The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

DL seems to work best all around. Getting a healthy microb going it keeps a good balance and discourages mites. Ferment feeds and add garlic..use the leftover garlic and toss in coops, Dill and Coriander is not only good for chickens it helps to repel those nasty's. Pyrethrum chrysanthemums is a natural way to go and they look pretty when you grow them. Just planting them around the coop helps.

1. Ants: To repel ants I find it useful to use Mint, Tansies or Pennyroyals.
2. Aphids: To repel aphids use Mint, Garlic, Chive, Coriander or Anise.
3. Bean Leaf Beetle: To repel bean leaf beetles use Potatoes, Onions or Turnips.
4. Codling Moth: To repel codling moths use Common Oleander.
5. Colorado Potato Beetle: To repel Colorado potato beetles use Green Beans, Coriander or Nasturtium.
6. Cowpea Curculio: To repel Cowpea Curlios use Garlic, Cloves or Radish.
7. Cucumber Beetle: To repel cucumber beetles use Radish or Tansies.
8. Flea Beetle: To repel flea beetles use Garlic, Onions or Mint.
9. Harlequin Bug: To repel harlequin bugs use Radish, Turnips or Onions.
10. Imported Cabbage Worm: To repel imported cabbage worms use Mint, Sage, Rosemary or Hyssop.
11. Japanese Beetle: To repel Japanese beetles use Garlic, Larkspur, Tansy, Rue or Geranium.
12. Leaf Hopper: To repel leaf hoppers use Geranium or Petunia.
13. Mexican Bean Beetle: To repel Mexican bean beetles use Potatoes, Onions, Garlic, Radish, Petunia or Marigold.
14. Mice: To repel mice use Onions.
15. Root Knot Nematodes: To repel root knot nematodes use French Marigold, Slugs, Prostrate Rosemary or Wormwood.
16. Spider Mites: To repel spider mites use Onions, Garlic, Cloves or Chives.
17. Squash Bug: To repel squash bugs use Radish, Marigold, Tansies or Nasturtium.
18. Squash Vine Borer: To repel squash vine borers use Cloves, Onions or Garlic.
19. Stink Bug: To repel stink bugs use Radish.
20. Tomato Heartworm: To repel tomato heartworms use Marigold, Sage or Borage.

Read more: http://gomestic.com/gardening/20-plants-that-repel-pests/#ixzz2fllqSRyM​

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Sand harbors mites??? Read a lot of things about using sand but not this. What is best then. I use pine shavings.

Wanted to made a dust bath area, was going to use bought organic top soil, it has some sand in it. I have wood ash to put in too. So what dirt is best. My area is red clay.

Quote: I like this one long thread. I have my reasons. But if you want separate threads for the topics that are of interest to you, why not start the thread and put the word "natural" in the title somewhere. So if you are looking for a natural way to control flies but don't want to search this thread, start your own What are some natural ways to control the fly population?
Why come in here and start saying our thread is not to your design liking?

 

[Eggcessive]

As for it being illegal to feed chickens meat in Great Britain, I read it in ThePoutry Magazine which is published in England. The reason is do to with salmonella, not mad cow disease, and it has been law since the 1980's. Also, salmonella is not naturally present in all chickens--the main way they get it is from rodents around the coop.

 

[Pozees]

I like this one long thread. I have my reasons. But if you want separate threads for the topics that are of interest to you, why not start the thread and put the word "natural" in the title somewhere. So if you are looking for a natural way to control flies but don't want to search this thread, start your own What are some natural ways to control the fly population?
Why come in here and start saying our thread is not to your design liking?

X2

 

[Kassaundra]

Number 17 and 20, squash bug and tomato hornworm, those plants did not work for me tried them all.

 

[newbie32]

I like this one long thread. I have my reasons. But if you want separate threads for the topics that are of interest to you, why not start the thread and put the word "natural" in the title somewhere. So if you are looking for a natural way to control flies but don't want to search this thread, start your own What are some natural ways to control the fly population?
Why come in here and start saying our thread is not to your design liking?

I never said that this thread was not to my design liking. Don't read something not there. I was agreeing that it is such a great topic and so vast that it should be a whole section of its own because obviously lots of people subscribe to the thread. In other words-wow what a great idea for a topic-it is huge-it is obviously successful! That's complaining? I think NOT!

 

[TipihlowLadies]

Can you post a video of the dog howling ? So instead of a chicken egg song...you have a dog egg song ..
Some questions for you ..
What are your nesting boxes like ? they obviously like something about the dog house ...Is it more private ?
Some suggestions:
Here is a trick also put fake eggs or golf balls or ? in the nesting boxes...they see them there ..chickie see chickie do ..
or try putting the nesting box in the dog house ..or in front of the dog house .and gradually moving the nesting box out
is there a blanket in the dog house ? put that in the nesting box

This is why I like this thread ask ? and get diferant ideas, it's always good to get different perspective . the dog house is deep dark and cool with cedar shavings to help with fleas .

 

[BlueMouse]

So it sounds like Borax works very similarly to DE in the way it kills insects? Abrades the exoskeleton and then dessicates? But it's not aggravating to the lungs, which is nice. Well, I'm getting some food grade DE anyhow because I want to start getting Oatmeal in bulk (we go though like 5lbs a week around here) and wanted to put a bit of DE in it to keep the buggies out. So I think I'll shake some of that around the basement, and probably dust the cat too. Then I can start feeding him the stuff in his water maybe that keeps them repelled. I have traps out for the mice upstairs, but leave them for kitty the mighty hunter downstairs. I may put some traps out downstairs too, although he's a pretty efficient rodent elimination machine. I will borax the carpets up here because I do worry a bit about my African Grey inhaling DE dust. They are so sensitive to dusts and fumes. That way hopefully if there are any eggs in the carpet we will eliminate them. Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
maybe get the chickens their own doghouse. LOL no joke. I have 2. dog's never been in either. I use them for babies when they go outside (with heat lamp) and one the hens use now and then for eggs when broodies try to take over the regular nests and not share.

 

[camilleathome]

AOXA! Looks like I have a Groucho too! XD Look at the EE in the corner!