North Carolina

[atmaclean]

Good Morning!
I have been reading posts and trying to keep up but its hard. We are outside all day other than getting lunch or drinks and my email is way behind. I didnt realize how far behind in was on outside chores! And we have our first horse camp next week so we've been getting things ready for that too. Seems like I can't catch up

All the chickens are doing well. Haven't seen any more bugs since our chemical annihilation 2 weeks ago. Thank goodness! Laying has increased and everyone seems back to normal.

As for flies, I have had success with keeping the runs cleaned out every morning and also hanging those stinky jars or bags to catch flies. I also spray that dairy spray if I see several flies in one spot. This week I put up those metered spray things. They spray out a mist of fly/mosquito spray every few minutes to kill/deter the nasty buggers.

I wish we could find something that would keep the horseflies and deer flies off the horses! The regular fly sprays don't do a thing to prevent the big bugs

Someone asked about the Oxine....it is a very, very good disinfectant/antibacterial. It kills all sorts of things and can be used to disinfect your coops or anything. I add it to all the chicken water along with the ACV and vitamins. The cheapest place I have found to order it is from Revival.

 

[ramirezframing]

We use garlic and ACV in the sweet feed for the horses, it helps cut down on the amount of flies that bite them

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Good Morning!
I have been reading posts and trying to keep up but its hard. We are outside all day other than getting lunch or drinks and my email is way behind. I didnt realize how far behind in was on outside chores! And we have our first horse camp next week so we've been getting things ready for that too. Seems like I can't catch up

All the chickens are doing well. Haven't seen any more bugs since our chemical annihilation 2 weeks ago. Thank goodness! Laying has increased and everyone seems back to normal.

As for flies, I have had success with keeping the runs cleaned out every morning and also hanging those stinky jars or bags to catch flies. I also spray that dairy spray if I see several flies in one spot. This week I put up those metered spray things. They spray out a mist of fly/mosquito spray every few minutes to kill/deter the nasty buggers.

I wish we could find something that would keep the horseflies and deer flies off the horses! The regular fly sprays don't do a thing to prevent the big bugs

Someone asked about the Oxine....it is a very, very good disinfectant/antibacterial. It kills all sorts of things and can be used to disinfect your coops or anything. I add it to all the chicken water along with the ACV and vitamins. The cheapest place I have found to order it is from Revival.

Angela, you have to be the busiest person I know! I don't know how you do it all.

Oh gosh the FLIES ARE TERRIBLE this year! Not so much the regular flies, but the deer flies and horse flies are SO bad. We put Equi Spot on the horses and use regular fly spray, but I don't think it does much. Our farrier told us about a horsefly trap thingy that he has seen, I guess something like that would help, but it would end up being about $100 to initially set it up, and there's no real guarantee it will make a difference.

 

[KristanB]

I did a mass butchering last night cuz we had too many young roos. But I must say 4 month old birds are much more tasty than waiting a few years for them to stop laying. All is well here, baby had a doc appt today and is at almost 10 lbs.....That's like 2 lbs in 4 weeks! The birds are enjoying their new "fresh" watering system, as well as I am....don't have to ever fill up jugs anymore!!!!

LUKE: I must have miss your post on your "fresh watering system"...can you direct me to it or explain it to me?

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Someone want to go do my errands today? I need to go one direction to pick up another drum to make another waterer, a second direction to get the hardware for it, a third direction to get oystershell and gamebird crumble (hopefully), and yet another to get a pallet of feed.

I'm tired just thinking about it. But, as soon as my jeans are dry, I'll be off!

I think I'll call a friend for lunch while I'm at it. I could use a treat.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

I did a mass butchering last night cuz we had too many young roos. But I must say 4 month old birds are much more tasty than waiting a few years for them to stop laying. All is well here, baby had a doc appt today and is at almost 10 lbs.....That's like 2 lbs in 4 weeks! The birds are enjoying their new "fresh" watering system, as well as I am....don't have to ever fill up jugs anymore!!!!

LUKE:  I must have miss your post on your "fresh watering system"...can you direct me to it or explain it to me?

I should check for new posts.

I'd also be interested in your system, Luka. I'm always looking for improvements!

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Flock Swap tomorrow morning at TSC in Burlington. Anyone going? I have some young SFH I might take.

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Good Late Morning everyone!!

I wish I could say it was a good day, but alas it's starting off TERRIBLE. My great mama chicken decided for some reason to "ditch" her babies yesterday and DH didn't check on them (when I was at the doctor's office) anyway...out of the babies we only have 3 left...I hate to say the "funny part" but the funny part is that the sole survivors of whatever took them/happened to them are my WHITE ones!! I have both super blues left and 1 white SFH...I am so disappointed and yet can't blame the hubby, as he did work 18 hours and then came home to sleep. Had I known he wasn't going to check on them (like he said), I wouldn't have let them out until I got home.

Bad news aside, I figured out that I do NOT have an egg thief...exactly. Turns out one of my OE has gone broody and has been taking the eggs to build a nest in the corner of the coop...I found her in the nesting box this morning, DH said she was sitting in the corner on a dozen eggs or so!!

I think I might need to get some eggs for this poor girl, but I have NO place to put her!! What do you all do when you are overrun with broody hens??

Side question for those of you who garden: any suggestions/advice to naturally get rid of squash bugs and ants? Our garden is flourishing this year (I have pumpkins, watermelon, zucchini and such all growing) but we're swamped with "squash bugs" (I am assuming since they are ALL over the pumpkin plants). I spent a good hour last night just pulling them off ...and the worst part is the chickens WON'T eat them!!

Have a great Friday!! Tonight and tomorrow we'll be outside building a playset for some anxious girls!! LOL

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Good Late Morning everyone!!

I wish I could say it was a good day, but alas it's starting off TERRIBLE. My great mama chicken decided for some reason to "ditch" her babies yesterday and DH didn't check on them (when I was at the doctor's office) anyway...out of the babies we only have 3 left...I hate to say the "funny part" but the funny part is that the sole survivors of whatever took them/happened to them are my WHITE ones!! I have both super blues left and 1 white SFH...I am so disappointed and yet can't blame the hubby, as he did work 18 hours and then came home to sleep. Had I known he wasn't going to check on them (like he said), I wouldn't have let them out until I got home.

Bad news aside, I figured out that I do NOT have an egg thief...exactly. Turns out one of my OE has gone broody and has been taking the eggs to build a nest in the corner of the coop...I found her in the nesting box this morning, DH said she was sitting in the corner on a dozen eggs or so!!

I think I might need to get some eggs for this poor girl, but I have NO place to put her!! What do you all do when you are overrun with broody hens??

Side question for those of you who garden: any suggestions/advice to naturally get rid of squash bugs and ants? Our garden is flourishing this year (I have pumpkins, watermelon, zucchini and such all growing) but we're swamped with "squash bugs" (I am assuming since they are ALL over the pumpkin plants). I spent a good hour last night just pulling them off ...and the worst part is the chickens WON'T eat them!!

Have a great Friday!! Tonight and tomorrow we'll be outside building a playset for some anxious girls!! LOL

No fun picking them off, huh? They are SO hard to get rid of, I hate them.

Here is a link to a forum that discusses this issue. http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/organic/msg0722512410012.html

 

[cknnewbie]

Flock Swap tomorrow morning at TSC in Burlington. Anyone going? I have some young SFH I might take.

SFH?