Wasp & Chicken Coop - Help!!

[BrewedInNh]

I'd let our girls fend for themselves, and not feel bad for the wasps. But, if you want to drive off the wasps I have a suggestion. Now, I have no idea if this is safe so let a bunch of other BYC'ers weigh in before making your decision.

I spent 10 years as a mailman. We routinely find wasp / hornet nests in mailboxes. we would sew a couple of mothballs into a little cloth pouch and toss it in the afflicted mailbox. It never failed, ever.

You might be able to staple a pouch or two in strategic places in your coop.

I have no idea if it's safe. Please get other opinions on this first, before trying it.

 

[todtrac]

Quote:
Now that is very interesting!.. thanks for sharing

 

[clayhill]

I use 10% Permethrin, mix 1 oz. per gallon of water, in a garden sprayer. Spray inside of coop, walls, floor, ceiling, etc. Wasps will flee and NOT rebuild. This will also get rid of mites that would infect your birds, helps control mosquitoes too. I also spray my birds lightly to be sure of protecting them from mites. Works on the dog too, saturate a cloth and sponge him down once a month, no fleas and ticks. This is the same thing I use to rid my garden of insects, same mixture. I buy a quart at Farmer's Co-op for about $20.

 

[cactus-hen]

I learned this trick in New Orleans. Paint the ceiling of any structure a light blue. The wasps won't build nests there. I was told they won't land there because they think it is the sky. It has worked under the eaves at my house south of Sacramento, Ca.

 

[PropsToMyPeeps]

When I went out to our coop this afternoon 2 wasps flew out and right at me. Our coop isn't occupied yet, but I wondered what to do. Did a quick search & got some great tips. Thank you BYC!

 

[Mortey]

Our wasps are right inbetween the wood of the coop, so we don't have a nest that we can see. They keep on attacking the kids and husband when we go into the coop - should I just spray right into the cracks and hope for the best? I wonder if rubbing soap around the coop would deter them as well?

 

[griffinkid02]

I learned this trick in New Orleans. Paint the ceiling of any structure a light blue. The wasps won't build nests there. I was told they won't land there because they think it is the sky. It has worked under the eaves at my house south of Sacramento, Ca.

We must have "special" wasps at my place, because our eaves are painted a light sky/slate blue and they never once hesitated, lol.

 

[rachlore]

Sheesh, I'm glad i havent had to deal with wasps, what about bees?

 

[SharkmanDan]

Sheesh, I'm glad i havent had to deal with wasps, what about bees?

I'm new here. This is my first post. and, my wife and I are BRAND NEW chicken folks. We are mainly wanting to raise chickens, for eggs, but some for meat. We are resurrecting an old corrugated tin coop, that came with this house when we bought it. It has several wasps nests inside.
I found this forum, in searching solutions for wasps, in coops. I really want to eliminate the wasp nests, so that I don't get stung, every time I collect eggs, as our chickens begin to produce. But, I really like it here, and will likely be asking several more questions in the near future.
We just bought our first chicks. A mix of hybrids, and purebreds. Australorps, black sex-links, and other breeds, that I simply do not remember

As for the wasps. You oughta see these prehistoric looking, nasty wasps we have around here. Spray them with the so-called "Instant Knockdown" sprays, and they fly around enough to still come sting you. These big old red wasps have pretty bad attitudes, and are not easily killed with standard wasp and hornet spray, in this part of the country.
I think I'm first going to try the spray soap, then the 91% Isopropanol, and if that still doesn't work, I guess I'll have to step it up, to the Permethrin.
I just don't want to harm the chickens. We've had them less than a week, and I'm getting to like these little girls, a bunch.
Oh, and we have two, broadbreasted, bronze turkeys, too. They will be kept in another pen.

 

[New Hampshire]

I use a map torch. It kills them every time!