Do chickens eat deer ticks?

[RTFchickens]

Our chicks are 3 weeks old and still under heat lamps. We moved our chicks out to garage (still in box with heat lamp food water etc) and they attack any insect that comes close. I'm staying home with pets and chicks this weekend while husband and kids go up north where we are over run with ticks in the woods. We are hoping to bring chicks up to eat ticks but feel they are too young to go up yet. Any ideas from the BYC family? This is our first experience owning chickens and we are transitioning from house in subdivision to middle of nowhere with lots of land.

 

[Dawns Funy Farm]

same here since i got chickens the outside cats and dogs are almost tick free . my chickens are out everyday all day .

 

[RTFchickens]

Update
My chicks are over a month old now, and our tick problem is reducing since chicks are out of the heat lamp. Not one tick on any of us at the latest trip up north. The dog had a couple but he strayed farther then the chicks wandered. We love watching them hunt for bugs! We call it "chicken TV" since we now watch them instead of TV

 

[matt81c]

I'm glad to hear that chickens eat ticks, since the neighbor's guinea chickens (roosters) are way too loud for us...and they kept roaming in our yard and terrifying our chickens. But sad news: last weekend, our grown daughter saw what must have been a coyote (it was too large to be a fox; we've seen them in the yard occasionally) run off with one of our N.H. reds! So now that the coyote has discovered our free-ranging flock, I'm afraid our whole way of life for the chickens will have to change...no more free-range tick-eating, with them enclosed in their fenced-in chicken yard. I did read the forums on coyotes, and it doesn't sound very promising. I hate to whine, but am SO disappointed not to have my feathered friends out with me while I garden! How does anyone solve this dilemma? No, we don't have a gun... and had to return our dog to the shelter as it was a chicken chaser/killer.


I'm new to this site and apologize for mixing topics, but they all seemed related - at least in my mind (maybe I have water-on-the-brain from all the rain).

Get a gun and kill that coyote or have a friend do it.It will probably keep coming back.Or get a rooster or two that will be tough enough to challenge it just becareful it doesn't start attacking you.You said you had to return your dog I would also recommend getting a younger pup and raising it with the chickens a non bird hunting breed would prolly work a hound may to if he is trained correctly they'll prolly keep the coyotes, racoons, foxes, minks, possums or most anything away.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

glad it's too hot and dry here for ticks.

I just moved from Tucson city up to Oro Valley this January. We have .8 acres. And we have a nest of ticks somewhere. I think it is in an area under a tree we are required to water. There are a ton of ornamental grasses there, plus moisture from watering. The chickens don't come up to the house yet when they free range. I don't really want them pooping all over the patio, but would love for them to get in the area and get those ticks. Any suggestions?

 

[matt81c]

If you know the ticks are there put some in that area so they know there there then they'll come back to check it every know and then.I you have a good roo he will call his hens to food.

 

[MrsFitzDarcy]

If you know the ticks are there put some in that area so they know there there then they'll come back to check it every know and then.I you have a good roo he will call his hens to food.

I tried to lure them over today, but no luck. They are too hard to catch once free ranging. Maybe tomorrow I can grab them in the coop and put them over there. They are currently obsessed with the compost pile which is conveniently nearer to the coop.

 

[matt81c]

Use some feed so they know there's food.i buy scratch grain as a treat for mine if you make a small trail they'll follow it then sprinkle some near the bugs.You stated you have .8 acres I have about 1 maybe alittle more if they stay on your land and don't wander like some do in fields and what not this theory shouldn't be a problem as I have used it before to help rid garden bugs.They love that compost because it's filled with bugs and stuff so they should eat those ticks.