Mosquitoes

[free range by day]

To deal with mosquitoes in coop at night…
( I’m Florida swamp area)

Would screening in the run and vents of their house restrict air flow too much?

I dont want to buy zappers that just “kinda” work. I can’t buy the refills that come with most. Also would need to run an extension cord across yard about 70-80 feet.

I planted society garlic around the coop but the girls always it!! Any other plants that I can hang around their windows and run?

Someone suggested spraying inside where they sleep, but I don’t like the idea of spraying something and then breathing it in all night.

Thank you for reading!

 

[TinyPeaPea]

Have you considered Pelargonium citrosum, AKA Citronella?

I have heard Lavender or Marigolds work as well

Also Catnip Science

 

[saysfaa]

To deal with mosquitoes in coop at night…
( I’m Florida swamp area)

Would screening in the run and vents of their house restrict air flow too much?

It would not in the run. And not their house if you have enough ventilation for Florida. If you would measure your vents in inches instead of feet, then there already isn't enough ventilation and the window screen will make that worse.

I have a window screen door in my coop. It doesn't fill with dust as much as I thought it would but it still makes big clouds of dust when I brush it despite an open side, big windows, open eaves and ridge vent for lots of cross venilation.

 

[neo71665]

Mosquitoes are a sign there is excess moisture in the area. That's a sign of not enough ventilation in the coop.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Mosquitoes are a sign there is excess moisture in the area. That's a sign of not enough ventilation in the coop.

I'm shaking my head at that one. Mosquitoes are a sign that it rains in Florida just like the rest of the Gulf Coast. There is standing water for them to breed in, like many other parts of the country. That has nothing to do with ventilation in the coop.

I usually dump my watering bowls daily but never go beyond two days. That way the mosquito wigglers in there don't mature and become mosquitoes. I use mosquito dunks in my rain barrels to kill the wigglers. I personally would not feel comfortable spraying anything in the coop that would kill mosquitoes, chickens like other birds have sensitive respiratory systems. Other than trying to stop them from breeding I don't have any suggestions.

Can you get enough ventilation with window screen? Yes, if you have enough area. That's kind if what the screen was designed for, long before most people had air conditioning.

 

[mldlm]

Have you considered Pelargonium citrosum, AKA Citronella?

I have heard Lavender or Marigolds work as well

Also Catnip Science

Just FYI…I have my run surrounded along the outside (so the girls can’t get them) by marigolds, citronella, and mint. Still have mosquitoes and flies. Don’t know for sure if I have less than I would without them. Florida creek area, so they can be pretty bad.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

You can make a garlic spray that works really well for mosquitoes. Folks use it here on rural properties near sitting areas. it's 100% garlic you just have to make a concentrated spray. In a smell amount you can do a couple big bulbs of garlic (about 8 cloves or so) to a litre of water, and you can add a tiny amount of dishsoap if you want even.