Problems with mosquitoes

[Centralflafred]

The last few days when I go to feed I notice in broad daylight tons of mosquitoes in the pen. They swarmed all over my bare skin. It's hard to swat them when you have a bucket of eggs in your hand and you're trying not to break any eggs. The few I did manage to see and or swat looked like what I've always been told were Asian Tiger Mosquitoes. The issue comes about because I've been told that these arre the breed that carry equine encephalitis. I was wondering if anyone has ever had problems with the chickens getting sick from this? How would you treat?

The only standing water anywhere is what little there is in the chicken waterer.

 

[galanie]

I've read that chickens can get this, but that it's pretty rare they do. That's all I know about it.

 

[Lollipop]

fred, somebody on another board rigged up a bug zapper for mosquitoes. Sez it`s working great. Just a thought..........Pop

 

[galanie]

Oh, and I've read that those really cheap vanilla car air freshener things will keep mosquitoes out of the coop. No idea if it works well, but they are so cheap, why not? heh.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

chickens can get infected with West Nile but do not succumb to it. they are actually used for indicators to locate infected areas. I would be more worried about you, definately use some insect repellent

 

[dawg53]

We have the tiger mosquitos here too. When they bite...you know it!!! I've hung sticky fly strips up in the coop and have a bug zapper as well...it all works well. I've also screened all the vents going around their house as well as their entrance, only leaving a small opening for them to go inside to lay eggs. So far so good. I've havnt heard of any chickens in this area, including Jax having problems with equine encephalititis, yet.

 

[Centralflafred]

What I wasn't sure about with the encephalitis is that I know they use chickens all over the county here they call sentinel chickens to monitor the progress or existence of it. Does that mean that the chickens can actually become ill with it as well or do they just carry it?

 

[Theapplechicks]

I don't know what kind of mosquito they are but I've notice this week that there are a ton in our coop too! Will maybe try the air freshener thing and see if it helps!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Quote:
just have it in their system.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
My silkie roo died from it.
I don't know what species.
Go to the feed store and get some premise spray and spray all the walls and such