concerns about mosquitos targeting chickens

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Almost all mosquito action my birds suffer is while they are on roost after dark. I will look into citronella. I am already planting native plants around contructed roosts. The roosts look sort of like diving bells where birds enter by flying up from ground. It should be easy to make scent trap of the diving bell shape, assuming active compounds are volatile and not to heavy.

 

[erijn5]

We had the buffalo gnats something terrible..wat I did was..

cleaned the whole barn top to bottom, put pine shavings instead of straw, hung the vanilla trees for cars through out the barn, sprayed the chickens with horse fly spray, spread seven dust on everything, and put a box fan on low setting across from the nesting box and blowing toward the roost.

The bugs had no chance... I had lost 4 chickens due to the gnats..I had enough.. So that is what I did, lost no more, and they are staying cool in the hot weather we are having! Everyone is HAPPY! And NO the horse fly spray was the cheap $6 bottle from Rural King they did NOT loose any feathers and they did not get sick.

Good Luck!

 

[centrarchid]

I am trying to keep simple. We have multiple roost in pasture so each needs its own system. Citronella oil will be tried first. I will soak cotton balls in it and suspend them in roost but not in contact with birds.

 

[ChickyLoo]

there seems to be a lot of different opinions on mosquitos around here

chickens can DIE from gnats?? WHAT?! Our coop is open in the bottom so I'm sure some are getting in there. Listerine spray on walls I thought this was a myth? Any other suggestions on control?