Minnesota!

[Minniechickmama]

I am back after a big dance weekend with my daughter. The studio did okay on this one, but the competition is heavy with some of those schools in the Cities. DD has had better solo performances, but no one is always on their A game. We always have fun with our friends who are at these things though.

Because of that and the crappy weather here yesterday, the birds weren't pampered much. I did move the new chickies out to the brooder and they are fine. It was a small batch, 40 or so altogether. I did get 4 Easter Eggers out this time.

I am hoping for a few good days this week to get the blood testing done and get some birds moved out to the pasture, maybe. I hate keeping them all inside as it is getting nicer out. Then again, I may be jumping the gun on that.

I hope everyone has a good week! I need some rest.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Oh, and @KlopKlop I got one Welsummer pullet I MUST get a picture of for you!

 

[MinnesotaNice]

MCM made a comment about them looking very much like welsummer chicks that made for some brief anxiety while I googled what the chicks should look like haha it was pretty funny

Ha hah! I was absolutely adamant about not getting chicks this year. So, of course, I go to the feed store to pick up the bunny we bought and I saw they had some Barred Rocks. Well, why not right?! Then, I saw they were getting SS and Golden Wyandottes later this week. That seemed like a good idea, too. I'm just going to get a pair of each and I get what I get for sex. But I also googled what the chicks are suppose to look like because a lot of their chicks are intermixed. The Barred Rocks are pretty easy and the Golden Wyandottes are as well. I know nothing about Speckled Sussex. I'm there with ya!

Hellllloooo chicken friends! Just caught up on over 100 posts....haven't been here for awhile! But I have a good excuse

Not a baby chick, but I got a new family member a few weeks ago. Say hello to Ty the Mustang!

Very handsome boy!

Lice!!!! not getting as many eggs as I thought I should be getting, so checked a chicken tonight on the roost. Yup, lice. dang it! Worst thing is I'm a little overloaded right now. Am booked and can't take time off work right now til maybe thurs or friday. I have to be on the road tomorrow at 7 am, am too tired to tackle anything right now, and fresh hay is over at Sue's for storage. And the meter pole is shorting out for some reason (electrician coming next week) and I need power to shop vac that coop out.

I guess, I can at least dust them in the morning while it is dark. Then clean out coop as soon as I can take a day off. and I feel guilty because I really should be out there right now dusting the poor girls. shoot, I'm a rotten chicken keeper.

I've never had lice in the coop *knock on wood* but I've heard the term "dusting" many times. Do you just dust them with dirt or DE? I've seen sprays on the market as well. Just curious in case it hits my girls one of these days.

 

[holm25]

MinnesotaNice a good way to prevent that is to always have wood ash or DE in their dusting spots. I used DE and wood ash and lice or mites (whatever it was) r gone!

 

[MinnesotaNice]

MinnesotaNice a good way to prevent that is to always have wood ash or DE in their dusting spots. I used DE and wood ash and lice or mites (whatever it was) r gone!

Do you put it in the nest boxes as well? Maybe I should just toss some DE in their dusting spots as precautionary. Can ducks get mites?

 

[Minniechickmama]

Yes, dusting next boxes is good too. Mites especially will hide out in dark places and crevases. A nest box is a perfect place to harbor creepy crawlies.

 

[holm25]

Do you put it in the nest boxes as well? Maybe I should just toss some DE in their dusting spots as precautionary. Can ducks get mites?

I dust eveything. The walls, around the feeders and in them, the roosts, the nest boxes, the chicken ladder, the floor and all the dusting spots. My ducks go down to water and swim all day and I have never seen mites on them. So of they have water to swim in I dont think they will get them.

 

[KlopKlop]

where do you buy DE? I don't think I have ever seen it at Fleet Farm

 

[holm25]

where do you buy DE?  I don't think I have ever seen it at Fleet Farm

They sell it at L&M fleet here. Its called Red lake earth DE. It food grade so I am not worried about it getting in the feed. It actually is a stool hardner for farm animals.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

where do you buy DE? I don't think I have ever seen it at Fleet Farm

They sell it at the Fleet Farm by me, which is Blaine.