Organic Pest Control

[HollyWoozle]

Hi BYC! It’s been a while since I posted, I hope you’re all doing well.

Until now my chicken care has always been for my parents’ flock with the chickens kept at their home (I sometimes had some hens which were “mine” in that flock), but it looks like my husband and I might soon be able to have a couple of hens at home. I’m really excited about having our own little flock, especially since I will be able to control all their management myself! With this in mind, I am thinking ahead to the sort of set up we will have and the way we will care for our chooks.

I am really interested in organic farming methods as much as possible, whilst also respecting the need for things like wormers when the time comes. However we have a fairly wildlife friendly, natural garden and we like to do things like composting, avoiding pesticides when we can. You get the idea. I’d love to hear from you with your top tips for maintaining a healthy flock with limited use of chemicals and so on. I have often read on here that some of you never need to worm your chickens for example - why is that? Perhaps because they are totally free-ranging?

How do you prevent mites in your coop without pesticides? Back in the dad my grandfather farmer painted the coop and perches with creosote but that’s no longer considered safe and isn’t available here (I’m in the UK).

What do you put in your dust baths?

Nearly all organic mite treatments here in the U.K. contain diatomaceous earth and I only know from BYC that it’s not a good idea. Is there any easily accessible evidence to show why that is? It is even recommended by the British Hen Welfare Trust and is a key ingredient in many treatments here.

I’d like to add that I have often used products like permethrin on our family flock - I know they work and of course I will use what is required for a healthy, happy flock. However I do not feel good about regular use of insecticides and so on and would like to use natural products as much as I can.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[DobieLover]

you never need to worm your chickens for example - why is that?

I think it more comes down to the environment. If it is a very dry climate, it is hard for parasite eggs to survive.

How do you prevent mites in your coop without pesticides?

I have owned chickens for over 6 years and they've never had mites. There was one incident of lice but they were treated once with Permethrin based poultry dust and they were gone because I caught it very early.

What do you put in your dust baths?

Dirt.
If they are given a dry area they will dig out their own dust baths.
The flock having access to good dry soil is the best mite/lice preventive. A very close second is keeping wild birds away from the flock as much as possible.

Wild birds have access to my flock because they leave their run regularly. I just work hard to keep the wild birds OUT of their run. It can be a challenge once they realize there is an endless supply of food available there.

Is there any easily accessible evidence to show why that is?

I think it's more logical reasoning.

Breathing in tiny sharp particles is not good for any creature, including birds with very delicate respiratory systems. I use DE around only sensitive garden plants that I want to protect from further damage and use it in bird seed that shows any signs of bugs.

 

[Folly's place]

Mites or lice arrive with wild songbirds, so in theory keeping them out of the coop and run makes a big difference. here we have mite issues fairly often, because when the birds are free ranging, those wild birds can get into the coop and run.
You might get lucky and not have issues with these parasites, but look out for them! We use permethrin, either dust or spray, when necessary.
Intestinal parasites depend on what's in your soil, so again, it varies, depending. We rarely need to give meds against them here, but a mile down the road, another flock has major issues. Different soil, closer to a farm pond. Here fenbendazole is approved and safe, amprolium for coccidia, and nothing is approved against tapeworms.
However, tapes aren't a big issue here, although again, different climate and soils matter.
I don't use DE on our poultry, the risk/ benefit ratio is in the wrong direction for this product. Also, it's mined in open pit mines, miserable!
Mary

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thank you both for your helpful replies and apologies for such a slow response!

The U.K. is generally quite damp BUT the soil here at our home is quite a bit sandier compared to where my parents live for example… I hope that might be helpful in controlling pests.

 

[Sally PB]

Mites or lice arrive with wild songbirds, so in theory keeping them out of the coop and run makes a big difference.

My run is covered, and yet I've had to treat for mites this summer.

I have powdered sulfur coming this week. I'm going to set up a dustbath with dirt/sand/peat moss and sulfur, and a "bopper sock" above the pop door that the chickens will freak out about, then get used to tapping them.

 

[Ted Brown]

My run is covered and I do not free range.

I too use powdered 95% pure sulphur in dust baths and in a lingerie washing bag hung over the pop door. I have had mites but it has been several years.

A covered run generally makes maintenance easier, I use deep litter and add leaves, needles, etc. every fall; run is in in sixth year, never cleaned out.

 

[Shadrach]

Starting out. Bedfordshire UK. Do the brick works still pump out those awful smelling fumes?
You'll be wanting a bottle of cocivex/coxoid at hand. Coccidiosis loves a bit of damp.
Sulpher for mites and lice. People try a number of approaches from permeable bags at pop hole to putting some in a plastic bag, putting the chicken in the bag, head out of the bag is recommend

Mycoplasma is very common in the UK. One would be wise to read a lot about it, not just from the vet manuals.

Chickens get worms. It's how many, how big and what type and how often. In a temperated climate (don't laugh ) worming early spring and autumn is not a bad idea. Probably easier than finding a sick chicken and eventually working out it's a worm overload. You can still get Flubendazole and it still works and there are minimum safety concerns.

You can save yourself an awful lot of problems by getting a recycled plastic coop. They don't make coop mite life impossible but they do make it very difficult for the mites and very easy for the keeper if some pest or other takes up residence.

This is mine.

This is the company that makes them. I've made a few alterations.
https://www.solwayrecycling.co.uk/shop/pig-poultry/hen-houses

I know a few people who have these.
https://nestera.co.uk/

Daily cleaning is easy.
No bedding on the floor makes poop checks easy.
I haven't had a rat chew through or even attempt it and they done it to every wooden coop that's been here.
Whichever coop you get, get it off the ground by at least 50cm.