Hey.... Lets keep Chickens..!

Katharine

I'm not sure about likeliness but personally I regularly disinfect their house with Jays fluid. I look out for any tiny red specs or clusters around the house, and me feeling itchy after I've been out there, no signs so far. My friend who has kept chickens for many years swears by jays fluid and has never had an outbreak.

Magentasue

DON79 wrote: »

hi everyone, glad to hear about the chicks hatching Katharine, and well done ljonski on building your coop and run.

quick question about the red mite?? How likely is it that chickens will catch red mite? and what increases the risk of their catching it? and how obvious would it be if they had it. would you clearly see it on the chickens?

I don't think our chickens do have mites but I just wondered what I should look for?

Thanks! Donna

We kept chickens without any trouble with red mite and then one year, came back from holiday noticing one of our hens was a bit listless. The next day she was dead. Couple of days later another was not eating and looking sorry for herself. Red mite didn't occur to me until I did some research. The way we found them, was by going in at night and wiping the perch with a piece of white kitchen paper.

Next day we had the whole shed empty and creosoted it (don't ask). No problems since but it was a hard lesson. We have an eglu now so not so likely but it's worth checking regularly when you lock them up - they come out at night - and taking action immediately. My view is that you might never havr to deal with them or you could be unlucky and have a red mite problem - if it happens more than once, you need to look at what you could do to stop infestations.

Sue-UU

DON79 wrote: »

hi everyone, glad to hear about the chicks hatching Katharine, and well done ljonski on building your coop and run.

quick question about the red mite?? How likely is it that chickens will catch red mite? and what increases the risk of their catching it? and how obvious would it be if they had it. would you clearly see it on the chickens?

I don't think our chickens do have mites but I just wondered what I should look for?

Thanks! Donna

Hi Donna. It's very likely for chicken to get it in very hot weather, the kind we've been experiencing in the last few years. July/August seem to be the worst months. Having had an infestation of it just once in 2004 my DH and I know it's something we never want again! So at the end of May we always prepare (no matter how hot or cool) by getting everything out of the coop and thoroughly cleansing, then get to the red mite protection.

Go to "Mole Valley Farmers" or somewhere very similar and get Red Spider Mite powder for the chicken ( to dust them all over) and Red Spider Mite spray to spray all over the inside of the roof, making sure you get it into all crevices as that's where they like to get. Also remember to do the nest boxes AND don't forget the roosting perch!

If you take those precautions every year then you should be fine, and more importantly, so should your chicken!:D It's really horrible for the chicken and yourselves IF you do get it and as Magentasue says, it makes the entire coop/shed and US feel lousy with them, almost as though you'll never be clean again!!!! :eek:

That's why I suggested that ljonski will have a problem if she keeps that polythene on the coop, though the heat for the chicken will be unbearable and could well kill them!! Never use polythene at all, preferably a piece of felt (perspex will do, but felt is best) is well worth investing in to go over the roof.

All the best everyone, chicken are so beautiful and make lovely pets, so long as we care for them.

Sue. PS. All the above is done just once a year, but routine cleaning (at least monthly) such as Katharine suggests with a disinfectant such as Jays fluid is vital.

DON79

Thank you all for the tips, I am just a touch paranoid lol! but also some of the chickens haven't been laying so I knew that red mite can cause them to go off laying. Will tell my OH all about this and make sure we get it sorted.

It's strange but you do get really attached to the chickens and our littlest one is so cute, she loves to have a cuddle.

KAAT_LADY

just a question guys ....Where can i get ''dummy eggs'' ..as we have to keep one egg in the nest boxes so they remember what they are for ,,:rotfl::rotfl:

Sue-UU

KAAT_LADY wrote: »

just a question guys ....Where can i get ''dummy eggs'' ..as we have to keep one egg in the nest boxes so they remember what they are for ,,:rotfl::rotfl:

Hi KAAT,

As no-one else is on line I suggest you try "Mole Valley Farmers" or somewhere similar. Maybe some pet shops would do them. Try googling for 'dummy chicken eggs' and you may be able to see where your nearest supplier is.

Good luck.

Sue

Katharine

Kiera is taking the chicks out of the nest box now, I had to cut down the entrance to make it easy for them. As long as I have food I am welcome amongst them, so I'm hopeing with the time I'm putting in I will end up with very tame chickens. Kylie (the one who ate the egg) is broody again and been learning bad manners from Angelina, pecking me and attacking the dog! :rolleyes: I'm not sure yet if I can get more chicks from my chicken woman, but hope too. DH thinks I'm slightly mad wanting to watch them as much as I do and complaining about his late suppers.

RE the dummy eggs, golf balls will do.

phizzimum

they have some dummy eggs on ebay

KAAT_LADY

thanks SueUU and Phizzimum have found some online and are arriving soon xxxxxx

thanks Katherine xx

Sue-UU

Katharine wrote: »

DH thinks I'm slightly mad wanting to watch them as much as I do and complaining about his late suppers

That's not being slightly mad.....it's pure love!;)

Pleased you've got some on the way Katherine!