Spiders

[MageofMist]

I've posted this before, I hope it helps.

Make a solution of 1 quart 80% alcohol (a higher concentration will evaporate too fast), 1 ounce peppermint oil, ~1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid.

Put the mixture in a spray bottle and go at it.

The alcohol will dehydrate and kill on contact many insects including spiders and mosquitoes. I do not appreciate mosquitoes. Spiders and many other insects taste with their feet and the peppermint oil will discourage new residents. The dishwashing liquid (Dawn or equivalent) helps make the solution stick.

I routinely spray down my entire coop every few weeks during the warmer months. Unlike many pests, I think the minty odor is quite pleasant.

Though spiders do eat mosquitoes. I got a ton that live in my house and I hardly ever see flies or gnats, even though there's a bunch that buzz around in the summer and a few in winter.

 

[chickens really]

I think I would absolutely die if I saw that Spider..
I can put up with many Bugs, Spiders though..Nope!..

 

[BantyChooks]

I had a similar issue in my coop. I knocked down the biggest ones now and then and tried to not linger in the coop for long at night.

 

[peeper89]

In our chicken coop there are these gigantic spider on the roof and I’m scared that one might fall on me. Just wondering if I can spider proof my coop.

spider might be scare he fall on u too

 

[rosemarythyme]

My chickens looooove spiders. I joked with my hubby that I was going to bring them inside the house, attach them to a stick, and point them at spiders up on the ceiling... he didn't think the chickens would appreciate it.

 

[MageofMist]

My chickens looooove spiders. I joked with my hubby that I was going to bring them inside the house, attach them to a stick, and point them at spiders up on the ceiling... he didn't think the chickens would appreciate it.

When my silkie chickens were younger, if I spotted a fly on the wall... I'd pick them up and slowly move them towards it, and the chick would strike when close enough. I always held back from doing the jaws theme, it was too tempting.

 

[rosemarythyme]

When my silkie chickens were younger, if I spotted a fly on the wall... I'd pick them up and slowly move them towards it, and the chick would strike when close enough. I always held back from doing the jaws theme, it was too tempting.

That's too cute! My chickens are mostly clumsy with flies though. And alas, I always seem to get spiders up on the ceiling, and I can't reach up there (hence the idea of taping a chicken to the end of a stick!)

 

[drumstick diva]

I hate the ceiling ones, you just know they are going to lower themselves right over your head. Anything that makes me scream that much cannot be healthy to have around. My go to product is Spic n'span spray from Dollar Tree. Any bug, spider ,silverfish whatever that invades my space gets "spic n' spaned".

 

[XanderWiFi]

I feel your pain. I finally bit the bullet and risked some barrier spray from lowes after finding and killing a couple black widows. Made sure the chickens were out and about for the day so the chemical had time to dry. Just up in the rafters and roof, nowhere the chickens would be walking. Haven't seen a spider in or around there since. I figure anything that comes from the ground up is fair game for the chickens to eat.

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

may not work for you, but we have "board walks" where the guineas can walk on a piece of ply wood or 2x4 with the flat side up - some of these reach to the ceiling

I think if I had your problem, I would make a chicken highway up to the place where the spiders are and let the birds keep the place spider free

they would eat the ones that are there and keep new ones from considering it a good home

here are some photos of my "board walks" in the run (one with a guest user):