Deer ticks by their eye sockets - is this a problem?

[Aeropennchick]

My hens are around four months old and have been free ranging in our yard during the day time. I noticed that several of them have been hosting some hitchhikers - little deer ticks - right around their eye sockets.

They don't seem to be bothered by them. I picked up a few of the girls and pulled some of the ticks off, but they seemed mostly annoyed with the process.

I doubt there is any way to avoid this, since our property is mostly wooded and FULL of ticks, but is this something I should be worried about?

Thanks!

 

[Sylvestor12]

Not much you can do about it exept get rid of the taller grass and shrubs which host ticks or chopping down some trees to open up some sun. It's also good to get rid of some trees because it's important that chickens get their sun.

 

[Aeropennchick]

The three acres or so we use as a back yard has very few trees in it, and the girls spend most of their time in the sun just beside the tree line. We haven't been able to mow for the last week due to thunderstorms - I guess that's part of the problem!

I'm mostly just wanting to know if it's dangerous for them somehow. Even once the grass is mowed and the sun is out, we aren't interested in chemically treating our property so the ticks are here to stay.

 

[Sylvestor12]

It can be a problem if it isn't taken care of so I'd pluck the ticks off and burn them and mow your lawn soon to minimize tick numbers.

 

[speckledhen]

That is weird. We've free ranged for years and years and live on wooded mountain property full of whitetail deer and never have found one tick on a chicken, though the woods are full of them.

 

[Sylvestor12]

Maybe your chickens don't eat ticks they find.

 

[Sylvestor12]

Specklehen there's omehing you need to see...look at the thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/689282/chicken-flesh-eating-disease-warning-graphic-pics

 

[Sylvestor12]

Specklehen there's a thread you should look at. It's called Chicken Flesh Eating Disease Warning- Graphic pics

 

[Sebrightsrock]

You could try getting some guineas?

 

[featherz]

I had a bird that was always getting ticks, also around her eyes. Guess that's the best place for them to clamp on. I just pulled them off when I saw them and nothing bad ever happened because of it that I know of.