Fleas?

[Chicks R Friends NOT Food]

How come it seems chickens don't get fleas?

The whole area around here has been infested the past few months. We've been fighting like crazy spending rediculous money trying to keep them under control in the house, and on the dogs and cat, and yet is seems the chickens and turkeys are fine? Does anyone know why? I am definately not complaining, but very curious.
Come to think of it I've never heard of horses or cows or other livestock getting them either, yet rats do... What are your thoughts and explainations?

 

[LegHorn-BusHorn]

I am having a war with them too. I wish there was a sure cure, but I have tried everything.

 

[gypsy2621]

Quote:
Fleas were really horrid last year and now again this year. seems they are walking right through Frontline and Advantage here.
Been miserable trying to keep ahead of them.

Rabbits will get fleas, they love a warm furry body. not overly particular but seems when it comes to feathers they cant get a grip. maybe the shafts are differnt make up than fur? more slick, nothing to latch onto? I am not sure.
The chickens dont have fleas but the poor dog does. and ticks this year have been just as large a headache.

 

[Chicks R Friends NOT Food]

Yes it has been absolutely infuriating. I'm even getting bitten now. It makes me feel so gross. but when we finally seem to get them out of the house, we (including the dogs) go outside and ten bring them back in.

I go out in the yeard for any length of time and get literally coated on my legs. We've put chemicals down everywhere but they aren't working. I'm so glad the chickens don't get them. The ticks haven't been so bad around here, but they're easier to solve just with guinea fowl.

 

[Brindlebtch]

Try getting several bags of DE and covering you yard with it.

 

[kycklingar!]

Fleas are a mammalian parasite, so you will never see them bother chickens. However, birds get feather mites, which are just as bad.

 

[Ladyhawke1]

Do not kill the little black ants in your yards. They carry off flea eggs for their larva. So they are helpers.

 

[harldane]

Once again, I'm so glad that this forum is around!

We just found fleas on our 2 cats and 2 dogs yesterday and coated them with Advantage. I was worried that my 5 girls would also get them, but you've all reassured me now.

Thanks!

 

[Chickn chick 46]

Fleas are so gross, years ago I had my house and animals infested. It was awful. Then my sister convinced me to try Fleabusters. I was so skeptical of this stuff but I was also desperate to try something other than the spray and bombs that didn't work. I haven't had fleas in ten years. I treat the carpets maybe every couple years or so plus I use fronline on the dog. I haven't had to buy it in a long time so I'm actually not sure if they're still around

. Google fleabusters


*I do not work for these people, as I said I don't know if the company is still around

 

[Violet22]

Stick fleas WILL attach themselves to chickens. I had a stick flea infestation in my coop and run once. They attached themselves to the chickens face..........all around the eyes, on the combs and wattles........I can't remember if they stuck in anywhere else, I know I dusted their bodies with sevin, I applied vaseline to the face, combs and wattles and that took care of the ones on the chickens. I cleaned out the coop, put a layer of sevin on the floor, then shavings over that, and put sevin on the dirt in the run.

And yes they were fleas, I think they may be called something other than stick fleas elsewhere, but they are the fleas that bite into you and stick, you have to pull them out. This infestation was the grossest thing, they were attaching themselves to me........try pulling stick fleas out of your back by yourself! YUCK........thinking about the whole thing still GROSSES me out!!!

I have 3 dogs and don't have a big flea problem, but usually if they have a flea, it's a stick flea. They must come from one of the wildlife around here. I think the ones in the coop came from either wild birds or mice. If I ever have a normal flea, it's almost certain a feral or neighbor's cat has been in my yard.