know idea if they are fertile, they should be they were with a Wheaton Maran rooster!! Fingers crossed.

I LOVE Wheaton Marans!!!!! Gorgeous birds!!! If only I had the room....sigh. LOL I am on strike this year, no more projects and no more birds!!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Is there a good way to check feed for the grain mites? I'm thinking maybe pulling out a little and putting it on a piece of black construction paper (or any black surface) and watching it for a few minutes?


And...how did you realize that was the problem? What were the symptoms and how did you figure out it was the bugs reducing the nutrient value?

We do an inspection of the outside of the feed bag first. Any dust gets an intent stare. if it moves for any reason then my Dh gets to look and see if it was just a draft moving dust or if the dust is alive. grain mites are tiny, even smaller than a flea. They move very slowly. They are about the color of the chicken food. Once at our house, if we think there is a problem once the bag is opened, we tile the bag forward and bag to cause the food and possible mites to spread out over the inside of the bag. Then we watch the crumbs that stick to the inside of the bag as the food settles. If anything moves, DH gets to decide if it is alive. Dh can see better than I can. Dh has no issues getting close enough to see the tiny mites. Dh won't itch for a week with an imaged itch. Grain mites eat grain not people but still I get itchy if I see them.

The black construction paper is a good idea.

We had the mites in a batch of food we got from TSC. We were brooding and I thought wow this batch of chicks sure is dusty. Then I noticed the dust moving ever so slowly. That batch of chicks had issues growing. It took them longer to feather out but they did lay at the right time. I did a lot of research into how to get rid of the mites as they had gotten into my laundry and living room. I was really wanting them gone and I could see my kitchen being the next room they would spread too. There are several threads on BYC but most of them all agree not to feed the bug filled food as the bugs have eaten the good stuff out of it. I know it was mentioned somewhere in the natural thread. The mites multiply faster than rapidly. Warm humid air helps their eggs to hatch. Seven does not kill the things. we ended up using bleach or borox to get rid of them. It was not an overnight fix.

 

[kabhyper1]

I've collected 15 of my new Wheaten Maran eggs and 6 from my Golden Comet (fertilized by Cricket) eggs! Due to hatch on 6/3. I also let the Marans out of the coop to free range for a little bit today and they behaved very well.

Here is a pic of a couple they are a beautiful bird.
I have know idea if they are fertile, they should be they were with a Wheaton Maran rooster!! Fingers crossed.

I cant wait for dark brown eggs! As soon as my bantams join the flock, Ill have a brooder for them to adjust in. They are so pretty! They look happy outside.

 

[kabhyper1]

f I separated my SLW girls that are bald on their backs from the boys, how long would it take for them to grow feathers back? They look awful. They have aprons but they dont seem to be helping. I have 2 roos and 18 girls now, so hopefully once they grow back they wont lose them again.