The road less traveled...back to good health! They have lice, mites, scale mites, worms, anemia, gl

[Beekissed]

Several times people have questioned the formula for homemade NuStock and have only been referred back to the beginning of the posts.

It was first mentioned on page 35.

The recommended strengths are 73% sulphur, 2% pine oil, and 25% mineral oil. Baby oil is mineral oil.

I think it has been suggested that it may be held in place with bag balm. This would dilute the formulation. If you use bacon grease instead of the bag balm you would have the advantage of the amino acids but would probably have the other chickens pecking at it .

Read the distributor's remarks for sulphur and flowers of sulphur. Seems it has been used as a canine flea powder and on plant infestations. They say small amounts can be ingested but I'll let you guys try that out first!!

I thought about bacon grease also but was afraid it would go rancid after a bit....but the pine oil may prevent that from happening, not sure. I'm thinking seriously about, instead of using the mineral oil, go straight to using bag balm and olive oil as my base carrier.

I've checked out pricing on different balm bases and found them to be cost prohibitive, though would probably last a long time. I like the idea of lanolin the best and bag balm has some in it. As I'm a dyed in the wool frugalist, I'm going to mix it with the olive oil and a little bit of the bag balm I have here...just a tad. I have a double boiler for the melting process and will be just making things up as I go along. When it smells right, looks right and feels right, I'll have my mix.

I'd really prefer the lanolin or shealoe base but they are more than I would spend on a chicken treatment that I may not have to use more than once a year, if that.

 

[lalaland]

re: lanolin

Hmmmm - I have a really really old one pound tin of lanolin that was in a box I got an a farm auction. Old as in vintage, - there is about half a pound left, it is very very thick - almost like candle wax, and an orangy color. It doesn't smell rancid - more like a waxy smell.

Wonder if it goes bad? Maybe I could melt it for a nu-stock mix - haven't ordered sulpher yet since I have about half a tube of nustock left, which I put in a jar because it was so dang runny and hard to apply. I would like to find some way of thickening the nustock so more of it would stay on the skin or leg.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

#1. I promise I'm not looking at poops. I only look to make sure I'm not stepping on any and that's how I came to see these.

My gal's have been on FF for a while and love it. Their poops changed dramatically, much firmer with less smell.

I introduced them to chopped pumpkin seeds in their feed yesterday afternoon. This morning I noticed very sloppy black tar-like poops in the run. In the coop were firm but tar-black poops. Still no odor that I perceived.

I'm wondering if the pumpkin seeds caused this change in poop color and texture? I'm hopeful it's a sign that the seeds are working!

 

[Beekissed]

I would say that it might be the cause. When this flock were first put on FF it brought out these very black, tarry stools much like a broody...very large, very dense. Then it never happened again.

 

[Beekissed]

re: lanolin

Hmmmm - I have a really really old one pound tin of lanolin that was in a box I got an a farm auction. Old as in vintage, - there is about half a pound left, it is very very thick - almost like candle wax, and an orangy color. It doesn't smell rancid - more like a waxy smell.

Wonder if it goes bad? Maybe I could melt it for a nu-stock mix - haven't ordered sulpher yet since I have about half a tube of nustock left, which I put in a jar because it was so dang runny and hard to apply. I would like to find some way of thickening the nustock so more of it would stay on the skin or leg.

Me too! I don't think lanolin can go bad...it's sort of like honey in that respect. Just sort of sticks around and keeps it's integrity. I LOVE lanolin. I found some on Amazon and may bite the bullet and get it.

 

[lalaland]

Me too! I don't think lanolin can go bad...it's sort of like honey in that respect. Just sort of sticks around and keeps it's integrity. I LOVE lanolin. I found some on Amazon and may bite the bullet and get it.

Well, then, maybe I will try melting a little to see if i can add some nustock to it. Just a dab! wouldn't mind giving some of the scaly legs a second coat.

Am cleaning out the ff and starting over, was gone for two days and I think the lack of stirring made it go bad - still smells like sour dough to me, but the girls refuse to touch it, and they were getting more and more reluctant to eat it earlier in the week, didn't touch it at all yesterday.

Chicken chores: stir litter in coop (hay is getting a bit of a crust)
clean out ff crusty feed pans
clean out ff jars and
start new ff
melt lanolin and mix with some nustock
re-coat legs of 3 hens
coat featherless tail area of the sorriest hen

 

[Mrs.ChickChick]

Yep....MPC and they get theirs from Meyers, I do believe. Each and every one of them were excellent layers, hardy to the max, good on feed, great foragers and the few that went broody were excellent mothers. I can't say enough good things about this breed....if I had to choose just one breed and could have no other, this would be the breed I'd choose.

Now you've piqued my interest in White Rocks, especially since I get my girls from MPC also. How would you compare them to Barred Rocks as egg producers? Same?

 

[Beekissed]

Much better. More consistent and with more longevity of lay....meaning they can go beyond 2 yrs of age and keep their good laying abilities. They also have better feathering, better health, better feed conversion if you plan to eat any spare cockerels that they will produce.

 

[normanack]

Now you've piqued my interest in White Rocks, especially since I get my girls from MPC also. How would you compare them to Barred Rocks as egg producers? Same?

You beat me to it. I'd also like to know if, taking into account the different strains or lines within each breed, if it's basically the same thing with a different paint job?

 

[Beekissed]

Nope....you have only to pick each bird up to feel the difference, let alone just looking at their builds. The WR have a completely different build, feathering, laying abilities, hardiness, skin quality and personalities...IME.


BRs have a completely different build...less stocky, less density of muscling, smaller bones, larger comb...just a completely different animal all the way around.

Just as much different as a Partridge Rock is different from a Barred Rock...PRs are a bit smaller than a BR, have a feminine and perky carriage, shorter body length, a different way of carrying their head, smaller comb, different tail carriage, etc.

Here's some pics:









And my old Gnarly Bunch Gals:



These are both the same age...PR on the left and BR on the rt.



And all three breeds in one pic....BR, PR are both over 2 yr of age, the WR are all 6 yrs old.