A Diatomaceous Dusting.

So...tonight we finally got around to dusting the 'chooks' with the Diatomaceous Earth and have moved them from the old pen up to 'The Pen of Doom that Nick built'. I spent sometime yesterday trying to Quoll proof it even more. I have sewn the edges of the netting (where we think the Quoll got in last time) together with baling twine and all the gaps, that a miniature quoll could get in, have been netted too.They caused quite a fuss as we unceremoniously tipped them upside down and doused them with the Diatomaceous Earth and then carried them up to their new home for awhile.We will leave the old pen for awhile and hope that any mites that are there die without their food supply.Let's hope that a quoll doesn't discover it's own new food supply.

Adding more insulation...

The Quest for Diatomaceous Earth.

So...we finally have some Diatomaceous Earth. I have travelled about asking at local farming supply stores if they had any only to be faced with a shake of the head or a very puzzled look with fear behind the eyes as they suspect I am a loony.Finally I messaged a store across the border in New South Wales and though out of it said that they would get some in and when they did they messaged me back and I went and collected it.So now we have the means, hopefully to deal with the killer mites. The woman at the store in New South Wales was less convinced of it's efficacy and suggested a drop of cattle drench on the back of each bird's neck...but we can try that if the Diatomaceous Earth does not work.I have been doubling my efforts to quoll proof the Pen of Doom as we intend to douse all the 'chooks' with the earth and then move them up there to the scene of that terrible crime for awhile, while we de-mite the old pen and clear it out.To be continued....

From my daily walks...

To Toowoomba - Two

So...we went to Toowoomba at the weekend. We were there to see Kate Miller Heidke in concert.I have never heard any of her songs but have heard her name mentioned at Women in Voice and she has performed at Women in Voice  but in the early 2000's. She is classically trained and her songs were a mix of pop and opera. She has an incredible voice and I was blown away by the show and am very surprised that she isn't more widely known.We went to see the film 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' on Saturday. It was very dark, full of colourful language and violence but it was a great story with excellent acting.We came home yesterday and were stopped on the New England Highway south of Warwick for about 30 minutes because of a bush fire close to the highway. Eventually the police escorted the traffic past the fire and we were able to get home.