Kids getting bug bites from chickens...?

[Judy]

Quote:
Depends on where you have the cedar i think, if it's in a roomy/airy area it's not a problem. I've experienced it first hand.. But most people who say it is toxic have enclosed areas.. Before i came to BYC i didn't even hear it was toxic and thought it was "The stuff" since everyone used it i knew..

I stick to good ol' hay though.

Around here the old timey tradition is either pine sawdust or dirt.

They say hay holds mites.... and they get crop bound from straw, or it gets moldy. But I used straw for a year or so before I found BYC, which they evidently did not eat.

I do hear you. But I am afraid of cedar, must admit. And I probably could get away with it, because this is the South, so my coops are pretty open air.

 

[Jolyn]

Bathing in bleach water? How much bleach in the tub? Ouch that seems like it wouldn't be good on certain parts of the body.

 

[Teresaann24]

I use cedar in my runs...and in my nest boxes and have had no ill effects on my birds from using it.

 

[MandyH]

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Well I have "certain parts" and it doesn't hurt. It's not like I am pouring the jug of bleach straight on me. I never measure, I just put a couple of glugs in there. If you have never had seed ticks or red bugs you wouldn't understand how bad they are.

 

[ChooksChick]

You don't need the bleach- just taking a shower washes them off of you.

They don't burrow in like people think: http://www.hgic.umd.edu/_media/documents/hg79_000.pdf

This is an excellent resource for those who aren't familiar with them.

I use sulfur from the pharmacy to dust my elastics on my undies and bra and if I'm wearing socks, the inside of those. Never get another bite.

The hay mites are really bad this year- some people call them No-See-'ems. They are like a poppy-seed and hurt like a mosquito- practically invisible.

I use ample DE everywhere and just try not to smell too good- vanilla works a little as a repellent.

 

[aliramsay]

I don't know what area you reside in, but in the South chiggers are a pain in the arse. They will make you CRAZY trying to scratch the bites. The best, fastest, easiest relief is to bathe in bath water with bleach in it as soon as you come inside from any suspected infested places. This time of the year when we are doing food plots and all that for deer season we bathe in bleach water ASAP after leaving the woods.

We put rubbing alcohol on our limbs. Chiggers do not like the smell of them and much safer than soaking in bleach,