Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Chaneys Ranch]

Well, with all the talk of mites and molting, guess what... the Serama cockerel has mites.

We actually saw the mites crawling around on the mini egg in the mini coop, then saw them crawling on the door frame and on Donut. Coffee did not seem to have any on her, which is hard to believe. Had to go out and get some poultry dust and some safer, more natural spray stuff for around the coop. So far, no signs on the big girls, but I will be taking extra precautions and give their roosts and nest boxes a good clean out, spray, and more DE.

We have been having unusually cool weather, with drippy fog most mornings until noon. Supposedly the mites are more active in cool weather, but with all the quail and other wild birds running around in the yard, it's really only a matter of time around here. Mites are very common in N.Calif.

Coffee takes a good dust bath every day, while her beau stands guard and picks little rocks and bits of dirt off her back. Donut has never taken a dust bath, so no wonder the mites got to him first. I think we caught it fairly early, so hoping quick action will prevent them spreading. These two have been evicted from the mini coop and will spend the night in large cat carrier in the garage until the coop is thoroughly cleaned and dried out.

​

The big girls are also fiends for dust baths. You have to watch your step out in their yard or you can twist an ankle in the holes they have made all over. So far the 4 new Serama pullets have shown no signs of bathing behavior. I saved up some ashes from the wood stove and will try tempting them with a pan full of ashes.

For those of you with roosters, do any of them dust bathe?

5

eggs today and probably a zillion mite eggs

. Poppy, my Ameraucana, is broody for the 3rd time this summer. We checked a Serama egg yesterday and found that it was fertile, so considering letting Poppy hatch out some Serama eggs. I know bantams hatch out large eggs, but has anyone heard of a (smallish) large chicken (4 lbs) hatch out bantams?

Ugh seems to be a bad year for them. Several members on our indiana thread have found them too. ( knocking on wood ) I am lucky so far, but with all these birds I know its gonna happen.
My roos do dust bathe, i have a big area with sand, DE and sevin dust they all go after and have a big dusting party

its pretty cute to watch. I keep it stirred up if it rains add more sevin and DE. sand drains pretty fast so it dries out quick. Still have not let any broodies hatch, I just know the babies won't survive.

 

[luvmychicken]

I have 13 hen. They have been giving me 10 eggs a day for the past 5 days. I still have 5 poults that haven't started laying yet. Just about have eggs coming out of my ears. Its been good.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have 13 hen. They have been giving me 10 eggs a day for the past 5 days. I still have 5 poults that haven't started laying yet. Just about have eggs coming out of my ears. Its been good.

Its weird. I have at least 37 hens at laying age, about 20 that usually do daily. My guinea and RP hen are still laying every other day. Ducks and geese are done for the year. I guess see what happens tomorrow...I need to be done for the year, want to get some camping and fishing in, summer is about gone

 

[luvmychicken]

I have 13 hen. They have been giving me 10 eggs a day for the past 5 days. I still have 5 poults that haven't started laying yet. Just about have eggs coming out of my ears. Its been good.

Its weird. I have at least 37 hens at laying age, about 20 that usually do daily. My guinea and RP hen are still laying every other day. Ducks and geese are done for the year. I guess see what happens tomorrow...I need to be done for the year, want to get some camping and fishing in, summer is about gone

Its been difficult to raise chickens I have had a strange schedule. But now I start monday with a new position. Hope it gets better

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: Its been difficult to raise chickens I have had a strange schedule. But now I start monday with a new position. Hope it gets better
Hope it goes well, I still do accounting for a few small business contractors but don't do any tax returns with all the new laws. So not doing the 40 hr class for about 6 returns.

 

[luvmychicken]

I have 13 hen. They have been giving me 10 eggs a day for the past 5 days. I still have 5 poults that haven't started laying yet. Just about have eggs coming out of my ears. Its been good.

Its weird. I have at least 37 hens at laying age, about 20 that usually do daily. My guinea and RP hen are still laying every other day. Ducks and geese are done for the year. I guess see what happens tomorrow...I need to be done for the year, want to get some camping and fishing in, summer is about gone

Its been difficult to raise chickens I have had a strange schedule. But now I start monday with a new position. Hope it gets better

Hope it goes well, I still do accounting for a few small business contractors but don't do any tax returns with all the new laws. So not doing the 40 hr class for about 6 returns.

I have been awake all night. Couldn't sleep. I sell car parts. Now I'm gonna be the store manager. I am listening to the roosters crow. Gonna clean the coop today. Before it gets to hot here.
Hope everyone has a great day with lots of eggs

 

[cheeka]

bummer W4W! I hate mites! and yes, all my boys dust bathe. I wish the big boys would do more during the morning hours that they are out free ranging, but they tend to spend those hours parading around in front of the girls, although there are a few bath spots in front of the dome, so maybe they hop in those while I am at work from time to time... they have a solid dirt floor in the Bachelor Pen, and they have made lots of baths in there. I forgot to include a pic of Sirus when I loaded the molting pics. he's the worst of the boys... don't know how I could have forgotten... but with his low status and molting, he's a sight... but his feathers are regrowing finally... I thought he must have those feather eating mites, but I see nothing on him at all and his skin is perfect
.
Archie has a few ratty wing feathers and a stumpy tail like Si's. but overall, he looks great.

 

[cheeka]

• I was retelling Roger's story last night... my Dad had this to say
  
  The Spirit of Seuss is backing up Roger!
  Withholding their seed is the sign of a "codger"!
  They're forming a Union, each much maligned hen.
  So your starvation effort won't happen again!
  
  "We've hired Henry Gibson to prepare us a brief

Whose punchline is sure to give Annie some grief!
We'll see her tomorrow in Middleburgh Court!
And the judge will demand that she do what she ought!"

HA!

 

[Sallysec]

OK, I am expecting eggs this week so e time but they haven't shipped so who knows...maybe next week. I am super excited. Will let you know when they arrive and I set them.

W4w sorry to hear about the mites.

Jc that's a lot do hold outs for you to get No eggs today.

 

[cheeka]

• uh oh, Roger has a pro bono attorney ~ he's already representing my Gang for the removal of the stump that is outside the dome door...

Opening salvo in Roger's civil suit:

• "We demand that our feed be increased by three scoops.
  The cost's more than covered by selling our poops!"
  "The defendant is short on compassion and wits
• If she denies us the goodies but shovels our sh*ts!"
  If our case goes against us, here's what we will say:
• "We'll demand a big slush fund from the Egg EPA!"
  
  my Dad is on a roll....