scared of roaches

[staceyharrison]

Hi, I'm new to BYC . My name is Stacey and I live in Tucson, AZ. I've not yet taken the leap into chicken-hood but am seriously exploring the idea. My greatest fear is cockroaches and I've heard they are a terrible problem for chicken owners? Please tell me more if you can - especially with regard to the desert.

 

[Swbuda]

Honey..

I have no idea what you are talking about. I live in humid wet Texas, Roach country, and I have raised chickens and ducks forever, and I DO NOT have a roach problem! They wouldn't live long enough if I did. Chickens eat ANYTHING that moves too long.. Enjoy your chickens, they even kill snakes if they're not too big..

 

[zazouse]

I assure you that is a myth ,i have over 500 birds on this farm and not one cockroach .

Now if you live in town or a heavely populated area were cockroches like to live then yea they are comming to dinner.

 

[Imp]

A warm welcome from an imp in Washington

BYC is the place to be

I can't answer your question about roaches, but have not seen it posted as a problem on BYC. I would think chicklens would eat the roaches.

Had the chance to spend some time in Tucson a few years ago. Found it beautiful, and VERY different from Seattle. Imagine that-

Imp

 

[panner123]

Roaches likes any bug just add to the protien of c chickens diet. I had one rental that Orkin didn't even want to tackle. Left a few chicken there for two weeks, problem solved. Did have to replace all the carpet though.

 

[Imp]

Quote:

 

[Patchesnposies]

Quote:
Hilarious! Are you fibbin'? That would be too funny.

I have had a lot of mice this spring....and my hens love to play "mouse football."

I wonder if I could use the chicken extermination technique you describe......LOL

 

[HHandbasket]

Oh yeah, we haven't seen any bugs inside or outside our house since the day we let the chickens start free-ranging in the yard. If you already have issues with roaches, getting chickens is a sure-fire way to get RID of the roaches. They're like movie popcorn to chickens.

Crunch crunch.

 

[dewey]

from another desert dweller in AZ.

Gosh, I have to agree that's a complete myth and I can't imagine why anyone would tell somebody that. Ticks, roaches, scorpions, you name it, don't last long around chickens, lol. Whatever you do, don't lift your water meter lid out by the street...unless you've got a chicken handy!

haha

 

[Wildflower_VA]

My six Australorps are only five weeks old, but they are scared to death of bugs and worms. I was reading in City Chicks by Pat Foreman, that I could dig earth worms and the peeps would love them! I've tried it three times, but it scares them to death. I put a few worms on a clay saucer and put it down on the brooder floor. Soon, all six were backed into a corner with their necks stretched up as far as it would go, staring at the worms with a look of horror.

Same with bugs. Another time I was cleaning out my mealworm farm and decided to give them a few of the beetles--I had a mutiny on my hands! When I took them out on grass when the weather was warm, I did see them trying to catch flies. Maybe flies are more their size, right now.