[gregs1972]

ok, so red mite powder or diatom...........

[Aunt Sally]

ok, so red mite powder or diatom...........

Up to you dear.  I use diatom sprinkled about all the time.  But if I ever had an infestation I'd use some red mite powder.

[gregs1972]

so should i sprinkle the powder around the coop and in their dusk bath ?

[gregs1972]

not dusk bath but dust bath......................

[Selkie]

dusk bath sounds nice though!

[Aunt Sally]

Yes... pay particular attention to all the nooks and crannies !

[richyrich7]

Yes... pay particular attention to all the nooks and crannies !

Bit like powdering a babys ..........


Oh and why Mash or Pellets ?

[gregs1972]

well, when the sun goes down i will let the girls take their own little dusk bath............

[gregs1972]

just wanted to know if peeps prefer to use mash over pellets or vice versa, as they seem to do the same thing, seems to be just down to making the chickens behave..........

[Aunt Sally]

Greg, would you be so kind as to fill in a few details on your profile for me, location interests that sort of thing.  Many thanks  

[gregs1972]

done and dusted AS..............

[Aunt Sally]

Thank you Greg  

[richyrich7]

just wanted to know if peeps prefer to use mash over pellets or vice versa, as they seem to do the same thing, seems to be just down to making the chickens behave..........

I started off on mash after reading that it takes them longer to eat so keeps them out of mischief( pecking each other ) for longer, but found they are very wasteful as the hens flick it everywhere. So now I'm on pellets no waste   , also have come to the conclusion that if the hens are pecking each other to the point of actually really doing some damage ( vent pecking cannibalism etc) then there is probably something wrong with the way I am keeping them not the hens themselves, my last two lots of hens have much more room than the originals and quite often the spend 1/2 a day or all day free ranging round the garden and so far touch wood I've had no problems. There I've gone and jinxed myself now  

[Trillium]

When I had chickens, the young ones got mash for a while because it was small enough for them to handle. Once a bit bigger, they got pellets from then on. Took them a while to swallow the pellets but they eventually managed when they got hungry enough. My birds always got lots of room outside and I never had problems with them.  It's lack of space/bird that causes problems.

[muntjac]

always fed mash .... why pay for someone to make em into pellets fer ya  n charge ya more