Fleas?!

[inthesticks1847]

My recently flea treated cat has been coming inside at night with fleas all over his ears. This prompted me to check out my chickens to see if they had fleas as well, and I discovered several on the one of my RIR hen's face, comb, and waddle. I checked my two silkie roos and they appeared to be clear. How do I treat this? I've been reading about Sevin and diatomaceous earth. Do either of these affect the quality or edibility of the eggs? I prefer to go organic, however, my cat's vet has told me that the fleas this season are relentless. What could happen if I do not treat the fleas?

 

[Folly's place]

Permethrin dust is approved for use in poultry and works well. Sevin also works well, although is not approved, so there's no official withdrawal time. I have used both products and been satisfied. DE won't treat an infestation. What is on your cat? There must be a lot of fleas in your environment if she's on a good product. Mary

 

[inthesticks1847]

Permethrin dust is approved for use in poultry and works well.  Sevin also works well, although is not approved, so there's no official withdrawal time.  I have used both products and been satisfied.  DE won't treat an infestation.  What is on your cat?  There must be a lot of fleas in your environment if she's on a good product.  Mary

Hi Mary,
We used Vectra on my cat, purchased from the vet about two weeks ago, which helped for about a week. When this new flea infestation started this week, I tried Sentry Fiproguard. I've been told it's an exceptionally bad year for fleas in this area and their resistance to medications is increasing. I live in a rural area containing a lot of dirt, gravel, and brush. The brush is pretty much cleared on my property, but the neighbors still have some. My cat and chickens don't venture beyond our yard, so I'm baffled why this has happened so suddenly. I'll try permethrin dust. It's the same medication used to treat human head lice. Thank you for your feedback!

 

[Folly's place]

Fleas aren't killed instantly by these products; they will not feel well, but actually die in 24 to 48 hours. That means that your cat is in a flea rich environment, picking up new ones daily! Ugh! If you live in the north, the fleas outside die off after a couple of heavy frosts. That doesn't help down south though. Your cat also is interacting with neighboring cats and whatever. Can she stay indoors for a while? You might also need to treat the house, or at least wash a dry places where she lays around. My barn cat gets Revolution monthly, even in winter, because of the neighbor's feral cats. Mary

 

[torilovessmiles]

My dog had a bad reaction to flea medication, so after research, I found out about diatomaceous earth. Diatoms are microscopic algae with very sharp, hard shells. While it feels soft to you, it is very sharp to bugs, and has been known to kill fleas and mites. The sharp edges of the microscopic dust cuts the bugs, almost instantly killing them. Some farmers swear by its potential to kill intestinal parasites as well (though I can't confirm this). It does work for fleas and mites, I know this from experience! For the chickens, it did better compared to chemical sprays and dusts.
If you're trying to stay organic, definitely try getting some diatomaceous earth at a farm store. You can get huge bags of it at tractor supply. The chickens love to dust in it! It worked for me, it's worth a shot!

 

[CrazyTalk]

Some farmers swear by its potential to kill intestinal parasites as well (though I can't confirm this). It does work for fleas and mites, I know this from experience! For the chickens, it did better compared to chemical sprays and dusts.

Diatomaceous earth has been tested pretty heavily as a dewormer, and doesn't work at all - it's pretty much ineffective when wet. Its never been effective for me with flees - dog brings them in all the time (even with his monthly meds)

 

[torilovessmiles]

Diatomaceous earth has been tested pretty heavily as a dewormer, and doesn't work at all - it's pretty much ineffective when wet. Its never been effective for me with flees - dog brings them in all the time (even with his monthly meds)

Yeah, as far as a dewormer that's what I was thinking, since it only works dry. However, it was effective for me in keeping fleas down on my dogs, and preventing mites with both the rabbit and the chickens. I guess it depends on how tough the fleas are

 

[CrazyTalk]

Probably. The fleas down here are a nightmare compared to the ones we saw in the northeast.

 

[torilovessmiles]

Probably. The fleas down here are a nightmare compared to the ones we saw in the northeast.

Actually I live in a secluded area that has more fleas than surrounding areas for some reason. Drive an hour and no one has the same problem! They seem very resistant to pesticides due to overuse, which is why I turned to a natural method. It didn't completely get rid of the fleas, but it helped more than any chemical solution we tried. I once lived an hour west of where I do now, and I had one dog that never had a single flea on her when I lived there. I regret the move sometimes