Okies in the BYC The Original

[momto4]

Hi Okies!
Are mites a problem here in Oklahoma? I have been using diatomaceous earth, but I saw one tiny bug with wings on an egg. I have a couple chickens with very bare bottoms and some that have been starting to lose some of their chest feathers. I have a silky rooster and I wonder if he is doing some of it to them. Also I have three sitters right now, but none of the eggs are hatching! Could this be due to mites? Is there something natural that I can use for mites that works better? How often should I put in fresh bedding? I put in some fresh and take out some of the old and rake it. Do I need to completely empty it and then add new? I am sorry for all the questions!

 

[HennyPennies2007]

Hey guys... I am so excited!!!

My Ameraucans all hatched....!! I wish all of them had been fertile!!! I have 6 cute little fuzzies in my bator drying out....with little whiskers...OMG... they are so cute!!!!

Les, it was the dry method I used!!! I am stoked!!! Will post pictures soon...

 

[poultryand bees]

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Only 3 chicks? How many more can we talk you into?

 

[quenston]

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Pull up a chair and make yourself at home!!!! And if you are interested go back a few pages and check out the upcoming POOPS event this will be the first time for me attending but as many have said that it is guarateed to have a great time!!!!

 

[poultryand bees]

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Don't ever apologize for questions! It gives us something to talk about

Are you putting DE in the nests, dusting it on the birds, or how are you using it? A rooster is most likely to cause feather loss on the back of a hen's head and on their backs.

Have you candled the eggs to see if they are fertile and developing? Is it the broody hens that are losing their chest feathers? Chickens will pull their own feathers on their chest when they are sitting on a nest so that they are skin to eggs, which helps regulate the egg temperature and humidity.

If you think there might be mites in the nest, I suggest that you remove all the bedding, put DE on the bottom of the nest and replace the bedding with fresh. You can dust the birds with DE also, but be careful that you don't breathe the DE dust. Even though you are using food grade DE and you could safely eat it and the hens could eat it as well, the DE is not good for lungs.

Others will have more information about mites.

 

[GracefulBantams]

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That's a great link

 

[GracefulBantams]

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There is a kind of duck called a Buff Duck, that is probably what you have. Do a google search for that breed and see

 

[GracefulBantams]

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My two will be the same as last time

Thanks!

 

[muesky]

Good Evening Fellow Okies!

To the new okies who have joined the group

Glad you are here. Be careful though or pretty soon you are going to have a bunch of birds and not be totally sure how you came by them all. By the way would you like an americana rooster. I am selling him real cheap. FREE is cheap, right?.

Teach I totally love your snake.

We had a ball python years ago and she was such a cool snake. Kinda makes me want a snake again but Uli vetoed getting a snake faster then the vote for a zebra.

Aahh well, I will just have to live vicariously though you and Quenton (cause he has the cutest bully).

Hope everyone gets through the week in one piece and still find time to hug a chicken.

Peace and Love everyone!
Rebecca

 

[Teach97]

thanks Rebecca! If you get out this way I will cover you in snakes! That didn't come out the way I thought it would when I wrote it...ah well! that is how I roll!!!

Graceful - you cool chicken lover you...how have things been? You staying away from the boys still? Do we need to take up a bullet offering for your dad??

Howdy New folks!!! Three birds...that ain't enough...not near enough...

Come to POOPS...we will take up a free ain't cheap enough offering!

You will soon see the great humor in that great quote from the beautiful and spunky NaNa! I ain't just saying that cuz the woman can cook either!