Texas

[Aphrael]

I had read where rosemary oil deters mosquitos so I took vetrx and added about 2tbls to a spray bottle of water and sprayed down the hole inside of my coops and the chickens...not only does it work but it got rid of those flies...now I spray down the trash cans too...
I had been studying on controlling the mosquitos because I don't want anything to do with the horrible fowl pox...
when you spray the chickens you don't even have to catch them just mist over them
big plus!! it smells great

I've been so lucky....I've had chicks off and on for over 15 years and beside loosing a few after hatching I've only ever lost chickens to raccoons or old age!!! nutrition and cleanliness!!
hope I didn't just jinx my flock!!

Oooo. That is really good to know. I'm gonna have to give that a try. Mosquitoes were really, really awful this year.

 

[Little Wing]

We'll I can't speak for everyone else but I've had rabbits in my backyard for years. Now I have 6 and no flies. I got my hens on oct 10 and within a week the flies were in my house just coming through the open door as we'd go in and out. The flies around the coop are horrible. I just live in an average neighborhood with an average sized yard. I've read that DE will help control the smell and flies. I'll try it but I have not had a problem with the smell just the flies.

I used to have a bad fly problem too. 3 months ago I switched to fermented feed and the fly problem is so much better. It has also stopped mice from coming into the coop. Deep litter also helps with the flies.

 

[tesaba]

Our version of "Babies day out"......second day of getting to go to the garden with dad in the morning!!! THEY LOVE IT!! And in the last pic Bully seems to be a little interested in Ms Rosey this morning

 

[MelTX]

Hey guys, has anyone used diatomacious earth (food grade) in their brooders or coops? I had read on another chicken forum that is a good additive in with sand or sweet PDZ to dry out the poop and cut down on smell. But it is VERY powdery. Like, you pretty much have to mix it with something heavier because it has the consistency of powdered sugar!

I'm looking for things to use under my roosts (when I get my coop built, that is) because living in city limits and a VERY persnickety husband demands that I keep smell down as much as possible.

Also I am on the look out for people that sell older pullets - 5-7 weeks - within driving distance and found SeaBreeze Goats and Chickens in San Leon, TX, outside Galveston. She seems to have several good laying breeds for sale yearly and I was wondering if anyone has done business with them, what their chickens/set up was like, ect??

I don't want to drive an hour and a half and find a crappy set up with equally bad conditions for the livestock. Even if I won't be able to get my chickens til the spring, I'm doing research on places to get older orpington chicks now.

If I can get a little older chicks, maybe I won't have to fool with a brooder in my garage (thus giving persnickety husband something else to complain about.

)

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I was just reading an article on the DL method and it said not to use DE in the coop. After reading this article I have decided to do this instead of using sand. I will get a tub and fill it with sand for their dust baths.

 

[MelTX]

I was just reading an article on the DL method and it said not to use DE in the coop. After reading this article I have decided to do this instead of using sand. I will get a tub and fill it with sand for their dust baths.

That's interesting. I've been reading about DE here on BYC and a lot of people use it in their coops and mix it in with sand for dust baths. So, I dunno. I guess it depends on individual experience.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

That's interesting. I've been reading about DE here on BYC and a lot of people use it in their coops and mix it in with sand for dust baths. So, I dunno. I guess it depends on individual experience.

The article says specifically not to use in the coop. Using it in the dust bath would be different.

 

[bnjrob]

The article says specifically not to use in the coop. Using it in the dust bath would be different.

Diatomaceous earth is, as you probably know, composed of tiny sharp particles which scratch the exoskeletons of creepy crawlies so they dry out and die. Inhaling DE over long periods and/or in very high concentrations can damage the lungs. Chickens are prone to respiratory issues compared to other types of animals, so if you are worried about it, you can choose not to use DE. However, chickens don't have a lifespan as long as people so it is unlikely you are going to see your chickens experience the signs of silicosis since generally they'll get eaten or die of other causes long before silicosis sets into their lungs. Using it in a dust bath isn't going to be much different than using it in a coop - they are going to be flipping the dust around and will inhale some of it no matter what. This is one of those things that you should investigate for yourself and determine if the benefits outweigh the risk for use. Personally, I use DE because the use of poisons around my animals and home is unacceptable and the effects of poisons can be seen with very little concentration of the poison, compared to needing high levels with long term exposure of DE to harm my animals.

 

[Little Wing]

That's interesting. I've been reading about DE here on BYC and a lot of people use it in their coops and mix it in with sand for dust baths. So, I dunno. I guess it depends on individual experience.

The article says specifically not to use in the coop. Using it in the dust bath would be different.

You want to use DE in a coop with sand. You don't want to use it with deep litter. IMO Deep litter is much better all the way around.

 

[SavannahsBrood]

Well the neighbor came over and was in need of some help building a hog trap. He asked what my price was...I said that black australorp hen ( the one that kept coming over to my yard). So I have one black australorp hen now, still looking for about 3 more close by. May have to wait a few months till the 10 week olds I'm finding are at the age I want.