Roaches!

[flakey chick]

I have the same problem. They know the places in the coop where they can hide. Also they are just a little big for my bantams. Only the largest hen will consider going after the palmetto bug sized roaches.

The worst was one Halloween when I made a Jack-o'-lantern and put it on the wood pile on the front porch. To them it was like a neon sign that said EATZ . They were all over that pumpkin. Very creepy.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Well that sorta makes sense because they like damp wood. I see 'em all the time in the woodpile.

 

[FarmGirl01]

I had them also. We had alot of crickets too. Both have seemed to vanish. The only thing I have put around the coop is Amdro. Thats for the fire ants. I wonder if it got the roaches and crickets too. Who knows!!!!!!

 

[lotzahenz]

Quote:
We have a sudden invasion of "ground beetles" and they also try to come in at night when the light is on in the kitchen. Think the DE will take care of them with their tough outer black shell? My turkeys need to become nocturnal. I never seem them in daylight, but at night they swarm all over my back porch. Are they like the roaches?

didn't mean to hijack, seems related though.

 

[StupidBird]

Ah! I thought I was the only one with roaches or roach-like bugs in the coop. They hide around the seams at the doors and under the nest boxes. Yes, the hens will eat them IF they care to. And they swim through the DE in those spots. They are all over the property. when we first moved here into the new subd, none for a few years until I got a buggy sack of dog food. Now I've got it all - flour beetles and at least two kinds of roaches. Drat.
With all the wet there are ants too. Don't even start me on the mites, the birds are getting a bath as soon as I feel better.

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

I struggled with this all spring and did not find DE worked that well, what worked for me I used boric acid around where the animals could not be exposed, and also I sprinkled Borax around the perimeter also, I have seen a huge decrease in their sitings. My chickens seemed to ignore them all over their coop it was so gross, this also worked fantastic in my house I have not seen one in forever. I will be watching this post for sure to see what worked for others.

 

[tonini3059]

DE usually works for every kind of invertebrate, however it must be kept dry. It is a desiccant and will absorb moisture from the air, swell and become useless (correct me if I am wrong, that is just what I read). There fore it would unlikely work outside for long, especially in the south but it should work well in a coop or a feed bag.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Don't even get me started on ants.
I've NEVER had ants invade my salt shaker ---- until the first summer I moved here.
We ate a lot of ants that year

You get yourself feeling better though!!

 

[DWH]

Well if you want to keep the roaches out of the feed you can go buy a feed bucket. Usually sold at the local feed store.

 

[flakey chick]

Quote:
The problem isn't getting into the stored feed, but the feed you put out (and the feed the girls spill)