Michigan

[Mom 2em All]

right or wrong, I used Frontline SPRAY on my chickens when they had lice- however, I suggest you first do a search here on the topic. It is controversial.
Search it so that you can make an informed decision.

 

[1muttsfan]

Quote:
Thanks Opa, I knew it but your words drove it home. The little one was already struggling and not growing like the others. The deed is done.

Not an easy task, I culled my first two chicks yesterday, just been lucky until now with my own hatches but had one with a bad leg and one very weak poor doer. Thanks to thecochinman's advice, it went quickly for the chicks.

I vote morels too

 

[Ferrret]

Today was busy.
Mowed the lawn for the first time of the year (just the front yard, will do the back tomorrow as long as it's nice), BF tilled up soil to plant some mini pumpkins, chickens got herded out to the tilled up soil to pick at grubs while we set up a fence around the pumpkin patch area, the grill was completely cleaned to remove squirrel cooties and we had steaks for dinner, and we saw the big hawk circle over once late this afternoon.
The chickens have full and happy bellies and cleaned up a lot of June bug grubs.

 

[RIRJen]

On the topic of mites I buy the shaker cans of Seven dust, hold the chicken by it's legs so it's wings open up and give it a good coating. I also put it down before the bedding after cleaning the coop. I've used this for years and had great results. I just make sure it doesn't get in thier faces.

 

[CricketYang]

Quote:
I guess I'll just have to see if I can get Sevin in bulk! I was SO angry when I saw them! OMG and I haven't stopped itching since! Once I see a bug I get super paranoid!

 

[fifelakelooper]

Quote:
I'm happy for you!! We considered the beehives also...but to get started it was going to be quite costly and then we heard there is a real problem with bears tearing them up. So we keep trying to find someone who will place THEIR hives on your property...every once in a while I see them advertised on Craig's list.

Congrats Keyt! I can't remember if I posted on this site that Thursday and Friday I hatched out 13 of my 15 BBS English/American Orpingtons! I uploaded the picture and posted somewhere on BYC but haven't spent much time on the computer because finally the weather is BEAUTIFUL!!! I picked up 13 Red Comets (with a few comet/Ameracauna mixes) and a roo on Thursday also. They are about a year old. I wanted eggs this summer...didn't want to wait until October. We will butcher them I guess in the fall. They are penned away from my babies and I am pretty sure they have mites/lice. A couple show evidence on the legs. So I read on Byc...about the Invectin (I may have it spelled wrong) but I'm going to try first the Frontline for kitties...and put it on them as they roost between the shoulders. I'm buying a covered sandbox and putting sand with food grade diamacteous earth for dusting and I'll spray pyrethian in the coop after I take out the fresh bedding . This is a new coop! Does this plan sound like it will work??

Fife, I also found some mites on some birds we just acquired and was going to look into the Frontline thing, how much do you think is the right dosage? and can I get this pyrethian at my feed store?

I got the pyrethium concentrate at a Farm store here locally that is sort of like a farmers version of a "Health food store". They always have animal/environment friendly meds for animals and garden supplies. You could check at TSC ...I'm pretty sure you can get it for plants in home depot...but this actually says good to use in poultry, animal houses.
The frontline for kitties I read to put 2-3 drops on each hen between the shoulders. I have never done this..never had to. There is a lot of info on BYC about it and this sounded like the way I wanted to go. I'm getting a covered sandbox tomorrow at Walmart (turtle) and 150 lb. of sand to fill and put the diamateous earth in that for prevention. I will spray the run and the coop with the pyrethium and do the frontline on the chickens. I haven't SEEN the mites...just the looks of a couple of hens legs make me think there is a problem. Good luck to us! LOOK OUT BUGS!

I also read about using "seven"...that is controversial also. I'm freaking too Cricket...I don't like it at all!

 

[RIRJen]

Quote:
I guess I'll just have to see if I can get Sevin in bulk! I was SO angry when I saw them! OMG and I haven't stopped itching since! Once I see a bug I get super paranoid!

OMG! I know! If anyone talks about or I see creepy crawling mites like that I feel like they are all over me!!

 

[DaughterOfEve]

RRJen congrats on the great showing in Alma. It was a cold, long day but everyone seemed to have a good time despite the weather. My DD got reserves for her Nankin and was thrilled to take a ribbon home. It sure was tough getting through the sale barn without buying something.

Regarding Bug control: I attack proactively all year round with once a month treatments for prevention. I have not had any major infestions yet (knock on wood). Poultry dust, pyrethrin spray, mineral oil or vaseline on legs. Twice a year I do a complete clean out, bleach water and scrub and scrape every reachable surface.

New birds are always quarentined and checked, dusted and sprayed before integrating. Tough Love so to speak.

 

[Chickmate]

Celebrate Michigan! Osama Bin Laden is dead!! We got him! Just watched a special report by the President.

 

[fifelakelooper]

Quote:
REALLY?!! Wow....hope that is true...wish we would hear that about the leader in Libya too.....