Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[stake]

Glad the little one is figuring it out!
Our hens are really slow right now also.... though on the plus side we took advantage of their molt slow down to do an annual worming and dusting. Some of our young white rock roosters had mites, only found them on a handful of birds but if we found on one or all it gets the same treatment... Molt is just about over for the older birds now and eggs are picking back up slightly.

Yeah:

I was waiting for the first cold snap to dose my crew....maybe in a week or two.....

 

[LisaYolkUm]

What do you use for dusting them? I do have stuff for worming...........but not sure about the dusting.

 

[fisherlady]

What do you use for dusting them? I do have stuff for worming...........but not sure about the dusting.

To me the dusting choices are similar to the worming... it needs to be based on desired goals (what pest you are dealing with), how comfortable you are with choices of chemicals (organic or not) and if you want to be able to use the eggs through the process or not (some have suggested 'withdrawl' time for product use, some don't)

For us I had a choice of Sevin Dust (make sure it is only the 5% strength, not the 50%) or Poultry Dust, both are available at Tractor Supply. If you are debating on dust as a preventative treatment of the birds and coop (you have to do it all or it won't be effective) then you need to do some research on the choices to decide what fits for you and your set up. Type 'sevin' or 'dust for mites' in the search block above and you will find quite a few good reference threads on it.

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

How's that workin' for ya?

I made a spreadsheet when I started with the new incubator so I could track results and make detailed notes. I learned so much this year and have big hopes for next year. Sometime I'm going to write an article about what I've learned so that others can maybe skip some of the "trials and errors". The last few weeks I have gotten close to 100% hatch for eggs from healthy and "genetically robust" parents, much better that what I was getting earlier in the year. By tracking the origins of the eggs, I can see which parents were the best for producing the next generation, and which birds are too inbred to be the best egg sources for next year. Hens that were the best layers did not always have good hatches or robust progeny.

Waiting for that article impatiently....

@wingstone Your little chicken is getting the "hazing" treatment by my two girls who are lowest on the totem pole. I have only let her out with the other girls while I am home, until today. Today she is out all day with the other girls. Fingers crossed! . I don't think she is getting picked on because of her size, but because of her sweet nature. Hopefully she will find her way into the coop tonight without too much harassment. I figure she has to get used to the other girls eventually. Chicken politics!

 

[dheltzel]

Waiting for that article impatiently....

@wingstone Your little chicken is getting the "hazing" treatment by my two girls who are lowest on the totem pole. I have only let her out with the other girls while I am home, until today. Today she is out all day with the other girls. Fingers crossed!

. I don't think she is getting picked on because of her size, but because of her sweet nature. Hopefully she will find her way into the coop tonight without too much harassment. I figure she has to get used to the other girls eventually. Chicken politics!

Keeping chickens gives you a first hand understanding of where terms like "hen pecked" and "pecking order" came from.

I hope your cochin hen fits in quickly. I generally refuse to sell 1 or 2 hens to someone with an existing flock, too many have died as a result because many people don't get how brutal the social order enforcement really is.

 

[happyappy]

Hello from south central!

 

[happyappy]

Would anyone in the south central region be looking to rehome a goose or 2? We are looking for a companion or 2 for ours.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Waiting for that article impatiently....

[@=/u/137239/wingstone]@wingstone[/@] Your little chicken is getting the "hazing" treatment by my two girls who are lowest on the totem pole. I have only let her out with the other girls while I am home, until today. Today she is out all day with the other girls. Fingers crossed! . I don't think she is getting picked on because of her size, but because of her sweet nature. Hopefully she will find her way into the coop tonight without too much harassment. I figure she has to get used to the other girls eventually. Chicken politics!

Keeping chickens gives you a first hand understanding of where terms like "hen pecked" and "pecking order" came from.

I hope your cochin hen fits in quickly. I generally refuse to sell 1 or 2 hens to someone with an existing flock, too many have died as a result because many people don't get how brutal the social order enforcement really is.

If I remember right, the existing flock in this case only contains 2-4 hens. Integration issues should be minimal.

 

[LisaYolkUm]

To me the dusting choices are similar to the worming... it needs to be based on desired goals (what pest you are dealing with), how comfortable you are with choices of chemicals (organic or not) and if you want to be able to use the eggs through the process or not (some have suggested 'withdrawl' time for product use, some don't)

For us I had a choice of Sevin Dust (make sure it is only the 5% strength, not the 50%) or Poultry Dust, both are available at Tractor Supply. If you are debating on dust as a preventative treatment of the birds and coop (you have to do it all or it won't be effective) then you need to do some research on the choices to decide what fits for you and your set up. Type 'sevin' or 'dust for mites' in the search block above and you will find quite a few good reference threads on it.

thanks------------I am thinking PREVENTATIVE treatment......................

I did buy some sevin -----I have to find it to see what the intensity was.................I do recall some serious label precautions about its health hazards to humans re: asthma and breathing conditions........and I think this scared me off a bit.............I do have asthma.....................I have not gone further with this so I guess I have to do some research.

I also have not done the worming.............and I know its needed............ so when someone posted about this.................I felt kinda like.............I better get on these things soon.............

I have a bit more learning about these to do!

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

If I remember right, the existing flock in this case only contains 2-4 hens. Integration issues should be minimal.

My chicken math has gone like this: 5-1+2-1+1=6.

Keeping chickens gives you a first hand understanding of where terms like "hen pecked" and "pecking order" came from.

I hope your cochin hen fits in quickly. I generally refuse to sell 1 or 2 hens to someone with an existing flock, too many have died as a result because many people don't get how brutal the social order enforcement really is.

I completely understand your preference, my two bantams did much better integrating into my flock than this one has so far. Do you think I am interfering too much by trying to shield her from the others when they start trying to dominate her? I have been trying to watch body language and use a stick to direct them away from her when they are threatening. I have been keeping her isolated at night. This is her first day out with the other girls all day. I'm nervous about putting her in the coop tonight, but I think it's about time. Any suggestions?