Tick problem!

[Papas Chickens]

We have a very bad tick problem in our yard and my family is fed up with them and they want me to higher a exterminator to spray the yard and house, Im on the fence with this idea because i have 45 chickens and 5 guinea keets and in another month or so i want them to be able to free range on the property but im affraid if i get the property sprayed for the ticks that the poison will harm my girls in there coop and run and also when they free range. I called a couple exterminators to see if they have a livestock safe spray to kill the ticks and they said no so now i dont know what to do because the family is driving me nuts about it. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jentralala]

I would be worried about the pesticides harming the chickens/keets. Chickens eat grass, and eating grass coated in pesticides and possibly consuming poisoned ticks doesn't sound healthy to me. I would wait it out until you free range, and maybe to help the issue put the young ones in chicken tractors during the day to help start eating the ticks. Guineas are known to be excellent tick eaters, so I would avoid the expense of spraying and let them do their thing!

 

[Rocky Rhodes]

A guineas favorite food is ticks. I wouldn't use any chemicals in my yard if I planned to have livestock or pets or children anywhere near it. I would recommend getting a couple of adult guineas to free-range now and let the other birds start free-ranging as soon as possible. Most predators strike at night, so you should consider keeping them in a secure coop at night and let them out during the day.

 

[Papas Chickens]

Thanks yall, you guys helped me make up my mind now to see how to build a chicken tractor, i have a extremly secure coop and run for them for night time use. Right now that is what they are in.

 

[aart]

Thanks yall, you guys helped me make up my mind now to see how to build a chicken tractor, i have a extremly secure coop and run for them for night time use. Right now that is what they are in.

Depending on how secure your yard is, you could just quick stake up a chunk of 6' high 2x4 fencing as a day pen.
How old are your birds?

 

[Papas Chickens]

Depending on how secure your yard is, you could just quick stake up a chunk of 6' high 2x4 fencing as a day pen.
How old are your birds?

My yard is five foot 1x2 inch hog wire above the ground and a foot dug under the ground with two strands of barb wire above the fence to make it seven feet high. My oldest girls are six weeks old right now, i have big breeds Barred Rocks and Wyandottes most of them are pretty good size for there age especially Ugly Betty a Rock pullet she is the biggest i call her my Godzilla Rock lol.

 

[aart]

Quote:
Well just let 'em out then!

 

[Papas Chickens]

I think I will starting next monday.

 

[chickenbloomers]

Well just let 'em out then!

I agree, chickens and guineas love tick, (especially guineas)