Essential storecupboard ingredients for keeping chooks?

[kathyd]

Hi

I've had problems getting stuff in France, and have a brief opportunity to stock up my chook storecupboard next week when I'm back in the UK for a couple of days. I already have:

- Gentian violet (kept typing this wrong on my web search and got some very unexpected results..)
- mealworms
- VermX (not convinced it's much use)
- Red Mite Barrier powder (ditto)

What else should I try to buy? I'm considering either bio-dry or stalosan (which do you recommend?), Flubenvet (how often should you use it?), possibly creocote, a replacement red mite treatment (what would you recommend?). Is there anything else?

Thx

[petal]

surgical spirit and vaseline for scaly leg, deffo flubenvet(try hyperdrug its cheaper) creocote for the houses, some people use ***** fluid for washing houses weekly, big tub of that red mite barrier powder - diatom, cider vinegar.....

[VirginVegGrower]

Nutridrops
Diatomaceous Earth in a puffer
A red mite cleaner - some use Barrier X, Smite and others
Tylan from a vet maybe
Mealworms in big tubs or sacks - I buy Wilkinsons
Anti peck spray
Apple cider vinegar
Poultry Spice
Flubenvet
Scaly leg mite spray (?)

Whereabouts in UK are you going to? As a trip to Omlet at Barn Farm Plants near Banbury would be great for most of your haul. Look at website first.

[Nicos]

I buy in
flubenvet
poultry spice
Apple cidre vinegar
Red mite powder
Brown Dettol
Vaseline
surgical spirit
Purple spray

I also buy value sultanas and porridge..and if space , - layers pellets cos they're half the price in the UK.


(I like the idea of Tylan from the Vets and mealworms from Wilkos)

[chris]

Half the price you say?

Bootlegging layers anyone?

[kathyd]

Phew! Think I'll need a trailer for that lot! Lol . A few of the listed things I already have, and I can buy cider vinegar here - Brittany grows lots of apples and makes cider (thought Normandy did too??); and I don't think I get through layers' pellets fast enough to worry about stocking up at the moment - space in the car will be an issue with the dog in the boot, no doubt puking over the rear seat too... but I'll try to order as much of the other stuff online as I can, and get it delivered to Leeds (not very close to Banbury sadly) so I just need to collect it while I'm there. What's Tylan? I've never heard of it...

Thanks for your suggestions!

[Nicos]

- Brittany grows lots of apples and makes cider (thought Normandy did too??); !

yes- they do...but I've no idea what to ask for- (it's a special type which the chooks need...let me know if you find outwhat it's called over here

[Nicos]

Oh- and Tylan is a broad spectrum antibiotic - usually used for respiratory infections in chooks

[RichmondHens]

I keep:

Flubenvet 2.5% for worming
Diatom for dusting birds directly and chucked liberally around in nestboxes and houses
Johnsons Pyrethrum or Permethrin spray for mites/lice (not cheap but worth having if you spot a few crawlies - note there is an egg withdrawal with this product)
Purple spray for wounds/ID marking
Stalosan powder disinfectant
Apple Cider Vinegar (horse stuff not culinary) add to water one week in four, only use in plastic drinkers
Tylan - antibiotic for respiratory probs
Coxoid - for coccidiosis although I've never had to use it!
Creosote/Creocote for treating hen houses/killing and preventing red mite
Surgical Spirit for scaly leg mite
Lots of garlic grown in garden

[Flummery]

Definitely Flubenvet and Apple Cider Vinegar. I like to use a little Poultry Spice in a hot mash at this time of year and a few drops of cod liver oil once a week in this. I have mite powder and limestone flour on hand too. Trailer getting bigger?

[VirginVegGrower]

Where are you going to get all this around Leeds though? If you come up the M1 (urgh) there is an agri feed store near me that has some of what you want. It's on the edge of Ashby de la Zouche. Not so far from M1. Could meet you and show you. Best Flubenvet price for me was at an agri place near Tutbury - £13 instead of £18 I have paid elsewhere.
Who else buys chicky stuff close to M1 or M40 roads?

[VirginVegGrower]

Oops just saw KD is Internet ordering instead - makes sense!

[kathyd]

Lol . Trailer? Try articulated lorry... Thx for the really kind offer VVG, but as you say it's probably easier if I order everything online (talking of which, must do that today!) - I think it'd be really hard to get all this stuff in the city, although some of it I know I could source if I had more time.

Please can someone explain the difference between apple cider vinegar for horses / poultry, and the apple cider vinegar they sell in the supermarkets or bio food shops? The stuff I have in the kitchen is from a local producer, and is non pasturised, and 4.5% acidity. I got this from the supermarket - not used for the birds yet, apart from mixing with some 'eco friendly' kitchen cleaner and water to scrub between the boards of their coop periodically.

By the way, if I don't reply for ages sometimes it's probably because my stupid laptop is in the process of dying a death and doesn't always work .

[Suechooks]

As far as I understand it the ACV we buy for poultry/horses is unpasteurised and much cheaper than the weeny bottles from the British supermarkets. No idea about acidity sorry but I'd guess they're all the same. I think I'd be inclined to use what you can get most easily.

[RichmondHens]

Ditto what Sue says. It really is a lot cheaper to buy horse stuff. But if supermarket stuff is all you can get then fine. Dosage approx 10 ml per litre of water but tbh I just slosh it in and I'm sure my birds get a much stronger dosage than that and they haven't died yet!