Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[Cheeky Chick]

I have a question for y'all......With the predicted cicada emergence.....is it OK to feed them to the chicken?????

My chickens were seen the other day, running away from a bumble bee like it was a chicken hawk. I'm not sure the cicadas will go over well with them. They're very "prissy" chickens.

I'm considering some guineas to keep the cicadas (and neighbors, and bears) away from my property.

They'd be like little watchdogs.

 

[Cheeky Chick]

Welcome Mammo.......nice to see another Long Islander here! DE stand for Diatomaceous Earth.....it is used for mites and slugs. For them it is razor sharp and reeks (sp?) havoc on the critters. I use a hand-cranked blower to spray it inside the coop and along the wood joints of the run where mites like to hide. MUST MUST MUST wear a respirator so that those razor sharp particles don't harm your lungs.

Make sure the chickens are out of the areas that you will spray until it settles. It is also a small component of my dust bath ingredients.

I actually keep the duct down by sprinkling from a coffee can with holes poked in the top. It comes out like a salt shaker.

 

[JerseyHen]

Wanda, my Barred Rock, is pulling her own feathers out. Her feathers are EVERYWHERE and I saw her pull one out. The others don't seem interested. Is this a nutrition issue or a psychological one??

If she is pulling them from the belly area it might be that she is about to go broody. I know many of my broody girls are just about naked by the time they are done (they use the feathers in the nesting box). If they are from all over her body, I have no idea.

 

[littlecritters]

Prom nights here have been replaced by FD dinners! When she gets to wear her dress instead of her uniform, Laura goes crazy with shoes, accessories, nail polish, etc, etc. Even in uniform, though, the hair is a big thing. I saw a friend of mine last night (he's in the dept with Laura) and he told me he didn't know it was her until he saw her tattoo! "She cleans up real nice."

Suzanne, How lovely!

 

[queenchick16]

I know with parrots feather picking is more common in certain breeds. Usually stress , although it could be caused by a whole host of things from malnutrition to parisites.You see it a lot in African Greys and Macaws.
I think it could be lack of protein in our girls. I don't know how regulated the livestock feed industry is. it could be like the vitamin/ supplement industry which isn't at all.Does the chick feed have higher protein content? Feeds in the garage and it's too early in the morning.maybe switching to that might help. I wonder if sprinkling a little protein powder on their food, or cat food would work. Roberta or Al would know. Babbling again.

 

[stoopid]

Yes, chick feed has a little more protein.

Guineas? NO GUINEAS! Those things are crazy!

 

[queenchick16]

Yes, chick feed has a little more protein.

Guineas? NO GUINEAS! Those things are crazy!

Yah, I'm married to one.( joking newbies)

 

[magsrags]

Yah, I'm married to one.( joking newbies)

Me 2!

 

[magsrags]

I know with parrots feather picking is more common in certain breeds. Usually stress , although it could be caused by a whole host of things from malnutrition to parisites.You see it a lot in African Greys and Macaws.
I think it could be lack of protein in our girls. I don't know how regulated the livestock feed industry is. it could be like the vitamin/ supplement industry which isn't at all.Does the chick feed have higher protein content? Feeds in the garage and it's too early in the morning.maybe switching to that might help. I wonder if sprinkling a little protein powder on their food, or cat food would work. Roberta or Al would know. Babbling again.

I actually give mine canned cat or dog food when they get bored or are penned up longer than usual. They go berserk for it.
I also give them yogurt and cottage cheese when I have extra.

The hawks and falcons are out a lot so mine are on lock down for over a week now.

 

[smkchick]

Me 2!

And I'm about to be!