lice!!!

[LittleBits]

Quote: I'd rather be dunking for apples!!

 

[LittleBits]

So, lice don't live in the coop?
Did you have mites as well? If so, how did you clean the coop or what did you use?

 

[NewbeeDoo]

So, lice don't live in the coop?
Did you have mites as well?  If so, how did you clean the coop or what did you use?

I think I covered cleaning in Q4...as for the mites...no, I just have lice, but I cleaned to be safe. They can up to a day without a host...I think that's what I read, so anything holding "chicken dust" could be a problem... or so I figured!

 

[LittleBits]

It's cool out today - too cool to take everyone swimming! I decided to go with the wood ash. Yesterday, I managed to get the coop bleached, sprayed and a little rearranged. Today I dusted (almost) everyone with the ash. Couldn't catch one, Mr. Chicken kind of scares me, and Greeny has been hiding under the coop the past 2 days, where NO hen is suppose to go! She squeezed past the barrier and has stayed under there, away from the others that chase had harass her. Don't know how I'm gonna get her out...

Anyways, that's done! Will check for bugs tonight after lights out and try to do the other hen and Mr. Chicken when they are nice and sleepy.

I'm OK with a redo of Sevin if this doesn't work. Didn't actually see any bugs as I dusted them, but I guess they can hide quite well???

Thanks for all the good advice on this thread. Nice to make informed decisions.

 

[appps]

Oh, that's different. I had never heard of actually dusting them yourself with the ash. I thought you just gave it to them in their normal dusting spot.

 

[LittleBits]

Oh, that's different. I had never heard of actually dusting them yourself with the ash. I thought you just gave it to them in their normal dusting spot.

I read it here:http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com and it sounded like a good idea. I don't have enough ashes to put in a little wading pool, or to cover around the run so they can dust themselves. But I'm going to save them next winter for that purpose, if this works!

After dark, dusted Mr. Chicken (he didn't complain but just a wee little bit...), Greenie (I got her out from under the coop finally), and the other one I couldn't catch! So now everyone has had their ash bath!

Hopefully, I'll see some feather regrowth and not everyone scratching and pecking at themselves (which I first thought they were preening - but I now think that nobody preens that much!)

I had to poke Greenie out with the roosting pole earlier today and quickly made the underside inaccessible again. There's only about 8-10" of space and the floor joists go crosswise. I'm sure she enjoyed being by herself. She immediately went to the highest portion of the coop on a 4" ledge and stayed there until I took her down for her bath tonight...then I put her on the roost w/ the others - I wish they would all get along!

Chickens and I had a busy 2 days and I am (excuse the expression here...) pooped!

 

[aggiemae]

Oh, that's different. I had never heard of actually dusting them yourself with the ash. I thought you just gave it to them in their normal dusting spot.

You can do it either way and (as long as you lay out enough ash) the results will be about the same.

 

[aggiemae]

Look it up if you want to be more educated! They absorb it through their skin. It takes forever to get it out of them because their cells then contain it and until you stop using it and the old cells die and are replaced with new healthy ones.

Sevin, if its absorbed at all, stays in the system for a week at the most and the eggs laid after treatment are safe to eat. And BTW, DE kills insects by drying them out and cutting them up so it is next to worthless for preventing fleas, lice and will not prevent worms since it gets wet in the gut..

 

[LittleBits]

Quote: Self-service - it's everywhere!! lol I will probably be doing this this coming winter - do chickens take dust baths in winter?

 

[appps]

M

Self-service - it's everywhere!!   lol   I will probably be doing this this coming winter - do chickens take dust baths in winter?  

Mine have been but only because I have one small area under cover that never gets wet under our cubby house. It's the only place in my yard dusty enough for them they have abandoned all other favourite dusting spots. Those get occasional rain and aren't dusty enough this time of year.

Just had a thought, fleas are worse in winter, I wonder if this is due to a lack of truly dried out dust areas for dust baths.