HELP! Tick and flea prevention

[aart]

I don't live in the south. But where I am,

Ticks and fleas are not usually a poultry problem as they live off mammal blood.

Where are you?

 

[StinkyAcres]

Dust bath. My chickens have never had fleas or ticks and I don't use any pesticides regularly.

 

[ArraAchicksMama]

Sand and Soil, very dry. They have several big pits that they love. It's crucial for good health.

I find that my chickens love a semi wet or moist dirt to dust bath in lol

 

[ArraAchicksMama]

Ticks and fleas are not usually a poultry problem as they live off mammal blood.

Where are you?

I'm in pacific northwest, the country side, next to a state forest

 

[ArraAchicksMama]

Sand and Soil, very dry. They have several big pits that they love. It's crucial for good health.

I notice that my chickens prefer and LOVE a semi wet or moist dirt for dust bathing. Is that OK?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I notice that my chickens prefer and LOVE a semi wet or moist dirt for dust bathing. Is that OK?

Whatever keeps them protecting and cleaning themselves is good, but I'd make sure they have both wet and dry because when I think of wet sand, I'm just not sure it's as effective as dry. This is a decent article in my opinion. It covers the debate about DE, specifically if you're worried about fleas, DE can be beneficial. I don't want to start that debate, you have to keep it dry for it to do anything at all. I keep a layer of dry DE and PDZ in between my wooden poop board and a plastic lining with Sand and PDZ, poop trays under roost bars. I've never had bug issues, flea or tick, etc. and I live in the PNW, in Mt. Hood forest.https://www.heritageacresmarket.com/chicken-dust-bath/

 

[Penpal]

What I mean by walking through or by. They are pecking around looking for bugs. They rub against the lavender stem. They now are wearing lavender cologne. Fleas and ticks hate it. Pennyroyal also works but will take over the lawn.