Minnie the Moocher Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I want to move my girls temporarily to a new patch of grass whilst their run has a chance to recover, and more importantly, rid itself of nasty parasites that might be living there. Does anyone know the optimum length of time that should elapse to kill all the nasties? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I actually don't know the answer to this - I do know that red mite can survive for 5 months without a host (darned things!) and can then crawl out of their hiding place and infest a new bunch of girls. However, I lost my girls a week ago and my vet suggested that I follow DEFRA guidelines for an infectious disease as a precautionary measure to protect the new girls I'm going to get. Minimum time for me to be without chickens is one month apparently. I was also told to dig over where their run was, disinfect with Stalosan or similar, resoil and returf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie the Moocher Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Disinfect the earth with Stalosan, or the house, Budgies? Sorry to hear about your chooks. What happened? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Both the house and the earth - you just sprinkle it on! I was also told to leave the earth once I'd dug it over and sprinkled on the disinfectant for a while before turfing - I guess the sun and the rain help to kill all the bacteria. Thanks for asking Minnie. One of my girls developed egg peritonitis and the other had a blockage but we never got to the bottom of what was actually wrong with her unfortunately. Her crop wasn't emptying but my vet suspected that was a secondary symptom of a primary blockage elsewhere. She could also feel a walnut sized lump in her abdomen which could have been some kind of growth or tumour. After a week of intensive nursing and lots of stress we decided to end their suffering - I'm still soooooo sad!! I miss my little ladies all the time - no movement in the garden, no little chirps and peeps, no excitement when I go into the garden and no eggs! Can't wait for the new girls, but I have plans for a walk in run now, which I'm really excited about!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Ideally, the ground on which the hens range should be rotated every three months, but this in not always feasible in a back yard situation. A good worming regime for the hens, and the occasional scattering of garden lime to 'sweeten' the ground will be enough for most small flocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggalp Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 i've used garden lime a couple of times and i try to hose it in before they eat it all! do you have to hose in stalosan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphorus Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 i've used garden lime a couple of times and i try to hose it in before they eat it all! do you have to hose in stalosan? I'm presuming not as I sprinkle it in my run. Says on the tin that you can use it with animals in situ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busybird Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I don't know the 'correct' answer to this. My run stays on one part of the lawn (mud) all the time. I dig it over and rake in garden lime monthly then sprinkle Stalosan F on top. This routine has kept the smell and the flies at bay so I assume has kept down the bugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 One more point to me for the battle with dad to build a new WIR on the other side of the garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minnie the Moocher Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Thanks. I assume I can get the Stalosan from a farm feeds supplier or Scats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphorus Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Thanks. I assume I can get the Stalosan from a farm feeds supplier or Scats? Regency Poultry or Flytesofancy do it online, not sure about normal farm feed suppliers You might be lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bantambabe Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I got it from Countrywide Stores - came in quite a large bucket (8kg I think, without going to the shed to check). Have only used it once so far when I changed from bark to woodchip in the WIR. But must be about time to have a rake about and sprinkle some more in I suppose. Maybe that's a job for the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 I bought a 25kg bag of stalosan this time and decanted it into smaller tubs with lids as it was much cheaper and will last longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busybird Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I bought mine on line and spent a fortune on postage - only to discover later that my local agricultural suppliers sold it They had loads of big sacks (used to disinfect farm animal houses) and a few 8kg tubs (like the one I bought). For the price I paid I could have had change from a big sack. They told me that they stocked the tubs for people like me but never seemed to sell any... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaPoule Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Hi Busybird! Where did you find it locally, and can you remember how much it cost? I haven't been able to find it locally (W Wiltshire). Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I bought mine on line and spent a fortune on postage - only to discover later that my local agricultural suppliers sold it They had loads of big sacks (used to disinfect farm animal houses) and a few 8kg tubs (like the one I bought). For the price I paid I could have had change from a big sack. They told me that they stocked the tubs for people like me but never seemed to sell any... Which local agricultural supplier did you get it from? I've just orderd some from Regency Poultry as with the postage it was the cheapest, but it would be nice to be able to get it locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 well, that was fast. Ordered yesterday at 11am ish and had it delivered today at about 1pm ish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
