The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

About the goat's milk for babies. I have read that it is better than formula but not quite as good as the baby's mother's milk.

Nothing would be better for them. It's what they are designed to eat.

Unless of course the mother is not eating properly, or is doing drugs.. Than I would say goats milk is better.

 

[camilleathome]

I HAVE GOATS MILK!!!! Only two cups but its goats milk!!!

 

[armorfirelady]

sulphur!!!

I just found this formula for a dip for mites from a 1956 usda book on animal diseases.  The page is referring to "parasitic chicken mites", including red mites, scaly leg mites, northern fowl mites, depluming or body mange mites.

"Sulfur has been used for many years. The treatment of individual birds with powdered sulfur is satisfactory if liberal amounts of dust are used and if application is thorough. Dipping the birds in sulfur baths is laborious, but the results are gratifying. Dips may be prepared by mixing 2 ounces of finely ground sulfur (325 mesh) and 1 ounce of powdered soap or detergent to a gallon of lukewarm water. The feathers should be wet to the skin, and the head ducked. It is always advisable to dip fowl on warm, sunny days or in heated buildings. Treatment with either sulfur dusts or dips should be repeated as required."

I have added sulphur to the feed, but it is in such minute quantities and since it is so hard to tell if it is working with feather mites.   So, tomorrow afternoon I am planning to "dip" all 9 adult birds.  Not sure about the ducking of the head.  Hope they close their eyes automatically when their head goes under!

Any thoughts on Sulfur for fleas on canines? Our Aussie is tormented by fleas. The vet had us giving him Frontline Plus AND Comfortis. We changed vets and they felt it was too much and he is just on the Comfortis. He is still itching. He weighs 82 pounds but has lost nearly 10 pounds from being tormented. Our Cocker Spaniel can be treated with baths. ???


I cannot bathe the Aussie as I cannot get him in the garden tub and the last time I picked him up to get him in, I put my back out for a month.

I use frontline plus for my 2 & have never had problems with fleas or ticks. I read somewhere some one uses garlic for natural flea treatment. I forget where tho. I will see if I can find it.

Oh and Lucy is part of the tot flock. Her & Sophie the BCM hang out most of the day

 

[Leahs Mom]

On the sulfur... awhile back you might remember that I asked if we could DUST with a sulphur powder like we would use wood ash. I was surprised that the recipe called for a wet dip.

I still wonder if it could be worked into the feathers...also, on a dog, could it be dusted into the coat straight up?

 

[delisha]

Justine,

I am happy that your chicks revived.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I HAVE GOATS MILK!!!! Only two cups but its goats milk!!!

 

[camilleathome]

And I just tasted it and it tastes delicious. And I dont usually like the taste of milk. This fresh goats milk is nice and sweet and flavourfull

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
Yes there are lots of valid reasons a mother should not or can not feed their baby. Then I think goat's milk is great. I would love to have a goat for milk for me and the rest of the family, but it will need to wait a touch or a few years.

 

[lalaland]

Justine, so glad the babies came around, and I hope Susan got home quickly! sounds like you needed some hugs.

On the sulfur... awhile back you might remember that I asked if we could DUST with a sulphur powder like we would use wood ash. I was surprised that the recipe called for a wet dip.

I still wonder if it could be worked into the feathers...also, on a dog, could it be dusted into the coat straight up?

yes, I saw lots of references to "sulfur dust" but nothing that helped me understand what the dust was made of. That is really what I was searching for because I wanted to take the sulfur and mix it with cornstarch but I couldn't find any quantities. There is a little bit of literature out there that says too much ingested sulfur causes anemia in chickens, which made me more hesitant about adding it to the feed. Lots of references to sulfur treating mites.

I forgot to add that you are supposed to take the sulfur dip that is left over and spray your chicken run or the coop with it - use it up.

having a cold snap here, going down to 49 tonight which for july is a bit chilly. hoping it warms up enough tomorrow that I can let them dry in the sun.

 

[Eggcessive]

On the sulfur... awhile back you might remember that I asked if we could DUST with a sulphur powder like we would use wood ash. I was surprised that the recipe called for a wet dip.

I still wonder if it could be worked into the feathers...also, on a dog, could it be dusted into the coat straight up?

There is an old brand of dog shampoo called Sulfadene for skin allergies and itching. Guess what it has in it? Sulfur and coal tar. I used it years ago on a few dogs who had seasonal allergies. It is still available. Kind of smells like Nustock.