Gnats killed my babies

[centrarchid]

Actually are probably Black Flies.
Were they in the coop too?
Haven't had them that bad, but have read a fan and/or real vanilla will repel them from the coop/roost area.
Sorry for your losses.

I have been getting into some very small biting flies during wet years. They are not black flies but may have related habitat requirements. Currently they are concentrated near ponds but since we are having a major flood event they will likely be found further afield.

 

[aart]

I have been getting into some very small biting flies during wet years. They are not black flies but may have related habitat requirements. Currently they are concentrated near ponds but since we are having a major flood event they will likely be found further afield.

Black Flies are members of the family Simuliidae of the Culicomorpha infraorder.

 

[centrarchid]

Yes, critters in question much smaller. More like no see ums. Most reasonable would take them as being nats.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Ugh. As I read this, something bit me. I slapped my arm, and the tiniest flying bug on earth was killed. Window screen wouldn’t keep this thing out. Literally smaller than a pin head.

 

[llombardo]

The receptionist at the disease and diagnostic center recommended that to me, so i set up three big containers of vinager water used my whole gal of vinegar and it didnt do a thing. Theyre not gonna just drown, they lay their eggs only on moving water.

Did you do straight vinegar or add water?

I know that I always catch flies if I have a bowl soaking in water with soap in it in the kitchen.

 

[llombardo]

This wet weather is not helping at all. The only lemongrass I could find was frozen, so I'm drying it out. I did get the stalk too and it smells pretty good.

As for the cintrella. I mist it as the chickens are walking, very little. I did spray their roisting areas in the run.

I will be taking either my pressure washer or getting one of those containers you connect to the hose and making a cintrella spray--I will be spraying the whole yard and the trees--this will be opposite of where the birds are but will help my poor dogs that are being swarmed by mostly gnats.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Ugh, these things sound terrible! OP I am glad your Polish survived! Where in IL are you? I am in SE MO, not quite in the Bootheel area, but NW of there a bit. We haven't seen these monsters here yet, thank God, but I am just wondering how close they may be getting?

Why don't we want citronella around the chickens? And how do you use vanilla as a deterrent? Dilute and spray the birds?

 

[llombardo]

Ugh, these things sound terrible! OP I am glad your Polish survived! Where in IL are you? I am in SE MO, not quite in the Bootheel area, but NW of there a bit. We haven't seen these monsters here yet, thank God, but I am just wondering how close they may be getting?

Why don't we want citronella around the chickens? And how do you use vanilla as a deterrent? Dilute and spray the birds?

I was and still might get those mops that are like strips and soak them in a vanilla mixture. When the birds walk under it, it gets on their heads. Someone said the birds actually are attracted to it.

I also use vanilla air freshners. Last year that is all I used.

 

[mixedUPturk]

Did you do straight vinegar or add water?

I know that I always catch flies if I have a bowl soaking in water with soap in it in the kitchen.

There was water ratio of about 1:4 plus a little dish soap. Id been told that for wasps too and used it but didnt catch anything. The dish soap is good against the fleas though. I was referring to how she told me to do that for the gnats too, yes reg house flies will drown in it though.

 

[Trux]

https://blog.mcmurrayhatchery.com/2...-alert-black-fly-buffalo-gnat-poultry-deaths/
They have been reported as far north as MN. A person from MN posted this morning lost 19 birds and after further investigation found other people in their area had lost birds also