I keep deer in my backyard but one of them managed to get out yesterday.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/police-investigate-after-deer-killed-by-car-on-busy-ro...

UnSubRocky wrote on Sep 30^th, 2016 at 9:34pm:


I would never have a rooster at my place because of the noise.

Herbs Menagerie !

I have visons of Herb crawling on his belly under the house to collect the eggs!

Redmond Neck wrote on Oct 1^st, 2016 at 12:53pm:





So have I! -- and THAT's why it's not going to happen! My crawling-under-the-house days are over - Thank God!

The 'crawl-space' only allows for crawling on hands and knees over very broken and sharp-edged rubble the bloke who built this place dumped under there. I've been under there about 5 times in all, and each time came out with Redbacks, Funnel-Web Spiders, angry-looking centipedes, and Nameless Nasties hanging off my ears.

Lionel Edriess wrote on Oct 1^st, 2016 at 3:20pm:


There are several grades of DE, with Food Grade being the safest and the most used for worming poultry, with Pool Grade being a big no-no for anything other than pool filter systems.

There's also an 'ordinary' grade of DE that is okay for using externally on poultry, grain in silos, fleas on dogs and cats, and for killing mites in hutches and coups. Also very good for adding to dust-baths used by poultry which then helps to kill the mites and lice more effectively.

Lionel Edriess wrote on Oct 1^st, 2016 at 3:20pm:


I've phoned around, and Bunnings doesn't stock it in NSW any more, and I wouldn't go anywhere near the coarse Pool Grade DE.

Lionel Edriess wrote on Oct 1^st, 2016 at 3:20pm:


These egg-clusters have to hatch first before DE is effective on them, and so I'll try your sump oil if I can find any sump oil, that is, because I don't own a car. 

Thanks Lionel.

Be careful with that stuff Herbert and I think it is available at feed stores and some major pet stores.

Not Bunnings because that is a hardware store!

Black Orchid wrote on Oct 1^st, 2016 at 9:56pm:


Thank you, Orchid.

I'll be using a surgeon's mask while I apply it to the feathered girls (if I can catch them).

But here are a few notes off the Web with regard to the health risks of breathing in Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth :

"Inhalation of diatomaceous earth may cause temporary respiratory irritation such as sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, eye, nose and throat irritation or bloody nose. This means that workers exposed to crystalline silica on a daily basis for many years may be at risk, but casual contact is not likely to be hazardous.


"After inhalation of amorphous diatomaceous earth, it is rapidly eliminated from lung tissue. However, crystalline diatomaceous earth is much smaller, and it may accumulate in lung tissue and lymph nodes. Very low levels of crystalline diatomaceous earth may be found in pesticide products.
Is diatomaceous earth likely to contribute to the development of cancer?

When mice were forced to breathe diatomaceous earth for one hour each day for a year, there was an increase in lung cancers. When rats were fed silica at a high dose for two years, there was no increase in cancer development.

"When guinea pigs were forced to breathe air containing diatomaceous earth for 2 years, there was slightly more connective tissue in their lungs. When researchers checked before the 2-year mark, no effects were found".