Is your dog's unusual barking a secret code for something mysterious?

[Chicken Kitty]

Well the with 3m run is up and ready!

I have bought grower pellets, mixed corn, grit, aubiose, bokashi, antipeck spray, gentian violet spray, apple cider vinegar......I think that's it! .....Have i forgotten anything!?

.....Apart from the chickens that is!.....bantams arriving soon (hopefully!)

[SteveC]

Few more things to think about - cleaning stuff:

 

• Something to 'poo pick' (e.g. small trug / trowel / gloves!)
  Poultry Shield (or similar) to clean the Eglu
  Something to sanitise with (e.g. Stalosan F) depending on what the run will sit on
  Sturdy brush (or pressure washer)

 

Presume you have feeder / drinker sorted with the Eglu - sometimes useful to have a spare (use one / wash one)

 

Oh no, more shopping to do!

[Chicken Kitty]

Oh yes I have poultry shield!.....I also have diatomaceous earth too....and garlic powder.

[Sam]

Wow sounds like you're all set

...you just need to charge the camera now

[Purplemaniacs]

And a comfy chair for chicken watching

 

Chrissie

[Lavenders_Blue]

Agreed - comfy chair, camera and thermos missing from that list!

[Margaret]

Blow thermos

This time of year just go for a large glass.

[Lavenders_Blue]

Blow thermos

This time of year just go for a large glass.

 

 

Good point!

[pips_pekins]

Blow thermos

This time of year just go for a large glass.

 

Absolutely ... but what do you mean 'this time of year'? Chicken watching with red in the winter, white/rose in the summer

[Margaret]

So true.

Have you read my intrests

[Chicken Kitty]

Think I'm going to enjoy this chicken watching lark!

[Chortle Chook]

Totally agree you need something for poo picking - gloves are vital (colour to match your Eglu - naturally)

 

I've also found that those little coloured scoops provided by Omlet (colour to match your Eglu ) are really useful for filling the grub as without that you may find your chook food falls out everywhere.

 

Finally, how about a pot of mealworms too for chook taming? (not yet developed in colour to match your Eglu )

[buvarka]

Hi,

what is the difference between the poultry cider vinegar and the human one? I use Aspall's organic for us (even as a drink, is refreshing), bought in tesco's and costs less than the Battles product and is organic. I didn't dare to use yet, but it would be simpler to have one less product only for the chocks.

 

The other, I forgot to buy anti-parasite products (our chicken arrived last Wednesday, so much to learn ) and now I'm a bit confused. I'm setting up a dust bath for them and would like to mix in something antiparasitic. The diat... earth wouldn't be enough?

The Battles louse powder and their mite powder apparently have the same active ingredient: p-menthane-3,8-dio, but they recommend to use them in conjunction. Why?

 

About the dust bath, I need help. They live in a Go with a 3m run (3 hens), which isn't much. I thought it would be, but it clearly isn't, they have these funny little runs to each other, with no apparent reason, probably just teenager exuberance, but the length of the run doesn't leave them too much space for this. And if I put a sizeable trug in the run, the space will be even less. Besides, where should I put it? Apparently and logically, far from food and water, which I put near the run-exit, far from the house, but if I put the dust bath near the house, how can I cover/uncover for the night to not get wet, soiled?

 

We need a run, I see it now (and more chicken.... )

 

Any thought? thanks, buvarka

 

Daisy, Mezi and Rezi in a

[Egluntyne]

The poultry sort of ACV is cloudy and unrefined and full of beneficial vitamins. The supermarket stuff for humans is too refined, as it is for culinary use.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Will you be able to let them out to freerange? If so, they'll probably find a nice dusty part of a flowerbed to dustbathe in . If not, you could put a cover over the part of the run where you put the dustbath to keep it dry. I wouldn't worry too much about a dustbath, tbh, I put one in my run and they ignored it and just dustbathed in the run itself .

 

I would probably just use the diatom, no point in getting 2 products that have the same ingredients!

[buvarka]

The poultry sort of ACV is cloudy and unrefined and full of beneficial vitamins. The supermarket stuff for humans is too refined, as it is for culinary use.

It doesn't seem to be cloudy the one I bought and the one I use is organic and unfiltered. Oh, my dilemmas

[buvarka]

I would probably just use the diatom, no point in getting 2 products that have the same ingredients!

Thx, I thought this would be the case, diatom is then for prevention and if they have something really, then vet product.

[Henchanted]

Hi Buvarka

 

some people use the Diatom as prevention and treatment, as it is completely natural with no toxic chemicals - works physical not chemically, but you need to be generous around the housing nooks and crannies, on the birds puffed onto bottoms and under wings (by holding the feet up/head down) and in dust baths, mine have dug a pit in the run (which is on soil) and I add fresh Aubiose mixed with diatom when that needs refreshing.

