Ticks.

[andythescot]

Usually in the yard we have a lot of ticks, but this summer (since we've had chickens) there have been none. But recently my chickens have been in the run a lot. And so we've found my dog with a couple ticks, and I just pulled a tick off... well I'd rather not say where. But the only place I really go in the yard is to the chicken coop. Is it possible that there are ticks in the straw I use for bedding? Could the birds get ticks?

Oy. Now I'm so paranoid!

 

[acid_chipmunk]

Were your chickens free ranging before? Chickens love ticks, just like any other bug and if they were free ranging then and aren't now, that would explain why they are back.

 

[pringle]

I doubt your chickens would get ticks they usually gobble them up.But if they seem to be getting them try feeding a little brewers yeast to them everday.I have some everyday becouse its very good for you and ever since Ive been having it if a tick goes on me it just shrivels up and dies.Theres somthing in it that they dont like.

 

[7&8]

About a month ago, one of my Bantam Leghorn hens had a deer tick attached itself near her head. I didn't notice the little bugger 'till it was full & ready to release itself from the hen. Over the course of the following 48 hrs, the hen developed a purplish discoloration on both of her wattles. She continued eating & drinking, and other than the wattle discoloration, she did not seem outwardly affected in any way by the tick bite. The discoloration reabsorbed after 48 hrs., and she's continued in good health since.

Where I live, in ME, I consider myself a minority to deer & dog ticks. They're here in huge numbers. I'm hoping my free-rangers are eating them - they fought over the full tick that came off the Bantam

IMHO, I would say that ticks could most certainly travel via a bale of straw or hay or any other fomite they choose to hitchhike on 'till they find a warm-blooded host.

I've heard & read that some folks believe Guinea Fowl are wicked tick eaters. IMHO

, from observing the chickens along side the Guineas, the chickens did waaaaay more foraging and seemed waaaaay more likely to be finding & dispatching ticks than the Guineas did - "did" being the key word regarding the Guineas!