BDutch's bantam flock & natural breeding projects #5 🪺 🪺 and #6

[Sequel]

Check every day now with biscuit paper rolls. Yesterday and today I didn’t find any red mite in the extended coop anymore. Not even a tiny one.
In the small coop I found a few. Most tiny red mites where were the chicks sleep in the laying nests. But all together just about 7 tiny mite yesterday and 5 today (with more rolls).

We had over 3 weeks with no rain (weather record) and because it was warm and windy modt of these weeks the soil got really dry. Yesterday we finally got a nice amount of rain. These were the side effects of a thunderstorm that was passing at several km from here. About 45 milimeters.

Checking on the chicks I found them under window waiting for the rain to pass, except for one silly cockerel who was looking flabbergasted and took a shower. One of the mama’s accompanied the chicks. The other mama’s and laying hens were in the coop area (covered small run between the small coop and the extension coop.

The window for shelter. It also blocks the rain to the covered run.
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The situation last week. I took the roof of the extension to repair the Chick Guard auto opener.
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The small coop after cleaning:
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They’re getting so big!!! I’m happy you got a good rain!

 

[BDutch]

Today I found only 2 lice in the control rolls. But onder one of the roosts in the small coop in a corner there were more. It looked as if I had forgotten to paint these roosts with DE.

This is the roost were 5 chicks roost at night. 2 mama’s and four chicks still sleep in a nestbox. The other mama sleeps in the extension coop with the other hens.

We had more rain today. About 5-10 mm rain. And it cooled down a bit. Which is great for the garden and the soil in the run.

 

[BDutch]

Vorwerk (m) showing his wattles.

Sussex red porcelain (m) and Dutch pile (f).

Sussex red porcelain (f) , Dutch Silver (m). You can see the pointy saddle feathers on his back. In the corner : Dutch pile (f) and Vorwerk (f).

Not happy today with the red mite.
I found one mite in the extension and about 8 in several paper rolls (using white toilet paper now).

Tomorrow I want to start with the cardboard traps. And paint the whole inside of the small coop with DE.

 

[BDutch]

Yesterday, I found a few mites again and did a clean out .

I realised that I added the higher roosts later and I could get them off the wall with a screwdriver. There were a few splider nests behind it and probably a good hiding place for the red mites too. Took it out and after a better paint job as the first time, I put them low as the roost were made when I originally bought the coop. Applied another layer of DE paint. Even painted the ceiling this time. .

This morning I was happy finding only one tiny mite without blood in all control rolls

Today when I let the hens out to free range , I divided the two runs. After a whilr I was surprised to see that thr Vorwerk bog was free ranging with the 2 black Dutch. Well, why not.

Later we had 7 of the 9 chicks free ranging. They probably think the rabbit fence is a real laugh. As long as they stay in our garden / within site , we let them free range. After 45 minutes it was time to return to the run.

Behind the rabbit fence:

Free ranging:

 

[BDutch]

Sad news. The chickens residence is getting to small. I put a few adds on our ‘marktplaats.nl’ last week. For free to pick up young cockerels, and bantam Vorwerk and Sussex pairs for sail. But until now nobody is keen to take over a few young cockerels or a young pullet in combination with a cockerel. I only had one reaction of a friend of a trader (who sells at bird markets) and people who just want hens.

Good news:
Found no red mites!

Good news for the chicks:
I let them free range every day/evening now for 45 minutes under supervision. If possible. The black Dutch still mother.

 

[BDutch]

Phew

Today the chicks had an hour to free range under supervision, but while is was busy preparing water with a taste the bloody mites don’t like (called finecto+) a mama + 6 escaped to the garden of the neighbour through the ivy fence.

The mama returned and both mama’s were calling them to come home too. But they couldn’t find the way back through the ivy ‘wall’.

I interfered.
They are finally back with the garden hose laid through the fence as a beacon, lured the chicks with mealworms at the tiny ‘gate’ and used rabbit fences for a towpath.

The red mites seem to have a hard time but didn’t disappear completely. One day I don’t find any red mite , the next there are one or two red bloodsuckers.

So I decided to buy a special herbal liquid and supplement to put in the water/feed. Its not poisonous. But a natural thing to make the chickens scent lousy. And the blood disgusting to drink.

Hope its good enough in combination with the daily check/repair of the diatom film. Yesterday I also put some diatom between the feathers of the 2 broodies (Katrientje an Janice) who keep hoping I will let them in peace to breed on a sand floor in the nest box.

 

[NanaK]

The red mites seem to have a hard time but didn’t disappear completely. One day I don’t find any red mite , the next there are one or two red bloodsuckers.

I'm guessing some mite eggs hatched.
I would keep putting the cardboard rolls in there also since they work so well.

 

[BDutch]

Last night both black Dutch (the remaining caring mama’s) roosted in the extension.

Obvious it is time for the chicks to leave the nest after 8 weeks.
5 chicks roosted in the small coop and the other 4 accompanied the black mama’s and other hens in the extension.

Janice quit caring about 2 weeks ago and became broody again (). I hope to break Katrientje and Janices broodines by picking them out of the nestbox/block the entrance as much as possible. At night I have 2 hens who roost in the second run. My Dutch are much easier to break than these two morons who brood on nothing (took away the fake eggs).

 

[BDutch]

Janice gave up being broody after two days and decided she wanted to sleep on a roost in the small coop. tonight.
A few chicks roost in the extension, but most chicks sleep in the nestbox without any mama now.

 

[BDutch]

Yesterday I was/am sick with a summer flu (intestines) .
I didn’t put Katrientje in the back run at roost time. When I checked later she was in the laying nest, Janice was on the roost in the small coop and ALL chicks were in the extension.
I put Katrientje next to Janice.

For mite control its probably better if no-one sleeps in the nest- box.
Found 2 red mite today, only in the nest-boxes. The supplements don’t work fast (couple of weeks).