DIFFERENT KIND OF PEST....FLEAS.....

[craftymomto5]

Okay, I'm not really sure if this is the right place for this question but I can't find another forum to post it in. Every year we have a horrible problem with fleas. This year I am determined to beat them before they even get a chance to multiply. However since we have a flock of free ranging chickens I am afraid to treat our yard. In the past I would use either a granular mix or a spray. We never had chickens before. This year we have even bought some rabbits that we would like to let out periodically on nice days but can't with a flea problem. Do you have any suggestions on what we could use to treat our yard with that is safe for the chickens? I would assume that what would be safe for them would be safe for the rabbits as well. I usually treat in March and then again in October.
I don't want to put anything down to where I would have to worry about them ingesting something that might still have a poisonous residue on it. I have heard about using nematodes but am not sure they would be safe or effective.
I would greatly appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thank you!!!

 

[Lollipop]

just a thought here, crafty. Why don`t you add a dozen or so guineas to your yard. They are death on ticks, they deminish the fly population, and I`m certain they would eat their weight in fleas in short order. In a couple years, no flies, fleas, or ticks. Downside to guineas is the noise during the first year. Other than that, they are a traveling show. More entertainment that you can get anywhere for the money.

 

[Jenski]

What about diatomaceous earth . . . there are lots of threads on this in the forum. Just be cautious about where you put it, since it does not harm us but it will harm all insects, not just pesky ones.

 

[craftymomto5]

I don't think guineas would be welcomed in our neighborhood. We live in a rural area but we do have neighbors on one side of us as well as two just across the street. They aren't very tolerant. We do have two peacocks and I am hoping they won't be as noisey as I've read about come spring. LOL
I thought about using DE on our lawn. We have a little over two acres though. I would need to find out where I could buy some in bulk. I get a 5lb bag of it for my chinchilla at our local pet store but I'm sure they wouldn't have enough on hand for me to treat our whole yard. Plus I don't know how effective it would be since the ground is so extremely wet and will be for some time.
Thanks for those suggestions though, keep them coming.......

 

[vyvial]

We've had great luck with nematodes, you can keep the flea population down in the area around your house by using them. They eat flea larvae and are therefore a natural way to control the flea population. Nematodes and fleas can't live in direct sun so you mostly need to put them around the house , in shady areas and around bushes or areas that you dogs or cats hang out at.

 

[chickenannie]

I have guineas, but I didn't know they ate fleas? Is that true? They are certainly good at devouring japanese beetles.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Howdy, Austin! From a former Austinite who somehow got lost and ended up in South Carolina. Dang, now I'm homesick all over again. Where do you get nematodes? I know Red Barn Garden Center had them, but they're closed now, or so I heard....

 

[craftymomto5]

There is a natural garden supply company in our area that carries them. They are only 20 mins from our house but we still have to order via mail. LOL Anyway if you don't mind doing mail order you can get some from Gardens Alive. http://www.gardensalive.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1235071281.
Here's a link for their website. I may just try the nematode and D.E route. Anyone know where I can get a large bag of D.E for a reasonable price?

 

[LynneP]

Two things work on fleas- horse manure, which you could obtain and work into the earth outside the perimeter of your run...and no-pest strips containing dichlorovos. You'd need 1 for every 500 cu ft or so of coop space, avoid hanging over feed/water and keep out of reach of birds( possibly make a cage for it). Available at most hardware stores, TSC, ag supply stores, co-ops, feed stores. There are other fly bait mixtures that help.

Did you know that during the bubonic plagues of the middle ages that horsemen sold their coats as flea deterrents? Now why hasn't someone concentrated the plant extracts from THAT?

And out barn cats have never had fleas. Recently I've added food-grade DE to their bedding too, just because I have it and because ticks carrying Lyme disease might come in on one.

 

[craftymomto5]

That may work okay but we let our chickens roam all over so we really need something that we can use to treat our whole yard which is about 2 acres. I mainly want to concentrate on the one acre because of our dogs but since the chickens roam there too then I don't want to put anything down that can make either sick.