The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

The mites I am sure were in my DH's wheel barrel and probably from rabbits, birds, and squirrels. They sit on the top of it and wait for the chicks to move away from the feed dishes. They are all over the place this year since the coyotes this year were a no show.  No fox either and we are over run. The coyotes will thin them down this winter I hope.

I do not have them in the coop or on the birds. I double checked after I seen the little critters. I burned a ton of wood and the ash hole is filled again. The birds will not touch it till i add some sand and dirt.

I have noticed the big girls happily dust bathe in the ashes but the tots ignore it, I was thinking of adding some peat moss to the ash, that I know they will dust bathe in. Of course I have to get them out of the compost pile..........I think they are in there from sun up to sun down since they were given access to it. That's fine with me. I have cut back some more on their feed. But I think they spend so much time in there they have forgotten to lay It's been a slooooow week for eggs if I get 2 a day that's a lot & that's with 7 hens at POL. Maybe I should post my egg calendar where I keep track of what was laid next to the nest boxes so they get the hint

 

[Leahs Mom]

Your mite problem has inspired me to get out the wood ash again. I've also been lax. Kind of dumb as it would be much more needed in summer than winter so I don't know what I was thinking.

I had let my indoor litter get a little "stronger" of an ammonia build-up the last week or 2. Not as in "bad for the birds", as there is a lot of air flow in there during the summer and you couldn't smell it until I dug down. I did this purposely as I was experimenting with different amounts of carbon input (pine shavings) to see how much is really needed to keep that balance.

Now I know that everyone is afraid of ammonia (and for good reason under certain circumstances) but after having read that it was a nominal amount of ammonia in the deep litter that helps keep cocci down for new chicks in the brooder, it stands to reason to me that it would also help keep bad bugs like mites down too.

Last weekend I took out a good amount of the stronger litter, added more pine shavings, and a LAB mixture from a commercial source right under the roost. I want to experiment and see what those LABs do in the litter. Will report later.

But...
All of that was to say that I'm thinking that that little extra ammonia has probably kept some of the mite/lice issues at check.

**************

I have noticed that the wild birds have discovered my chicken area this year. Especially the robins. Early in the morning and late in the evening before the door opens for the chickens and after they are at roost, the robins were filling the outdoor run. Since I have the deep mulch in there, it is a prime place to dig for worms and what-not. Those birds would actually stand around in the evening just outside the run part waiting for the chickens to go in so they could have at it.

I finally put the bird netting over the whole side of the dog kennel run from which they were entering. They would come right through the chain link and in until I covered it with the bird netting.

Besides stealing the worms, I'm sure they bring mites, lice and who-knows-what with them so I wanted to keep them out. Netting has worked well.

 

[Leahs Mom]

PS: Put a pan of peat moss and wood ash inside the hen house this afternoon.

 

[armorfirelady]

Your mite problem has inspired me to get out the wood ash again.  I've also been lax.  Kind of dumb as it would be much more needed in summer than winter so I don't know what I was thinking.

I had let my indoor litter get a little "stronger" of an ammonia build-up the last week or 2.  Not as in "bad for the birds", as there is a lot of air flow in there during the summer and you couldn't smell it until I dug down.  I did this purposely as I was experimenting with different amounts of carbon input (pine shavings) to see how much is really needed to keep that balance.

Now I know that everyone is afraid of ammonia (and for good reason under certain circumstances) but after having read that it was a nominal amount of ammonia in the deep litter that helps keep cocci down for new chicks in the brooder, it stands to reason to me that it would also help keep bad bugs like mites down too.

Last weekend I took out a good amount of the stronger litter, added more pine shavings, and a LAB mixture from a commercial source right under the roost.  I want to experiment and see what those LABs do in the litter.  Will report later.

But...
All of that was to say that I'm thinking that that little extra ammonia has probably kept some of the mite/lice issues at check.

**************

I have noticed that the wild birds have discovered my chicken area this year. Especially the robins.  Early in the morning and late in the evening before the door opens for the chickens and after they are at roost, the robins were filling the outdoor run.  Since I have the deep mulch in there, it is a prime place to dig for worms and what-not.  Those birds would actually stand around in the evening just outside the run part waiting for the chickens to go in so they could have at it.

I finally put the bird netting over the whole side of the dog kennel run from which they were entering.  They would come right through the chain link and in until I covered it with the bird netting. 

Besides stealing the worms, I'm sure they bring mites, lice and who-knows-what with them so I wanted to keep them out.  Netting has worked well.

You know I have a bottle of LAB I made using the rice wash still sitting,in the fridge. If I remember in the morning I will pour it in the DL. do you think I should delete it with water first? That's what I did before spraying it on veggie plants this summer and was recommended to do.

As for wild birds in the hens run area. I've seen crows in the area but the hens never got close. The wild ducks to. Where I put their fencing when I moved it a couple days ago went up to the wild bird feeders but I moved them back about 15 ft so they don't drop feed or any creepy crawlies into the run. I like feeding the wild birds. And my dogs like watching the squirrels and chipmunks feed from it. What can I say I love animals lol

 

[Leahs Mom]

The birds I had were stealing their worms!

You know, if I were treating for mites like you are, I think I'd hold off on the LABs. That way you won't waste it if you have to use DE or ash in the litter. And you can see what works one thing at a time.

Just my .02...

But yes, I think I'd dilute it if/when you do.

My hen house does not have an earth floor so my dynamics inside are totally different.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Oh..and I feed wild birds too....just not the worms in the run!

 

[armorfirelady]

Than

The birds I had were stealing their worms!

You know, if I were treating for mites like you are, I think I'd hold off on the LABs.  That way you won't waste it if you have to use DE or ash in the litter.  And you can see what works one thing at a time.

Just my .02...

But yes, I think I'd dilute it if/when you do. 

My hen house does not have an earth floor so my dynamics inside are totally different.

Thanks!! I was thinking maybe the LAB would kill those suckers lol

 

[BlueMouse]

I've been having this horrible flea problem that I told you guys about with my poor cat. We dusted him with DE and boy, let me tell you, it WORKS. I wonder if that might help your mite problem? The wood ash smothers the buggies, the DE cuts through their exosceletons and then they dehydrate to death. It might be another additon to your kill the mites arsenal! I don't think I'd use it as a preventative, I think the wood ash is much better for that, and certainly cheaper, but as a solution to an existing problem it might be more effective. It's certainly worked great on the cat!

 

[lazy gardener]

Please educate me: What is LAB?

 

[aoxa]

Please educate me: What is LAB?

Lactic Acid Bacteria