 

A farmer I know said that the selling of ACV (unrefined/unpasturised) is a way for cider makers to make money on their dregs. I haven't found a scientific study that neither proves ACV is necessary or beneficial nor is better than the shop bought vinegar, it is all anecdotal and mythical. I have used both and have not noticed any difference in the hens well being with or without it.

 

Ironically, however I am a big fan of Diatom as it treated and got rid of and is preventing red/any mite infestation so far, but this too is scientifically unproven but I believe it if it works and maybe it works if I believe it does.

I need to go and lie down

[ashjc]

I got a wide base flower pot and put some earth in it and sprinkled diatom into it too. Mine sits just outside my cube run and I let my pair out for the last hour and half before dusk. They dont trash the lawn and the first thing they do when I let them out is jump into the pot, bums in the air and wiggle... you can see the dust floating in the air bless em!

 

I dont cover this so it gets wet when it rains but drys out again as there is a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. You will find if you keep them in the run all the time that they will dig a hole, be that in wood chippings or ground. Unless of course your run is on concrete! Before I got the pot I just sprinkled diatom in the hole they made... its a good way to get them to self medicate.

 

Only other thing you might come across which I wasnt prepared for was flies!.... I have since bought one of those red top traps which didnt work at first but now I have moved it higher up is full of flies. They stink a bit but other options are tea tree oil sprinked on the wood chippings... did this at the weekend and it smells lovely. And alot less flies.

 

If you are putting it in one static location think about wood chippings, recommended over bark chippings as they drain better.

[buvarka]

Hi Buvarka

 

A farmer I know said that the selling of ACV (unrefined/unpasturised) is a way for cider makers to make money on their dregs. I haven't found a scientific study that neither proves ACV is necessary or beneficial nor is better than the shop bought vinegar, it is all anecdotal and mythical. I have used both and have not noticed any difference in the hens well being with or without it.

 

Ironically, however I am a big fan of Diatom as it treated and got rid of and is preventing red/any mite infestation so far, but this too is scientifically unproven but I believe it if it works and maybe it works if I believe it does.

I need to go and lie down

ACV must be the omega3-6-57 of the poultry world then, that isn't confirmed by any proper research either

I don't give my son omegas (I didn't see any difference after a year or so), but I'll give ACV like it would be a religion to the chocks, I don't dare to risk my babies health

 

The placebo effect must work on mites as well

[buvarka]

Hi ashjc,

 

do you think some sort of sand would be suitable? Maybe children playsand, that must be clean enough (one just hopes) if is good for kiddies.

I just don't have dry enough soil around and they are on grass and we move them 2x a week, the build-up of droppings is just too much for me (they probably mind less).

Is true, the did dig a hole, but as we moved them, they have to start again, poor souls.

 

And the flies, true, just noticed them yesterday, hopefully with the rain today they will be less, I can't stand them. 2 years ago we had a massive infestation, I have no idea why. I'll try the tea tree oil, is antiseptic as well, hopefully will keep them away a bit. I'll try to rake the droppings from the grass, but is not easy within the run.

[Chicken Kitty]

I read somewhere on here to use citronella oil and eucalyptus oil to help keep the flies at bay!

I've been using both (a few drops on a piece of kitchen roll placed on top of the run and held in place by the sun shade) and I definitely think it helps......and has the added bonus of smelling rather lovely too!

[ashjc]

Hi, yes I bought some play sand, but they werent much for it... my garden soil isnt great so I went out with a bucket and a shovel in the countryside and found some nice soil. I just top up the flowerpot now and again

[squiffs]

Hi ashjc,

 

do you think some sort of sand would be suitable? Maybe children playsand, that must be clean enough (one just hopes) if is good for kiddies.

I just don't have dry enough soil around and they are on grass and we move them 2x a week, the build-up of droppings is just too much for me (they probably mind less).

Is true, the did dig a hole, but as we moved them, they have to start again, poor souls.

 

And the flies, true, just noticed them yesterday, hopefully with the rain today they will be less, I can't stand them. 2 years ago we had a massive infestation, I have no idea why. I'll try the tea tree oil, is antiseptic as well, hopefully will keep them away a bit. I'll try to rake the droppings from the grass, but is not easy within the run.

 

 

I use a flitrap - you get a discount if you buy multiple ones - click!

[buvarka]

I use a flitrap - you get a discount if you buy multiple ones - click!

Thanks, looks promising, but very yuk

I understand why they suggest to "empty it or replace the whole unit", is beyond foul when full.

I'll try it anyway, anything better than flies everywhere.