Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

Thanks Edwink we seem to be on top of it for the moment - we took the house apart, took the nest box apart, replaced the perches in the house, scrubbed every inch with jeyes fluid, applied nettex total mite kill spray, rubbed garlic over every inch, diatom rubbed into everything, including the girls, which they tolerated very well considering we had to pick them up ad lie them on their backs :eek:

We are doing the nettex, garlic and diatom thing again tomorrow but the girls won't need dusting again for a while.

It's been hard work, physically and mentally

We are going on holiday in a couple of weeks and they're going into boarding while we are away. We went to check it out today and think they'll be very happy

Hi Queen of cheap

Poor you with all that to deal with. We had the same problem so know exactly what you have been going through. It is a nightmare to say the least. We now dust our hens hotel every other time they are cleaned out. What a nuisance it all is.

My brother has kept hens for around 15 years and never once had red mite and never once used powder against them. Lucky man!!!

I am sure all your hard work will pay off. Fingers crossed all is ok now!! Well done you!! Brilliant hen keeper!!!

Edwink x

Dizzy_Ditzy

edwink wrote: »

Hi Queen of cheap

Poor you with all that to deal with. We had the same problem so know exactly what you have been going through. It is a nightmare to say the least. We now dust our hens hotel every other time they are cleaned out. What a nuisance it all is.

My brother has kept hens for around 15 years and never once had red mite and never once used powder against them. Lucky man!!!

I am sure all your hard work will pay off. Fingers crossed all is ok now!! Well done you!! Brilliant hen keeper!!!

Edwink x

Thanks I'm just trying to do the right thing for my girls, which is a damn sight more than anorher person at my site who got hens shortly after we did. I've always told her if we have had any trouble with our girls so that she is aware for hers. She asked me to look at her coop and it is absolutely infested with red mite. She asked me what she needed to do, and I told her, and she has done nothing. NOTHING! :mad: the state of the run and coop is disgusting. It's impossible to exaggerate just how bad I think it is :mad:

Her run isn't even that secure. Yet if the fox is ever successful at getting into one of the runs, you can bet your bottom dollar it'll be mine :mad::mad: despite the fact that ours is way, way more secure.

I just don't get how people can be so careless and not bothered about their birds

edwink

Queen of cheap I bet that was awful to see. Yes I am afraid there are keepers like that. They end up not bothering with their girls and then just decided to rehome them or whatever!! It is so sad!!

The trouble you will have now is that because they have the red mite problem you will have to be extra cautious now you have also had the same problem. Maybe you could think about dusting yours every time your coop is cleaned out just to be on the safe side.


Just out of interest how far is their coop from yours???


Edwink x

Teddi

Any hen keepers in Nottingham? I have a serious slug infestation in my garden and actually go out and do a pick up each day, (I have dogs, so worry of lungworm) and I have heard chickens go a bit mad for them. I can do an ice cream tub a week if anyone is interested?

ljonski

Some chicken don';t like slugs . Some humans don't like chocolate either :wall:

Better_Days

Teddi wrote: »

Any hen keepers in Nottingham? I have a serious slug infestation in my garden and actually go out and do a pick up each day, (I have dogs, so worry of lungworm) and I have heard chickens go a bit mad for them. I can do an ice cream tub a week if anyone is interested?

My hens love slugs, and cluck with excitement when they find one, but sadly I am too far away from you Perhaps you could start a business - cluck a slug in a mug

Girls not happy today, its raining, raining, raining.

Sorry to hear you lost your little White Star Edwink. The flock is never quite the same is it? Imagine Rainbow Bridge and all your hens which have passed away rushing to meet you :A

edwink

Better_Days wrote: »

Sorry to hear you lost your little White Star Edwink. The flock is never quite the same is it? Imagine Rainbow Bridge and all your hens which have passed away rushing to meet you :A

Aww!!! Thank you so much Better Days. That was lovely, really lovely. ((((HUGS))))

My hens are spending most of their day in their indoor outdoor huts. Funny they never shelter from the rain in their hotel where they sleep at night. Their indoor outdoor huts as we call them are obviously outside. They have perches in them so they can sit in there and stay dry in the bad weather. Not really spoilt are they???

Edwink x

suki1964

Edwink, sorry to hear of your losses. Ive only had my hens a couple of months and Im so attached to them already so I can understand your sadness

Well we had to re home Buster as I said before, and the other rooster was returned last week to be swapped for a laying hen - and of course shes not laying so still no eggs lol

Shes a dainty wee thing. Where as the other three are reddish brown with greeny black tail feathers, this one is a light patchy honey colour with just black tail feathers. We had the usual bickering the first two days but shes finding her place rightly now. The only trouble is with her, she cant resist an open door. Found her in the living room one day sat up on the sofa lol

All four of them love to sneak in when my backs turned but she really does take the biscuit - often find her wandering up the hallway

They also all love the garage. Hubby is making the grandkids a slide and I found all four perched on the sides yesterday. I told them to hop it and it was so funny seeing them try to get down without actually sliding

I love how the minute I step outside they come charging across to me. The thumps of them, they sound like a herd of elephants. As soon as I turn round they all stop in their tracks - rather like a game of statues

They have found an area under a bush for dust bathing and tend to make the most of every dry day we get ( very rare ) but for the most part they are happy in the garden eating and destroying every plant they can get too

As for whoever said 60% of the pooing is done overnight, can they please come explain that to my girls? I clean their coop out every day and its a wee pile in one place, easy scooped up. My garden, garage, patio are another matter all together - its EVERYWHERE lol

I dont mind it, just have to remember to remove shoes before coming in. I just love being in the kitchen or garden watching them. They really do bring us so much pleasure

edwink

suki1964 wrote: »

All four of them love to sneak in when my backs turned but she really does take the biscuit - often find her wandering up the hallway

This reminded me of when we rehomed a hen here last year. For the first hour she was here I let her wander round the kitchen as I was talking to her owner. She then decided it was time for bed and jumped up on my welsh dress and then took flight to my chest of drawers about 8 feet away. Then she nestled down and started to go to sleep. I carried her up and put her with the others. The following night when it was bedtime she came down on to the patio and started tapping on the glass door. I open the door and said "hey you your hotel is up the garden". She just looked at me and came in!! So I let her have a wander round and then carried her up again. This happened for 3 nights running. This lovely little hen got it right on the 4th night. Bless her.


Edwink x

suki1964

Oh the beak art on the patio doors

I have the dog inside giving it nose art, and the chooks on the outside tapping away wanting in. They love sitting there watching me go about my business