Mosquitoes

[chickkais67]

I am looking to starting a backyard flock. I live next to a heavily wooded area and ussually have a very bad mosquito problem in summer. Will mosquitoes attack the chickens?

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Interesting question. I don't have that problem since I live in a wind tunnel. I would think that a birds feathers would offer them a lot of protection. However, the West Nile Virus is spread by birds who have been bitten by a mosquito so they must be affected to some degree.

 

[YYZ]

My hens eat the mosquitos. They actually jump at them. Pretty funny site to see.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Set up some bat houses in your wooded area, and get some ducks too. Purple Martin houses would be a safe bet as well. They gorge on mosquitoes. Then get some chickens

 

[dawg53]

Yes, mosquitos will go after chickens. Mosquitos can carry all kinds of diseases. I dealt with fowl pox almost 5 years ago because of them. Preventative measures help such as a bug zapper, screening vents and entrance to your chicken house, hanging sticky fly strips in you pen. Mosquitos are most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

 

[patvetzal]

If I gotta put up with them, so do the girls.....
Around here the "wild bird people" seem to think that purple martins knock off more dragonflies than mosquitoes, and dragonflies were designed to eat mosquitoes.....

 

[Speceider]

Quote:
Actually purple martins eat VERY few mosquitos. They many more dragon flies that are mosquito predators. I know, I've read the report, but the peron who said they do admitted he was just guessing and had no data.

Clint

 

[bryan99705]

Quote:
Remind them a single martin eats about 10,000 mosquitos a day!