Ticks

[Dondon32]

So I’ve very kindly been given some land so that I can keep my roosters on as well as turkeys- separately obviously incase of blackhead. my question is the field is absolutely crawling with tick nymphs. We have recently cut the grass so it’s way shorter and got all fences etc up. I’ve spread de around the area and will dust my birds before putting them in. But I am so worried about them going to get absolutely infested with them and I don’t want to make them poorly I can easily pop like a inver: drop spot on on them but do you think they will be ok? Or any other suggestions ? Need help please! Donna

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Some people just drop them off in places like that. Some of the roosters that I re-homed went for tick control. Often they're there to free range till something gets them. If you're concerned with their safety, provide them with a predator proof coop.

 

[Dondon32]

Some people just drop them off in places like that. Some of the roosters that I re-homed went for tick control. Often they're there to free range till something gets them. If you're concerned with their safety, provide them with a predator proof coop.

 

[Dondon32]

That’s super sad. I’m putting my cockerels (some I rescued ) in a field near to my house and strimmer the area to make the grass short and they have coop, fence, electric fence, solar deterrents- sound, smell and visual so they don’t get eaten but I didn’t seem to think that there would be so many tick nymphs and quite worried that although I’ve tried to think of predators, I’m actually worried about ticks on the birds

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

That’s super sad. I’m putting my cockerels (some I rescued ) in a field near to my house and strimmer the area to make the grass short and they have coop, fence, electric fence, solar deterrents- sound, smell and visual so they don’t get eaten but I didn’t seem to think that there would be so many tick nymphs and quite worried that although I’ve tried to think of predators, I’m actually worried about ticks on the birds

I've never had a serious problem with ticks, though I've seen a couple on my chickens before. I've actually heard that turkeys are one of the biggest carriers of ticks. Maybe you shouldn't use chickens, or at least only chickens. Guinea Fowl and Oppossums are excellent tick killers. Guinea Fowl are much better than chickens on tick control and have a better chance of survival around predators. Oppossums, can eat up to 2,000 ticks in one night, though I don't think you can own those... Maybe you can ask an animal rescue place or something if they have an oppossums that are going to be released back into the wild soon and if they can release them where you live.

 

[Dondon32]

I've never had a serious problem with ticks, though I've seen a couple on my chickens before. I've actually heard that turkeys are one of the biggest carriers of ticks. Maybe you shouldn't use chickens, or at least only chickens. Guinea Fowl and Oppossums are excellent tick killers. Guinea Fowl are much better than chickens on tick control and have a better chance of survival around predators. Oppossums, can eat up to 2,000 ticks in one night, though I don't think you can own those... Maybe you can ask an animal rescue place or something if they have an oppossums that are going to be released back into the wild soon and if they can release them where you live.

Thankyou for your reply Lacy duckwing
My intention wasn’t to control tick numbers, it was just to rescue some roosters and pardon a few turkeys just the land I have is full of ticks opossums would be great but I think I’ll maybe look into guinea fowl. Just didn’t want the birds getting poorly with tick bites. Thankyou

 

[RoyalChick]

Thankyou for your reply Lacy duckwing
My intention wasn’t to control tick numbers, it was just to rescue some roosters and pardon a few turkeys just the land I have is full of ticks opossums would be great but I think I’ll maybe look into guinea fowl. Just didn’t want the birds getting poorly with tick bites. Thankyou

That is lovely of you to do - I assume you mean deer ticks? Wild turkeys eat a massive number of ticks so I am thinking your turkeys may do that too - and I know for sure that my chickens eat ticks.
I think they might see your field as covered in snacks.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Thankyou for your reply Lacy duckwing
My intention wasn’t to control tick numbers, it was just to rescue some roosters and pardon a few turkeys just the land I have is full of ticks opossums would be great but I think I’ll maybe look into guinea fowl. Just didn’t want the birds getting poorly with tick bites. Thankyou

Yep!
Ok! I love Guinea Fowl. I'd probably own a bunch of I had the land for them. Yeah, that's understandable.

 

[Dondon32]

That is lovely of you to do - I assume you mean deer ticks? Wild turkeys eat a massive number of ticks so I am thinking your turkeys may do that too - and I know for sure that my chickens eat ticks.
I think they might see your field as covered in snacks.

Yes deer ticks happier knowing that chickens and turkeys eat ticks and that it’s a field of snacks I just envisioned going up to take them brekkie and the birds are covered head to toe in ticks which would be just awful. Thankyou royalchick

 

[Dondon32]

Yep!
Ok! I love Guinea Fowl. I'd probably own a bunch of I had the land for them. Yeah, that's understandable.

Thankyou. I know nothing about them apart from they are loud? Lol but can’t be louder than the roosters surely