Seven dead hens within 4 hours, not attacked. UPDATE: Teflon Poisoning!

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TwoCrows said:
What others have said here, chickens don't really like to be handled, picked up or have their feet leave the ground. BUT, they do love to lap sit and some of mine do love to be lightly pet on the back or even a head scratching as they sit on my lap.
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I got a group of twelve: 3 BA, 3 BR, 3 RIR and 3 Austra-Whites. They are about 8 weeks old now and still in a large box in the bathroom, long overdue for the large brooder partially completed out in the garage.

One RIR would perch on my wrist and eat out of my hand, then take a quick nap, but it avoids me now. Then about a week ago, one RIR came up and bit me and WOULDN"T LET GO! I had to whack her real good. She's the defiant one and always wants to fight when I nudge her out the way. The Austra-Whites are greedy like Raptors and push their way to the front for food and they don't back off when you nudge them away, they wanna stand there and see everything...I'm sorta leery of them. They and the BA's only peck at my fork while I'm scooping bedding from their trough. As long as they're not trying to take a piece of me, that's ok.

None of them don't like to be touched except for one Barred Rock. She leans up against my hand while I'm working my way along the trough. Not skittish at all, lets me stroke its head, rub its neck, chest and back. Sorta like a little pleasant pest that you don't mind having around. It will come up to the edge of the box and just look at me and makes soft (purring?) sound.

I did take it out the box and made sure its feet were firmly planted in my lap. It made some soft noises and ate some treats out of my hand. The rest of the bunch saw this and went crazy, jumping up and down in a jealous rage, thinking they were missing out on a treat, so that freaked it out and had to put it back in the box. If it hadn't been for the onlookers, our little one-on-one session would have lasted longer.

I don't necessarily want lap chickens, but they don't need to be freaking out every time I enter a coop or run. They do get excited when I announce myself and enter the room and really make a ruckus because they know the treats will be forthcoming. --BB

Meant to add: I get a little freaked out with anything flapping and has a BEAK, and, like I told the other board, Sister-Girl (mean RIR) needs to recognize that I have too many skillets, pressure and slow cookers, and a host of meat cleavers up in this camp to deal with any Tom Foolery.
 
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lazy gardener said:
That digging is normal. I'd suggest that you switch to hay for nesting material, and make it at least 4" deep. Shavings don't provide that satisfying "making a nest" feeling for the birds, IMO. I literally cram my nest boxes full of hay. It also has more insulation value, so the eggs are less likely to freeze. In the winter, I purposefully only keep several nest boxes inviting, so the girls all use those few boxes. That keeps the eggs warmer as well.



Heat lamps are awesome, If you are on Harbor Freight flier list, you can get a free head lamp with any other purchase. (they offer these about 3 x / year.



As others have stated, DE will not get rid of a mite/lice infestation. Also, mites can live off host for 10 months, and survive freezing weather. So, if you find mites, it's imperative that you strip your entire coop down, clean well, treat THE COOP and the birds. THEN you will have to repeat the whole process in 7 - 10 days to get any new mites that have hatched. You should also remove the litter from your property or burn it.

DE is also very hard on the lungs, and can cause severe damage if inhaled.
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I read somewhere years ago that mites do not like painted surfaces so folks were painting the roosts and interiors of their coops. Would anyone know about that?
 
Bobby Basham said:
I read somewhere years ago that mites do not like painted surfaces so folks were painting the roosts and interiors of their coops. Would anyone know about that?
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The old folks years ago used a lime whitewash. It's suppose to control bugs in the coop. I've never tried it. Instead I painted with a primer & exterior paint inside.
Hey Bobby I really enjoyed the story above about your gang of 12. Maybe you should start your own thread about their adventures & pics. Your a good writer. I know I'd follow.
 
Hamiam said:
The old folks years ago used a lime whitewash. It's suppose to control bugs in the coop. I've never tried it. Instead I painted with a primer & exterior paint inside.
Hey Bobby I really enjoyed the story above about your gang of 12. Maybe you should start your own thread about their adventures & pics. Your a good writer. I know I'd follow.
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Thanks, Hamiam, for the refresher about the lime whitewash and kind words. As far as the little buggers go, it's my fault that I let them stay in that box for so long and should have been moved out weeks ago. I bought all the plywood, cut it myself, pre-drilled all the holes, and the only thing it needed was a screwdriver to put it all together, tack some hardware cloth for all the openings and add several hinges for the lids. It's 4'x6' and 24" high. I'll send a pic when I get out there in a few hours.

They are BIG and probably have a wing span of almost 18 inches and they can really fly. Every now and then, one or two may fly out and I just let them stand there looking stupid, and I keep on with my chores completely ignoring them, and they're still standing there, looking stupid, and finally gently pick them up (with a short pursuit at times) and put them back in the box.

It sorta creeps me out when I put my hand in there with all those beaks looming in such closed quarters, but I keep telling myself who's in charge and assert my authority.

Oh, I had originally planned to paint the entire interior my coop, beams and ceiling. It's only 6' x 6'. Anything to preserve wood longer and deter unwanted guests.
 
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Bobby Basham said:
I read somewhere years ago that mites do not like painted surfaces so folks were painting the roosts and interiors of their coops. Would anyone know about that?
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It seems like that might make it easier to wash as well...a less porous surface for the (celac? squishy poops?) to soak into. I'd love to know the answer. I'd paint it this summer and keep them in the run for a few days to let it air out.
 

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