The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Scott H]

I am deeply sinning right now with an open act of covetousness!!!

We get a lot of snow , if that helps....

 

[aoxa]

I did not design it except for the day light basement.... is out of one of those books you can buy at the grocery store. Only one we could find that would fit on our narrow lot. Yes that's a lake... look at my location.
Here's one where it's not frozen and one of my favorites. ..

Do you have ducks? They'd be in heaven! As would I with that view!

Actually skip the ducks. I'd like to swim in that lake.

 

[Jewelwing]

I did not design it except for the day light basement.... is out of one of those books you can buy at the grocery store. Only one we could find that would fit on our narrow lot. Yes that's a lake... look at my location.
Here's one where it's not frozen and one of my favorites. ..

Wow. That's about all I can say about that.

 

[Highcotton]

Quote:
My driveway is cut through full grown hardwoods. A few years ago I was driving out my driveway one afternoon and I found that I was behind a Red Tailed hawk with a squirrel in its talons. it was trying hard to get over the tree tops and the squirrel was twisting and trying to get away. It was interesting to watch.

 

[Scott H]

I did not design it except for the day light basement.... is out of one of those books you can buy at the grocery store. Only one we could find that would fit on our narrow lot. Yes that's a lake... look at my location.

Here's one where it's not frozen and one of my

Do you have ducks? They'd be in heaven! As would I with that view!

Actually skip the ducks. I'd like to swim in that lake.

One year the were 2 domestic ducks left after all the townies (summer cabin owners) left for the season. The lake froze all except for a small spot a few houses down in front of the boat launch. Big flock of mallards and the 2 domestics happily paddled around in there. Neighbors tried to get the 2 to come inside so they could find a home for them. ... they were having none of it. A couple of days later a Bald Eagle chased the mallards around the lake, killed one and ate it out on the ice. Eagle was way faster than the ducks. Then the Eagle discovered that there were 2 that could not fly and promptly killed and ate one. The other ran right up to the neighbors house and wanted in! they found it a home.

 

[aaggjg]

So yesterday after the coyote was chased off I decided to keep the girls in their run for the morning .... It gave me a chance to really sit and observe them and give them a check. Well I was shocked when I picked up Pippa my blue copper Marans who looks very good despite molting ... she is heavy her comb pretty red looks good from a far..... well when I pciked her up, all around her vent was swarming with mites!!!! I guess our burst of hot weather last week signaled them all to reproduce! I slathered her in Nu-Stock and gave her an ash bath. I didn't have time to empty the coop again... man I have been battling these little buggers for months! I've whitewashed the coop, neem oiled, nu-stocked, DE'd, wood ashed, essential oiled etc etc ... I can not seem to win this battle. I am at a loss. This is the worst it has been despite all my efforts. UGH.... I have so many wild birds, animals around .....what else can I try I need to kill these buggers??

 

[armorfirelady]

So yesterday after the coyote was chased off I decided to keep the girls in their run for the morning .... It gave me a chance to really sit and observe them and give them a check. Well I was shocked when I picked up Pippa my blue copper Marans who looks very good despite molting ... she is heavy her comb pretty red looks good from a far..... well when I pciked her up, all around her vent was swarming with mites!!!! I guess our burst of hot weather last week signaled them all to reproduce! I slathered her in Nu-Stock and gave her an ash bath. I didn't have time to empty the coop again... man I have been battling these little buggers for months! I've whitewashed the coop, neem oiled, nu-stocked, DE'd, wood ashed, essential oiled etc etc ... I can not seem to win this battle. I am at a loss. This is the worst it has been despite all my efforts. UGH.... I have so many wild birds, animals around .....what else can I try I need to kill these buggers??

So sorry to hear you are battling the mites & lice so bad. You have used everything I have tried.

I dont know what kind of coop you have. I am guessing wood since you white washed. I know I removed the 2x4 roost that I had & replaced with a roost thats bug resistant. Composite wood would work also. I also removed all the wood I could from mine and literally soaked the rest in neem oil. It stank for several days. But luckily it was warm & breezy so it was not to bad for the hens. I dust bathed them in wood ash every other day for about a week than waited 10 days & did it again just in case any eggs hatched. I havent seen mites or lice since. I still check them just because.

Are you using straw or hay for bedding? That may your cause. I also have a lot of birds and squirrels around the coop but luckily nothing has infested them again.

I really believe that since I was lax on leaving a pan full of wood ash out all the time for them to dust bathe in is what caused them to get infested. I always leave one out now. I am saving all the ashes from the wood stove this year so I plenty to last all summer.

Maybe up their garlic intake? I really am just at a lost of what else could be done. Maybe the ots will have more ideas.

Good luck &

you get rid of those suckers for once & for all

 

[chicalot]

What would you do if you went out and found your lil bantam missing the meat from the back of the neck? She has nibbled but not eaten. I thought maybe nustock ..but theres no skin

 

[armorfirelady]

What would you do if you went out and found your lil bantam missing the meat from the back of the neck? She has nibbled but not eaten. I thought maybe nustock ..but theres no skin

clean it out well with soap & water then apply nustock. Give her some fresh garlic and basil mixed in some scrambled eggs. Fresh water. I might keep her in a crate for a few days to make sure she is not picked on. Good luck & let us know how she does

 

[chicalot]

Thanks. I tried to get a pic but the feathers hide it well. Shes in the bathroom in a cage. She has enough fight to run from getting it exposed. Will post back after work/a.m. breaks my heart.