Welcome to my pond - Swim, wade, or sit on the bank

[kwhites634]

I kill them. The flipn gnats

OFF does Nothing. Clove oil on people helps. I dont even want to consider how many ive swallowed

Amazon's all over the map on the prices of it! You have one you'd recommend?

 

[perchie.girl]

How about a change of pace to a totally non-confrontational topic? Like, for instance, what's the best way y'all have found to keep gnats out of your face, short of generating a non-stop cloud of tobacco smoke, which they don't seem to care for?

I started smoking in about '63-'64 to keep the blasted things at bay, so wasn't much bothered by them for almost half a century. I quit cold turkey two days before my double bypass 3.25 years ago; they're driving me crazy. I about drowned myself in repellent less than an hour ago, & they've already run me away. Tried looking on the 'net for a natural repellent. 'Bout all I come up with is ads for chemicals that probably don't work any better than the "OFF" I already have.

You will find this odd... but Skin so soft... its a hand lotion made by Avon. But it repels gnats and flies as well. And it works a long time.

We use a home made fly repellent recipe for the horses.... First time I ever heard of it was when a friend used it on her Mule... I walked by her mule one time and he gave off this sweet smell.... and I noticed he wasnt stomping his feet or swatting his whispy club of a tail.

There are recipes all over the web... and you can buy skin so soft at the feed store now. LOL.

deb

 

[Kiki]

Amazon's all over the map on the prices of it! You have one you'd recommend?

 

[kwhites634]

I spray the crap out of my ball cap and keep moving. They are horrendous here this year.

I tried that, too

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach - I'm curious. There are no hatcheries in Europe? Everyone gets chickens from private breeders? I would think even small, private breeders end up with more males than they can sell or raise. What becomes of them? Not trying to be contentious - just wondering.

There are hatcheries in Europe; quite a few I believe that supply the large egg producing concerns.
The backyard chicken keeping movement hasn't really taken off in Europe. Legislation regarding the keeping of livestock and pets is quite strict now in Northern Europe and the UK.
In the region of Spain I live in chicken keeping has been going on since the Romans.
On the side of the mountain I live on there are 13 dwellings, 11 of those keep chickens.
There are breeders here but those relatively few people who want to keep a particular breed travel to a breeder and inspect for genetics and health. The idea of having lots of different breeds in a flock and a multi colored egg basket isn't a thing here.
Most keep the local breeds and the 'surplus' males are culled at around three months for meat. Needless to write most are kept free range because it's cheap and many still live in the yard semi feral. I get the piss taken out of me for having coops and providing three meals a day of commercial feed.

 

[perchie.girl]

I'm pleased all yours survived. I would probably travel if I wanted a particular breed I couldn't find locally.

Here the Post office is the only allowed carrier for shipping birds.... Unless there is a private carrier I havent heard of... I talked with the clerk a bit and she said the biggest was a pair of full grown geese... But shes had various reptiles go through as well as chicken and mostly hatchlings.... Especially when the spring runs around.

But anything that will fit their required shipping boxes if its not endangered or poisonous can go through the mail.

deb

 

[kwhites634]

You will find this odd... but Skin so soft... its a hand lotion made by Avon. But it repels gnats and flies as well. And it works a long time.

We use a home made fly repellent recipe for the horses.... First time I ever heard of it was when a friend used it on her Mule... I walked by her mule one time and he gave off this sweet smell.... and I noticed he wasnt stomping his feet or swatting his whispy club of a tail.

There are recipes all over the web... and you can buy skin so soft at the feed store now. LOL.

deb

I just happened to think of that as you were posting, wondering if it would work. I used a 50/50 solution on my horses for flies for years, and you're right...it lasts quite a while.
My SIL is an AVON dealer.

 

[perchie.girl]

I just happened to think of that as you were posting, wondering if it would work. I used a 50/50 solution on my horses for flies for years, and you're right...it lasts quite a while.
My SIL is an AVON dealer.

There Ya Go.....

 

[kwhites634]

. Skin so soft... .

The 'other' SSS!
Been beating the drums for its use on horses for 40 years, just never thought about it in connection with gnats & people...must be getting old.

DW just produced a bottle from under her sink

 

[perchie.girl]

There are hatcheries in Europe; quite a few I believe that supply the large egg producing concerns.
The backyard chicken keeping movement hasn't really taken off in Europe. Legislation regarding the keeping of livestock and pets is quite strict now in Northern Europe and the UK.
In the region of Spain I live in chicken keeping has been going on since the Romans.
On the side of the mountain I live on there are 13 dwellings, 11 of those keep chickens.
There are breeders here but those relatively few people who want to keep a particular breed travel to a breeder and inspect for genetics and health. The idea of having lots of different breeds in a flock and a multi colored egg basket isn't a thing here.
Most keep the local breeds and the 'surplus' males are culled at around three months for meat. Needless to write most are kept free range because it's cheap and many still live in the yard semi feral. I get the piss taken out of me for having coops and providing three meals a day of commercial feed.

I went for land race birds after I lost my first two flocks.... Its the one that lasted the longest.... I dont talk about housing usually people that know me know what my coop setup is. but I have Wild life protection here in the yard it was mostly for coyotes....

deb