About Me

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I am a 42 year old woman that is about as happy and content as one person can be. My husband of 21 years and our 15 year old daughter live on five and a half acres out in the country. We moved from the city four years ago and never looked back. I homeschool our daughter. We also love our animals. Our daughter has a miniature horse and two rabbits. We also have a border collie, two cats (again), two pot belly pigs, four peafowl, three emus, 2 llamas and an undetermined number of chickens, lets just say ohhh about 200. I have many breeds, from layers to fancy chickens. I love poultry shows, I love fowl in general as I have come to find out through having more than just chickens. Chickens will always be my first love though. I do show some of my birds occasionally.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Not Showing Today :(

Well, its my own stupid fault really.

I may have mentioned it, but I am always flooding mouse holes around the row of pens that holds my breeders. The mice come running out, the chickens grab them up and slap them around and eat them.

A couple of nights I sat outside with the BB gun and one of the pens open. ( The chickens were up on their roost, so there was no danger of hitting them) The heat lamps were on (red ones) so I could see fine to pop off some mice.

Mice have to be kept under control. They carry mites, lice, and their poop can make chickens sick.

One mite they carry is the Northern Fowl Mite. You can read about it HERE

I dusted Kuckoo and Coco the other day, even though I didnt see any mites. Yesterday, I went back to get them to clean their toenails, legs, face, and put mineral oil on those places. I looked Coco over carefully, again. This time I found them, around her vent. NOT like you see in the picture on that link, but they were there. I plucked all those feathers and I dusted her HEAVY all over.

So if she had them, he had them. And he did. I saw them, and was totally freaked out. I dusted him heavy too. I will have to do it again in seven days.

If they have them, everyone does. That means dusting over a hundred chickens this weekend. The goats and emus too. Then again next weekend. I have to dust all living quarters.

I was pretty distraught. Ticks, fleas, anything like this gives me the heebie jeebies. I was itching and freaking out so I went in and took a shower after I dusted the two.

So I had to cancel. I went over the internet hoping for a quick solution. I have heard that regular Dawn dish liquid will kill fleas on dogs and cats...thought about running to the store to get some (never use antibacterial, it may kill your bird, I read that last night too) and giving them a bath and then completely blow drying them for the morning. I couldnt find anything online that said the Dawn worked on this, so I relented.

I called the guy that is in charge of everything at the show. I told him my situation and that I didnt want to infect anyone elses birds with the mites so I was going to have to back out and I apologized profusely.

I was so distraught about the bugs, not being able to show, it never occured to me that I could still go to the show anyway.

He mentioned this, that I should still come anyway.

So its time for me to get some make up on and get ready to go. I still want to go see all the birds. I will take a few cages with me in case I see something I need to buy. ;)

Its not just mice that carry these bugs. Its all wild birds. Crows, song birds, squirrels, chipmunks, all these types and more. So lice and mites will eventually find your birds. Just the way it is. So dusting is a part of keeping chickens. It will be a lot of work, but I will get the job done. I always do.

See y'all on Monday. I am taking the camera with me to the show today..so maybe I will have some good pictures to share next week.

Everyone have a great weekend. :)

 

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry about the mites Kelly.  I know that you'll enjoy the show though.  I can't wait to see the pictures.  Be careful.

Hollie

Anonymous said...

Oh  no!  I was looking forward to seeing if they won :(  Oh well...at least ou caught it and it's taken care of now.  I will have to make sure that I have powder on hand so when we get it I'm ready~! lol  Yup I would freak out too...I hate bugs!  OH and I ordered the Hovabator genisus 1588 Woo so excited that the eggs are being collected! :)

Anonymous said...

Going to the show will be bittersweet -no pressure on you and you can look around and take photos and be at ease.
Hubby is working in an area that is loaded with ticks and has been kind enough to bring them home on him and his clothes-says they are really bad this year.If we have a lot of rain is usually when they are bad-which we haven't..but anyway-I feel buggie now all the time-drives me nuts(not that I wasn't already,LOL)
connie

Anonymous said...

So sorry about those mites. That is going to be a lot of work for you. I hope you enjoy the show though. Helen

Anonymous said...

Too bad you couldn't show - I didn't know mice posed such a problem.  I guess we had better be more diligent with our mice irradication. I have a family in my garage, I know where they are and keep an eye on them and will be sending them on their way as soon as the babies have fur.  I know I am nuts but I just can't throw them out.  I'm an idiot.
xx
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Hi Kelly;
I am so far behind on journals that I've had to start over.  I didn't want you to think I could forget ya, ever.  I just got through reading this and can hear in your voice how heartsick and overwhelming this must've been.  That's a job and a half.  I'm going to keep reading to see if you showed them.  I get the heebie jeebies when I think about those things.  I would've taken a shower too afterward.

Nelishia
http://journals.aol.com/nelishianatl/PrayingandBelieving/

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