Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[DaveOmak]

At wmart I have seen Aspen shaving for exotic birds.. It's a little pricey, but from what I have read about Pine shavings, it may be worth it for chicks in a brooder indoors... ?????? Now, I don't know squat but read a lot on this forum.....

 

[FamFitz]

I was talking to a friend who lives in another state about his chickens. I asked him if he had ever had a problem with mites or lice and what he has done for it. He said that where he lives they don't really get those. Made me wonder if it is something we get here? If it is something that can be problematic here, can you let me know what you do to prevent it and/or treat it once it hits your flock. I don't have a problem right now - just gathering info for the future that might be needed.

Thanks!

 

[BGMatt]

I was talking to a friend who lives in another state about his chickens. I asked him if he had ever had a problem with mites or lice and what he has done for it. He said that where he lives they don't really get those. Made me wonder if it is something we get here? If it is something that can be problematic here, can you let me know what you do to prevent it and/or treat it once it hits your flock. I don't have a problem right now - just gathering info for the future that might be needed.

Thanks!

Mites and lice are a problem in every climate. For management I use cedar shavings (if you have enough ventilation the fumes don't bother the birds, if you don't have enough ventilation...fix it!) with about a cup of food grade diatomaceous earth in it (my pens are either 4x8 or 6x8, adjust for size of your pens), since mites love to find cracks in wood to live in I use PVC perches, and as little wood as I can in the coop in general, for clean legged birds I have been known to use sand in their pens for bedding, which seems to help some as well. Usually I just hit the birds with a dose of Eprinex (bonus, gets worms too) and that takes care of it. If they persist I will treat topically with either Diatomaceous Earth or other poultry dust.

 

[elizmartin]

Yup, we do have mites and lice……

I wouldn't go to the bother of special sawdust or shavings…..Pine, White are fine….Most Farm stores carry bales for around 6-12 dollars…..i would call around before using gas. My chicks have pecked at it, but i too usually begin with paper towel or kraft paper from grain bags, sprinkle feed on it and once they begin eating add the sawdust or shavings, both work to absorb.

 

[Naloboy]

Hello everyone,

New owner here from Longview. Sometime today I will try get pics up of our flock and chicken coop. Here is a copy of what I posted in the New Member section so you guys can get some background :



We are new owners. We were gifted a flock of 8 laying hens. They are around 1 - 2 years old and I am not sure on their breeds. Our friends were giving us the eggs at first because they started having health issues and needed to go on a strict diet. Then they decided that they would just give us some of their flock. They also were kind enough to offer us new chicks when we want more or fertile eggs if our hens get "broody". Luckily, we already had a chicken coop and yard on the property. Once we made sure it was cleaned out and sound, no one had been using it for years except as storage, our flock was delivered.

They arrived 2 days ago and so far are doing wonderfully. We bought them a waterer, feeder, suet feeder, oyster shells, grit and Home Grown Layer Crumble. This morning we were gifted with 5-ish eggs. I say 5-ish because one of the eggs did not have a shell, just the membrane.

I've been going through and reading articles from the Learning Center and decided that I should join and become a member. Looking forward to getting advice and info from you all.




Oh and by the way there were 3 more eggs this morning.

 

[Kaneke]

I would LOVE to get these EE's -- pretty girls and I don't really care what color eggs they're laying ..

am sure my lone remaining hen -- I think it's Deirdre but may be Anitra -- Deirdre grew out of her "teardrop" eyeliner when she developed adult feathering, and I haven't noticed this hen "dancing" which is how Anitra got her name as a chick ... anyway I am sure she'd appreciate friends and snuggle-companions .. and it would be nice to have hens I can easily differentiate .. five of my original six were nearly identical, I could tell them apart only by the colored zip ties I put on their legs ... and of course there isn't one on this gal any more ... my sixth was decidedly more mahogany-colored ... RIP Ginger, she laid the prettiest small pink eggs

let me know how we can get together, etc

Candy

...

[
I actually have 2 EE that I would be willing to part with to make some room for growing chicks that I am hatching. They are both a year old. Not sure what color eggs they are laying, I have 14 layers in various breeds right now and get a mix of colors tan, dark brown, green, blues...

 

[Kaneke]

I put diatomaceous earth in the "dust bath" area in the pen -- that way I know they'll fluff it through their feathers -- I also put it on top of the 2x4s that I use as roosts in the coop -- I like that idea of using PVC as roosts instead, may replace the wood roosts (which are painted; removed and washed down every time I scoop the sand-floored coop)

 

[NanaHess]

I would LOVE to get these EE's -- pretty girls and I don't really care what color eggs they're laying ..

am sure my lone remaining hen -- I think it's Deirdre but may be Anitra -- Deirdre grew out of her "teardrop" eyeliner when she developed adult feathering, and I haven't noticed this hen "dancing" which is how Anitra got her name as a chick ... anyway I am sure she'd appreciate friends and snuggle-companions .. and it would be nice to have hens I can easily differentiate .. five of my original six were nearly identical, I could tell them apart only by the colored zip ties I put on their legs ... and of course there isn't one on this gal any more ... my sixth was decidedly more mahogany-colored ... RIP Ginger, she laid the prettiest small pink eggs

let me know how we can get together, etc

Candy
Quote: Awww, this makes me happy. They deserve a good home, not that we aren't, but I don't spend a whole lot of time with them other than keeping up their needs and watching them on my surviellance cameras from work

so little daylight through the winter it was the only way I could get my chicken therapy in every day!

I am in the Bonney Lake area and can meet you around 7pmish on weekdays in the Puyallup area if you like? Or weekends?
Let me know what works for you & I will get you some new semi-tame pullets. Their names are Mai Tai and Margharita by the way...but they don't answer to them!

 

[Lutefisk]

I was talking to a friend who lives in another state about his chickens. I asked him if he had ever had a problem with mites or lice and what he has done for it. He said that where he lives they don't really get those. Made me wonder if it is something we get here? If it is something that can be problematic here, can you let me know what you do to prevent it and/or treat it once it hits your flock. I don't have a problem right now - just gathering info for the future that might be needed.

Thanks!

we don't have any discernible parasites either, not on the chickens or the dogs. We don't use any treatment whatsoever, or special "bio security" measures aside from trying to provide a healthful natural diet and as natural an environment as we can manage. Where does your friend live and what sort of lifestyle do his chickens lead?

 

[CarolynF]

I was talking to a friend who lives in another state about his chickens. I asked him if he had ever had a problem with mites or lice and what he has done for it. He said that where he lives they don't really get those. Made me wonder if it is something we get here? If it is something that can be problematic here, can you let me know what you do to prevent it and/or treat it once it hits your flock. I don't have a problem right now - just gathering info for the future that might be needed.

Thanks!

Your friend is lucky not to have to deal with them yet. There are several things people do as a preventive as you've already read. I put DE and Sevin powder in the area they dust bathe, some people will also add wood ash. I also put DE in their nest box and in the sand in their coop, especially in the cracks. I use it on their perch, too. Some people also use dried herbs that have a reputation of repelling bugs, I use lavender (that I grow) in their nest box and on the floor of the coop. It has the added benefit of a nice scent. Some people will dust the birds with Sevin powder or poultry dust once or twice a year either as a preventive or a treatment. Eprinex is also popular, but expensive.