I’m not convinced peppermint is as effective as plants containing citronella when it comes to flying insects (for mites, etc, peppermint is GREAT). If they’re particularly bothered in those areas, you can squirt your fingers and gently apply by rubbing your fingers AROUND those areas – not in or on them. ... My ducks are hilarious to watch "hoover" the yard for bugs, as I call it. Keep the coop and surrounding area clutter-free to prevent hiding spots for rodents and snakes. If you DO use oils on your flock, citronella essential oil is GREAT to quickly apply to your flock if they’re REALLY bothered by gnats, flies, mosquitoes, etc and are completely miserable. Do Guinea Fowl Keep Snakes Away? Permithrin and several other good treatments exist. FrugalChicken, LLC is not a licensed veterinary service. I cover how to make peppermint coop spray here and natural fly repellent here, and they’re both a great option to keep flies, etc away. This gives the chickens the benefits of free-ranging, yet they are more or less protected from predators. You can follow Maat on Facebook here and Instagram here. The obvious, tried-and-true methods include fencing, bird netting â one article from Mother Earth News even included the instructions for adding a âchicken moatâ. While it will require some extra research and experimentation on your part, itâs crucial for happy hens that youâre feeding them exactly what they need. There are four major dangers of using mothballs to repel chickens. The control of chiggers is the same as with ticks: You treat the environment. Yet may chickens like devouring these ants, it is recommended to keep your flock away from them. Not everyone wants to use essential oils on their chickens – and that’s fine. Thread starter #4 Exile27 Hatching. If you suspect ticks, go out and get a chicken several hours after dark and examine the skin closely in a good light. Breed of chicken Treats: what can chickens Eat ⦠Itâs a common misconception that chickens can only be kept in large yards or out away ⦠Other sites mention adding something that might scare the birds away, such as shiny tin pie plates, plastic owls or snakes, and even recordings of hawk calls. Owls, snakes, and hawks are common predators to chickens so chickens have a natural aversion to them. Some types of mites feed at night on the birds and then hide in cracks of the environment during the day; others stay on the birds. I work from home and can keep a close eye on my flock, but I'm not with them every second. Don’t try to eliminate parasites by spraying your housing with old-time remedies like kerosene or fuel oil. That’s why this article is about my top 6 ways to keep flies, gnats, and mosquitoes off your chickens so you AND they can enjoy time outside! The first thing you must do is to clean the coop. Pampered Chicken Mama is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When filled with blood after their nightly meal, they’re large enough to see easily. Chickens will gladly gobble up grasshoppers, hookworms, potato beetles, termites, ticks, slugs, centipedes, spiders and scorpions. Hands through wire mesh that their bodies canâ t get through to grab their prey what youâ re them! The easiest way to prevent chickens from attacking a specific plant is to built a fence around it. Chrysanthemums: Use these flowers as a border planting around your home to keep out bedbugs, fleas, lice, roaches, ants, and more. They can provide really effective tick and mosquito control! Please note that these sprays aren’t meant to be sprayed ON your chickens – just around the coop. At the same time, for numerous reasons, I firmly believe my chickens are better off free-ranging during the day. Each year about this time, I put a few potted citronella plants in the coop. I hope these ideas give you some ways to keep flies, gnats, and mosquitoes off your chickens so they – and you – can enjoy the warm weather! around the perimeter of the garden!. Dust smothers and dislodges the parasite and cleans the body of oils, dust, and debris that some parasites feed on. No fun. Flying insects hate peppermint, although I would also add something like citronella or lemon balm to get a double (or triple) punch. Chicken parasites are a given in most backyard coops. The key here, is only giving them enough time to get the bugs. I’ve noticed that when the hens sit still to lay their eggs, they’re way more prone to being irritated by gnats, mosquitoes, and flies – which can make it pretty difficult to get those butt nuggets out easily. Ask a vet for recommendations on tick control products. There are head lice, body lice, and lice that live on feather shafts. In addition, links on this page might be affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, The extra energy spent constantly moving to keep bugs off also can cause your chickens to lose weight and, I’ve noticed that when the hens sit still to lay their eggs, they’re way more prone to being irritated by gnats, mosquitoes, and flies – which can make it, You can buy started lemon balm at your local big box store and replant into pots. To keep possums away from your chickens you are going to need to need to both reduce incentives for them to visit and make it increasingly difficult for them to be able to gain access to the coop. They need a coop that is dry and where the wind will not blow on them when they are wet from the snow or rain. So, in this article, I’ll show you 6 different ways you can keep flying insects off your hens! To control lice you have to treat the birds directly — treating the environment doesn’t work. Lastly, one can also use pesticides to make sure that the flock is not infected and avoid potential infections. The most common mites in backyard coops are Northern Fowl mite, Common Chicken mite, Scaly Leg mite. External parasites — lice, mites, fowl tick, and chiggers — are the creepy-crawlies found on the outside of the chicken, so common that earlier poultry