Just found cockroaches the size of hamsters in my coop. HELLLPPP!!!!!

[dawg53]

Yes, sevin dust will take care of palmetto bugs/cockroaches. Both may carry eyeworm eggs/larva that can infect the chickens eye. Once eyeworm infects the chickens eye...the eye swells, is inflammed and watery. Eyelids may stick together. The eye can turn cloudy. The chicken will scratch the eye quite often. Treat with equal parts of valbazen and water (mixed) dropped into the eye. Then dose with 1/2cc valbazen given orally. Repeat both in 10 days. Wild birds that are infected may spread it through a flock as well.

 

[Splashycochin]

My suggestion would be to change their bedding to a cedar shaving. Bugs generally don't like cedar (hence, cedar closets to protect clothing from bugs). Your chickens are likely eating some of the roaches, but they can only eat so many. Is there a place or a transom where you could put in a window fan to get the air moving a bit? We live in Maryland, and the humidity is pretty high in the summer months. Cedar shavings smell good (to humans) and are the most organic option to try.

Good luck!

 

[isabrownmom]

Kate, I shudder at your problem and hope you can master it but I want you to know that I think your true calling is a humorist along the vein of Erma Bombeck! Your post made me laugh out loud! You have a real flair for comedic writing! Thanks for the chuckle and good luck!

 

[geebs]

geebs
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Registered: 09/28/2008
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View My BYC Page Re: Just found cockroaches the size of hamsters in my coop. HELLLPPP!!!!!http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewto … p;start=30

Oooops my bad... srrry

http://www.grandmas-wisdom.com/cockroach-control.html

Last edited by geebs (Today 12:53 pm)

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[madabouthens]

sorry i had to laugh but unlucky maybe you could build a temporary hen coop and set some poision when the hens are in the new 1 or find the wee cracks the roaches r going into and put poision in it as long as the hens dont find it sorry i cant be off anymore help GOODLUCK!! keep us posted

 

[Mtn Margie]

Quote:
Careful on this one. Cedar shavings can kill birds. The volatile oils they give off are toxic to birds and shaving have a lot of surface area. You might get away with putting a small amount in your coop because you said that it was open air but be very careful.

 

[wren]

Quote:
I hope this helps, it's from Sugar Sand Farm. Wren

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
I had no clue. I just pretty much ignored the roaches....part of living in FL and as long as they were outside...Now I gotta take a fly flap out to the coop. Do they get infected from eating them or just being around them?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Ha! Ha! As soon as I saw the title, I knew the OP was from Florida and was seeing palmetto bugs. We call them sewer roaches here, and I am not positive that they are the same things, but both are DARN huge.

I guess my advise would be to move the chickens and then thoroughly clean out the coop & pen, then thoroughly drench it in a pesticide approved for animal confinement houses; make sure it is one that contains an insect growth regulator. Once dry it should be safe to replace your birds. Make sure to dispose of all used bedding as it probably contains eggs, larvae and other unappetizing (unless you are a chicken) pests.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Careful on this one. Cedar shavings can kill birds. The volatile oils they give off are toxic to birds and shaving have a lot of surface area. You might get away with putting a small amount in your coop because you said that it was open air but be very careful.

Living in Az, we also have open coops. The cedar should not be a problem with an open coop, although I would suggest mixing cedar with pine or aspen rather then using only cedar. An open coop is pretty much a pen. Often all walls are completely wire; sometimes there are portions of the walls that are solid, but usually less than 50%.