Washingtonians

[RonB]

I haven't made it down to the local feed store to see if they have DE. But I found some Permethrin in the barn I think the landlord put some on his cows. It says it is a garden and poultry dust. but reading the warnning label scares the heck out of me. I did a search and some put it right on the bird, others in the nest and shavings. any advice ? It is in a sprinkle can

 

[KMHunter]

I talked a lady that works at the local feed store and has had chickensfor many years. She told me that if you treat them with the poultry dust with Permithrin you should not eat the eggs for 2 weeks. She says it can get into thier system through their skin. Only do it if you have a major infestation. Just passing this info along.

 

[RonB]

KMHunter
Local feed store. is that DeYoung's ?? I buy most my stuff there. When the kids were little we bought all their rabbit stuff there. Do you know if they have DE ?? I'll probably stop by there on way home tomorrow. My girls are only about 4 moths old but they look really healthly and are growing! Is lice and mites a real common thing for them to pick up? Two guys at work say they don't do anything for their chickens except give them food and water,and the eggs keep coming.
I keep my coop pretty clean. I can get lots of 3'X4' cardboard at work. I lay that on the floor with just a little bit of straw. pine saving just go under the roosts. I clean that about once every three weeks. I'm learning as I go. My wife says I'm making a big deal out of raising stupid chickens. Can ya believe she called my girls stupid????
Well they should all be up on the roost by now. have to go say Good Night to them. My rooster has been on one roost on one side of the coop and the girls on the other side of the coop for the last three nights. ?????

 

[djackjr]

Quote:
We went opening morning for free but still spent way to much inside.

Must also be getting old the wife and I could hardly walk the next couple of days!!!

 

[weaveagarden]

I know others use the Permathin(sp?). Personally, I feel that anything that is not good for me to eat, is not good for them to have near them, since ultimately they are and will be making my food. The DE also absorbs moisture which we have way too much of around here. If you don't have a problem yet, you can simply use the stalldri and have plans to pick up the DE when you find it for a good price.

FYI: The lice that chickens get are not Head Lice as some people will try to tell you. Chicken lice are species specific and will not like living on your family or other pets. So it isn't nearly as bad as it sounds if they happen to attract a few lice. They are a fact of our environment.

Mites are something that we have living on our bodies all of the time, or in our houses. So don't sweat the DE. Just add a bit of it into the shavings to keep their house dry, and aid in the control of visiting pests.

 

[AnnesChicks]

I'm a big fan of the deep litter method. I'm about to rake mine out for the first time since end of February. It has virtually no smell and I have use about a bale and half of the compressed shavings from the feed store ($8 approx) and Stall Dri. I feel like my 50# bag of Stall Dri will last for several years. My plan is to spread this over my garden beds and let it compost in over the winter.

Interestingly my mom tells me my great grandpa who was a farmer also only cleaned his coop two times a year. He filled his coop to the rafters each fall with dry leaves collected from around the farm. His chickens spent the winter happily tunneling through it and helping to break it down. Each spring he would rake it out and use it in his garden. She thinks he used straw in the spring - he was primarily a dairy farmer but one of my earliest memories is at about age three with him in the chicken coop, I was "helping" collect eggs and a hen pecked my hand. Could that explain my lifelong fascination with chickens?

 

[weaveagarden]

AnnesChicks
Where are you buying your feed and stalldri. I recently checked out Del's and was pleasantly surprised to find that they are less expensive than the two choices we have in Aberdeen on StallDri and also on feed. Less by about 25-40% on regular prices. I think it is worth it for me to make the drive a few extra miles every couple of months. Also gives me the opportunity to drop in to Shafner farms for blueberries and squash.

 

[nwmud]

I am looking for people who would like to be part of a chicken coop tour in the North Everett Area.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=244976

are you interested or know someone who might be???

please share with them. Thanks.

 

[crazychickenluver]

Birdybird....I just saw your post, I too am trying to find a 4H group for my boys, we are in North Mason County and the person we are supposed to call is worthless and very unhelpful. We want to be part of 4H but it seems like it must be some exclusive club right now...if you get any help let me know!!!

 

[Tailfeathers]

For 4-H information, try contacting Gloria Hurst at [email protected] or an Amanda at [email protected] .

I believe both these ladies are involved with 4-H and may be able to help you.

God Bless,