Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[GregnLety]

My experience is much the same as Ribh's. I put woodash in the chickens' dust holes but I can't guarantee it's making a difference. However, in my case the hens live on sand which might dessicate mites and lice and maybe we have fewer wild birds to contend with than Ribh does. Anyway, even sick hens have remained free of mites and lice so far.

Our dirt is very sandy here too. We usually don't have fleas or ticks either.

 

[Perris]

Is there any truth to wood ash helping prevent mites. I burn a lot of oak and spread the ash in the favorite bathing places. We've never had a chicken with mites but I don't know if it is the wood ash or just good luck.

It is a traditional practice, and since lye is water infused with ash I'd guess there is some truth behind it. Chemical and mechanical perhaps?

 

[pennyJo1960]

I do the same Perris wood ash is my mite threatment.
also never had case of bumblefoot or such

 

[ManueB]

I do the same Perris wood ash is my mite threatment.
also never had case of bumblefoot or such

I've spread some occasionally in the coop and in their bathing spots. They don't like it , I've noticed, they will often change their dustbathing place if I've put some ashes on it.
I was wondering if it would be harmful for them to do it regularly, because ashes is something we actually have way too much of. We use only a little in the garden so we just have this huge ash pile growing .

 

[ManueB]

What it will grow what with the weather etc remains to be seen. It won't be like the veg garden in Catalonia, that much I'm pretty certain off.

A few things actually grow better with less sunshine and more humidity like salads and most cabbages. I've never been able to grow proper cauliflowers and broccolis here because of the sun.
I'm curious to know, if it's not being too inquisitive, how you are adapting back to British weather ?

 

[Perris]

I've spread some occasionally in the coop and in their bathing spots. They don't like it , I've noticed, they will often change their dustbathing place if I've put some ashes on it.
I was wondering if it would be harmful for them to do it regularly, because ashes is something we actually have way too much of. We use only a little in the garden so we just have this huge ash pile growing .

what sort of ash are you using/making? My understanding is that for birds' dust bathing purposes, twig wood ash is best (small bits of wood rather than, say, logs or coal).

 

[ManueB]

what sort of ash are you using/making? My understanding is that for birds' dust bathing purposes, twig wood ash is best (small bits of wood rather than, say, logs or coal).

Oh, I didn't know. We use logs from our woodstove so it probably wouldn't be fine.

 

[Marie2020]

I put a lb of sulfur in the dust baths
https://entomologytoday.org/2016/07/18/battling-chicken-mites-with-bags-of-brimstone/

That's really interesting.

I feel dumb asking some of these questions. Did I read right about sulphur dust bags being hung in the coop as well as being used out as a dust bath?

Phew, I will have to brace myself for the rotten eggs pong not nice

 

[Marie2020]

It is a traditional practice, and since lye is water infused with ash I'd guess there is some truth behind it. Chemical and mechanical perhaps?

Throw some fat in the mix and you could have soap

 

[ManueB]

That's really interesting.

I feel dumb asking some of these questions. Did I read right about sulphur dust bags being hung in the coop as well as being used out as a dust bath?

Phew, I will have to brace myself for the rotten eggs pong not nice

We use sulphur to treat the vineyard. It smells so strong that we have special clothes we use just for this, nothing will make the smell come off. If it's the same type of product I don't see how you could possibly leave it constantly in the coop! Maybe there is some other type of conditioning.