Mass Sudden Death!!

[Eggcessive]

mcmurray-hatchery-alert-black-fly-buffalo-gnat-poultry-deaths

This sounds like a good thing to post and start a new thread about.

 

[ronott1]

I am so sorry!

I hope the rest of the birds at your place will be ok.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I believe that @mixedUPturk experienced loss due to gnats as well, they may have some additional information.

ChickenChick just put out a short article about gnats as well.
https://the-chicken-chick.com/protecting-chickens-from-killer-black-flies-buffalo-gnats/

I think there may be a few others that have had the same problem, but their name(s) escape me at the moment.

I'm very sorry to hear about your losses, I can't imagine what that would be like.

 

[Kiki]

So..... Upon further examination of the birds and discussion with some other local chicken people it does in fact appear to be a gnat problem. They are soooooo bad. I talked to some other people that have been losing birds to them as well. The little bastards are filling the nasal cavities of the birds and suffocating them to death. My coop has pretty good ventilation but i put some extra fans in there to help move the air around faster in hopes that it will help. Thank you all for your input and suggestions and sympathy. I would like to spray something to help get rid of them but I am fearful of having the birds ingest insecticide contaminated insects and dying from that too. Anybody know of any insecticides that will not kill my chickens?

Permethrin Concentrate, Martin's on Left - Durvet on right

• Kiki
• Jul 28, 2018
• 2

Martin's PERMETHRIN spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• 6
• flies lice mites permethrin

IMG_20180322_102709

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018

Martin's Horse & Stable Permethrin Spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• flies lice mites permethrin

Permethrin

 

[Kiki]

I removed my remaining chickens last night and sprayed the permethrin 10 this morning. Praying this gnat plague ends soon. I lost a total of 39 birds out of 62 in 24 hours due to FREAKIN GNATS! Thanks to all for your input and suggestions. It helped a ton to figure this out and learn what to do. What a great online community.

You might want to spray daily for a while to knock them out quicker.

 

[Ginmary]

 

[Phage]

This is horrible. As they are quite young can they be contained in the coop/ run, and something like mosquito net or old net curtain be draped over the windows/openings until the problem is under control? That should not stop ventilation but would offer protection. Could also spray the net.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

the gnats have been attrocious here lately. I found them all this morning in one corner of my coop /building. no signs of struggle like from a weasel or coon or anything.

I'm sorry for asking... but did the normally sleep in that corner?

 

[mixedUPturk]

I dont know. Does anybody know what a necropsy would cost?

Mine costed 50$ and the peace of mind is worth it everyday. The 80$ rate i think would be if multiple birds, one should be in the ball park of what i pd.

I removed my remaining chickens last night and sprayed the permethrin 10 this morning. Praying this gnat plague ends soon. I lost a total of 39 birds out of 62 in 24 hours due to FREAKIN GNATS! Thanks to all for your input and suggestions. It helped a ton to figure this out and learn what to do. What a great online community.

Im sorry for your losses. Your the only one ive met whos lost nearly as many as i did. Your doing the right thing spraying the chemical, i understand your misgivings but ive sprayed 9 times in a month and a half with no ill effects. I put 5 quail eggs in my tuna for lunch. I have 2 outdoor cats was careful not to spray them directly but thats all. I saturated the ground of my place both neighboring places the pasture behind my house and the yards across the st before we got Any relief. Still couldnt bring my young children outside to play for a month and if i slip in treating the bugs are right there waiting for their chance to blow up again.

 

[mixedUPturk]

Also, still havent had anymore losses since the first first treatment. In a pinch at the first word of the bugs doing this, without the chemicals on hand, i used vanilla extract mixed with water and applied it by dabbing to their necks combs and wattles. The next day i sprayed and every time the grass is cut or its rained since then. I kinda went a little crazy with it but i Need my yard for my small children who Cant be allowed to get eaten up with bugs and who Cant use bug spray.