The Duck Thread

[Onlyducks]

So today i used duct tape over each bite and it hasent itched all day! I am a nurse so my thought is that it's not being aggravated by touch since it's covered so less histamine response so less itching! Still pretty grossed out by reading about so many different kinds of mites! Dog mites, rabbit mites, fowl mites, rodent mites...all can accidentally snack on people! Eeewww! Just happy the ducks don't look to be affected from what I can see.

Like PrayingMantis, we put clear nail polish on the bite. Seemed to help. Epson salt compress might too. Chiggars like damp, wet areas, so if you can minimize those areas. I know with ducks that's hard. You could try an "all natural" repellent—sometimes it helps. My dog has a rosemary based tick repellent. There are several out there for people that are broad spectrum. Coming from Iowa, I guess I just got used to the idea of chiggers and being tormented by the bites. (I don't think chiggers go after birds—just mammals.)

You can add snakes to the list of creatures that have mites.

 

[subhanalah]

Like PrayingMantis, we put clear nail polish on the bite.  Seemed to help.  Epson salt compress might too.  Chiggars like damp, wet areas, so if you can minimize those areas.  I know with ducks that's hard.  You could try an "all natural" repellent—sometimes it helps.  My dog has a rosemary based tick repellent.  There are several out there for people that are broad spectrum.  Coming from Iowa, I guess I just got used to the idea of chiggers and being tormented by the bites. (I don't think chiggers go after birds—just mammals.)

You can add snakes to the list of creatures that have mites.  

I'm pretty sure snake mites don't even try to feed off humans though, like dog, cat and bird mites do.

 

[K Epp]

Well I'm in Georgia and its parasite central. To treat them we use nail polish. I use bleach it burns like heck but it makes the itch stop. As a preventative I use bug spray with DEET. I don't put anything on yard or chickens just us. Mostly clothing. On a visor, hat, to keep the gnats out of my eyes socks, shoes for the ants. I don't like the spray, but its better than the bugs.

 

[Amiga]

I read that lemon eucalyptus is at least as effective as DEET, so I use that. I live in the Land of Lyme Disease.

 

[K Epp]

I haven't found a tick anywhere or on anything since I got chickens. Does the oil stain your clothes?

 

[Kinmera]

Old fashioned preventative.

My daddy always drank something called Switzel. It was ACV, Honey, ginger, and H2O. He never seemed to be bothered by bugs. I drink it but my husband does not. Whe we do yard work dh has to spray and I do not. I think the ACV alters the blood so it becomes unappealing in smell to them.

 

[aurora14]

CV is supposed to work well for preventing fleas and ticks on dogs if added to their food or water. Too bad my two dummies would rather starve or dehydrate instead of eating it :/

 

[subhanalah]

ACV is supposed to work well for preventing fleas and ticks on dogs if added to their food or water. Too bad my two dummies would rather starve or dehydrate instead of eating it :/

I put two droppers full of ACV in kibble mixed with water. They don't snub it.

 

[Alice28]

I leave for four days and come back to my ducks looking way bigger and looking so different then they did four days ago!

 

[holm25]

I leave for four days and come back to my ducks looking way bigger and looking so different then they did four days ago!