Just found cockroaches the size of hamsters in my coop. HELLLPPP!!!!!

[dkvart1]

Quote:
Nope, they are out in broad daylight, don't seem to care. When I lived in SC a few years back they told me never to step on one to kill it, cuz it could be carrying eggs which would stick to your shoes and you could carry them into the house. I was so paranoid! I currently live in Northern Florida and this time (my 4th time living here, and I HATE it, always have) I have yet to see one, thank heaven! And if the mammoth sized roaches here don't paralyze you with fear, the spiders certainly will!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Please tell me that you did not just say "roach worms"

Please.

I am going to be in therapy before the week is up at this rate.

Holy #@#%^% I'm dyyyyying.

But cucumbers? really??????

No, not roach worms; EYE worms. Cockroaches are their usual vector. Cockroaches have the worms, chicken eats cockroach, gets the worms, too. They migrate to the eye and are BAD if not caught and treated.

 

[welasharon]

Ah! This I did not know. Hmmm. I cannot imagine I can get rid of all the roaches. I use sand so they should not be too bad but since my pens are open air pens they can come in anytime. So...what symptoms do I watch for? Those suckers are here year round.
sharon

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Swollen watery eyes that they keep scratching at.

I know; there is no way I can keep all bugs out of my coops; although I am slowly coving the wire with insect screening (mostly to try and limit mosquitoes, and thus fowl pox). It definitely seems to help with the larger bugs.

 

[welasharon]

What a great idea! I had not thought to add screening to the hardware cloth. Mine are in an open air pen and it's covered but very hard to enjoy sitting out there with them because of the mosquitos.
I will borrow that idea! Thanks! I will really get some odd looks from folks now. They think I am already nuts for putting all that money into hardware cloth...they just get new chickens.

 

[aggie9296]

Best thing I've found for Palmetto bugs is Demon WP. (I can't stand to call them roaches, which they are, but palmetto bugs sounds so tropical and so much less gross and disgusting).

Demon WP is a wettable powder (the WP part) that is mixed with water and sprayed around the perimeter. Once dry, is safe for animals and people. It leaves a contact residue that will kill roach..er..palmetto bugs for 3 months (personal experience is 4-5). Even accidentally killed a snake with it (non-poisonous banded water snake). Also kills spiders, German and Asian roaches, pill bugs, silverfish, etc. Come to think of it, it might work on fire ants. Haven't tried that yet.

Our local Ace has it in single packs. I buy it in bulk from a DIY pest control place locally. Expensive, but works better than anything else I've seen.


http://www.demonwp.com/


Welasharon, if you are intersted, I can tell you where you can get it in Panama City. Your Ace in Blountstown or Bristol might have it.

 

[Capvin]

We are also in central Florida and I do not consider the roaches to be large unless they are saddled and being ridden by a scorpian. I mix Sevin with DE and mix it up with the pine shavings in their coop. Has been effective for me so far and also kills mites.

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
Ha! My husband uses it to kill them in the house! Haha had not even thought of using it outside. It does work great...we have gotten to where we need to use it less and less frequently inside even.
Thanks!
ETA: Nice to meet you . We are close.

 

[pcolatrue]

LOL!! I'm new to this chicken raising gig and so far loving it- however- I have a major fear/phobia regarding roaches of any kind and yes, I live in Florida, too. (Moved here from Denver in 96'). Just hoping my 14 girls have an appetite for roaches upon encountering them and I'm sure they will encounter a few... Yuck- heebie -jeebies just thinking about it.

 

[wren]

I would love to learn more about this, but I swear I can feel them crawling on me! AAGH!