gnats

[jwasdin27]

Can't figure out if its gnats or bronchitis in my chickens.there noses run clear stuff and the gnats act like they love it and get in there eyes and just cape all over there noses and eyes,but the thing is its not but a few chicks let's say 8 weeks old my big hens are healthy as an ox.plus there eating really good...gonna check out there poop 2morrow and investigate a little closer.we started with chickens about 3 months ago and just ready 2 have a healthy flock

 

[so lucky]

Well, if they inhale a bunch of gnats, they might get bronchitis, I would think. That sounds miserable for them. Just think how uncomfortable it is to have gnats buzzing around your eyes and nose.....Maybe someone on here that knows more about chicken illnesses than I do can advise you, but yes, it sounds like you need to do something for them.

 

[Habbakuk]

One of the things you can do in a sudden infestation is cover all vents and windows with fly screening and spray it on the outside with Konk. Read the directions! You can get very ill or lose a lot of blood to gnats, and if you're allergic you are in deep trouble. For humans, preparations containing DEET will repel black flies.

Konk is an expensive spray, about $19 for a small spray bottle but it could save a flock. Also, if you are prepared to enhance your run or create a mini-run outside your pop door, you could frame in an exercise and ventilation area and cover it with screening stapled or baffled to the frame. Enhance with the coop space with the appropriate no-pest strip to kill gnats that get in accidentally or while you're framing.

 

[jwasdin27]

Well I looked real close and held them for a while 2day and never heard a sneeze or cough,they had sore eyes from digging in them and there eyes were running and also nothing coming from nose.I live in south georgia and we have what they call sand gnats cause they are smaller than a regular gnat and come rite thru a window screen.but I read on another website about putting imitation vanilla on them.well I tried it on me cause I have 2 keep deet on me all the time during the summer if I'm outside and it didn't work but it seemed 2 help a little on the weaklings,and I say weaklings cause its just a few of my 30 chickens that the gnats mess with.anyway gonna keep trying the vanilla on 1 of them and deet on my other 2 and see what happends.