Tick Problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Annalyse]

Do you see all of them doing it at least once every 3-4 days?

Yes it's always my rooster in the middle and all the girls dustbatheing around him.

 

[Annalyse]

My chickens will eat the ticks they find. But unfortunately for us, it comes down to checking yourself very carefully after being outside. remove all clothes and check (Hair too). Keep the outside clothes/shoes in a contained area or launder the clothes. Ticks only need to crawl on you or grab onto you when you walk by, they are evil. Get a tick removal kit. And you have to crush, drown or burn the ticks, make sure you kill them when you find them. Do not let them live. They have no purpose other than to cause illness to people and animals. By the way, I hear that possums are tick-eating machines.

Yes I tried my best to kill the tick but I ended up flushing him down the toilet. When it gets warmer out were going to be cleaning up the yard.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Nowadays I can't get away from them during certain times of the year (mainly spring and fall). They're in the tall grass, short grass, everywhere. So, as others have said, really the only thing you can do is check yourself when you come inside. I actually don't really do a thorough check anymore; I can feel them when I sit still and I usually find them all (often more than 5) and flush them down the toilet. I know, it's awful and disgusting, but I have just come to accept that that is how it will be. Just 20 years ago, we didn't have any...

 

[Annalyse]

Nowadays I can't get away from them during certain times of the year (mainly spring and fall). They're in the tall grass, short grass, everywhere. So, as others have said, really the only thing you can do is check yourself when you come inside. I actually don't really do a thorough check anymore; I can feel them when I sit still and I usually find them all (often more than 5) and flush them down the toilet. I know, it's awful and disgusting, but I have just come to accept that that is how it will be. Just 20 years ago, we didn't have any...

Chickens have been with me for a full year by now and before this I usually didn't have any coming from my backyard but now I just hope they pick them off for me

 

[sourland]

The tick most likely hitched a ride into the house on you or a dog or cat that you may have. New Jersey is loaded with ticks and spring and late autumn are when the deer ticks tend to activate.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Hmm, my head is getting itchy! I wouldn't be surprised if the chicken food has attracted the animals that help spread the ticks. But there is not much we can do about them, sadly.

 

[sourland]

Hmm, my head is getting itchy! I wouldn't be surprised if the chicken food has attracted the animals that help spread the ticks. But there is not much we can do about them, sadly.

Deer mice are actually a vector for ticks and can carry the spirochete that causes Lyme disease.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Deer mice are actually a vector for ticks and can carry the spirochete that causes Lyme disease.

Yes, Deer and White-footed Mice...I didn't want to get into that discussion so I said "animals." hehe

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

When you come inside, immediately take off your clothes, place in the dryer, and run it on high heat for 10 minutes. That should kill any ticks on your clothes.

Make sure you stay up to date on dog and cat flea/tick repellent. They can bring them indoors.

Cut back any branches, tall grass, etc on your path to and from the chickens to limit tick hiding spots.

Wear close-fitting clothing and tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants so ticks can't get to your skin as easily. You could spray your clothes with diluted tea tree or peppermint oil as a repellent, but not sure it will be enough to really deter them.

Do a self-check every 24 hours, since that will decrease the chances of getting a tick-borne illness, even if they already bit you.

Hope that helps!

 

[TOR]

You can also get repellent with Deet in it and spray your clothing. There are herbal recipes on the net, unknown how well they work.
Spring always seems to be the worst for ticks.