tenders didn’t even bother treating chickens for them. â Chickens want the garden bugs more than they want the garden produce. I do the same with other species, especially those that physically sweat such as horses – you don’t want anything entering their eyes and potentially causing problems. They also help with bugs in the garden. Marigolds (not calendula, which are great flowers to feed your backyard chicken flock for golden yolks, but regular marigolds you find at your local farm store in early spring) are the go-to for gardeners to keep pests out of the garden, and it’ll work for your coop also. Guinea fowl are a lot more effective at keeping snakes away than chickens are, as Iâve already explained. If essential oils aren’t your thing, you can combine citronella, dried lemongrass, or dried lemon balm with olive oil, allow to steep for 2-4 weeks so the olive oil absorbs the essential oils from the plants, and then apply as needed. Chickens are smart and will quickly learn that the owl isnât really dangerous. Chickens eat lots of bugs anyway, in fact chickens will eat just about any kind of bug they find. I have not found the citronella plant as a dried herb, so I use lemongrass in my flock’s nesting boxes to give them extra protection while they lay eggs. They look great, keep the air smelling fresh, and help keep mosquitoes from bothering the hens. Unlike human lice, chicken lice don’t feed on blood; they eat feathers or shedding skin cells. They look great, keep the air smelling fresh, and help keep mosquitoes from bothering the hens. Mothballs will contaminate the ground they are in or on. Chickens that are natural hunters of mice will do very well to keep them away instinctively. This website does not replace medical or veterinary advice by a licensed veterinarian. As above, I avoid spraying chicks at all and opt to keep fresh or dried herbs around them to keep them bug free. The hens also have helped control scorpions â they peck off the stinger and then work on the rest. Keeping chickens is fairly inexpensive, and if your neighborhood allows it it can actually save you money in the long run. Hopefully, youâve provided your hens adequate land area that they can also seek out bugs to supplement their diet. She is also the author of Chickens: Naturally Raising A Sustainable Flock, which was a best seller in it’s Amazon category. Chickens do NOT need warmth. However, simply placing a plastic owl on your porch isnât likely to keep your chickens away long term. While you and your chickens might enjoy the scent of lavender, bugs highly dislike it. The extra energy spent constantly moving to keep bugs off also can cause your chickens to lose weight and experience heat stress since they’re physically uncomfortable. Just mist them a bit, making sure to avoid eyes, ears, nostrils, etc. Keep the enclosure clean . Also, don’t let wild birds nest or roost in chicken shelters. A chicken tractor that you move every day down rows of your garden will allow the chickens to eat bugs, scratch around and aerate your soil, fertilize and generally be happy chickens, while also protecting your plants from chicken attacks. Furthermore, keep the grass trimmed and clear. Each year about this time, I put a few potted citronella plants in the coop. Seeing them crawling on the chickens or in the coop, Noticing chickens with broken, chewed-looking feathers and reddened skin patches, Seeing chickens doing a lot of scratching and picking at themselves. You don’t want parasites on you, and you may want your chickens to be as comfortable and healthy as possible. You donât need a whole lot of detail about them. It's all to do with the single thing that drives them most - food. How to Get Rid of Your Chickens’ External Parasites, Starting with the Chicken and Then the Egg: Growth and…, How to Tell Whether Your Vehicle Needs a Tune-up. Working with French marigolds in the first experiment, they established that the repellent effect works and that marigolds are an effective companion plant to keep whiteflies away ⦠And yes, they WILL bite your chickens. Dried Lemon Balm in nesting boxes & feed and fresh potted plants, Citronella essential oil mixed with carrier oil, Peppermint coop spray & fly spray for chickens, feed your backyard chicken flock for golden yolks. They can cause anemia, decreased egg-laying, and damage to skin and feathers. Which is why it's so important to keep a close eye on your birds â and this means all through the year. If you want to use dried lemon balm (it smells GREAT and the essential oils are concentrated), you can, If essential oils aren’t your thing, you can combine citronella, dried, If you plan to spray your flock to keep bugs away, consider steeping, Backyard Chickens: Frequently Asked Questions. MitesBGone Nesting Herbs can keep mites, lice & other creepy crawlies away. Gilbert and Phoenix homeowners who invest in chickens for their yard usually do so for the Unlimited Supply of eggs. Use Fake Predators Keep Chickens Away. Mites are very tiny rounded insects that can be seen only through a microscope and that will also bite humans. The chickens might eat the mothballs. Maat van Uitert is a backyard chicken and sustainable living expert. Free-ranging chickens are savvy and if you use some different protection methods, you're likely to reduce or eliminate losses from hawks. They repel ticks, spider mites, Japanese beetles, and other garden pests. They may appear ill and have no interest in eating or drinking. These are good reasons to choose to treat your birds for parasites. Ticks cause anemia, weight loss, decreased egg production, and general weakness in chickens. Keep away from children and pets. You don’t treat the chicken; you treat its surroundings. You must do this frequently and ensure that it is as clean as possible. Flies and mosquitoes also harbor diseases and bacteria, which can effect the health of your flock. 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