by Melissa Caughey of Tilly’s Nest
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| Regularly cleaning and inspecting the coop and nesting boxes is key. |
There are three types of fleas that can affect chickens including the European Chicken Flea, the Western Chicken Flea and the Sticktight Flea.
European Chicken fleas can affect humans, pets and other birds if their population grow large enough.
The type(s) of fleas that can affect your flock directly depends on where you live.
Fleas can cause anemia, decreased egg production, irritability, malaise and restlessness.
Chickens fleas are less common than mites and poultry lice.
Fleas thrive during summer months.
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| Sticktight fleas around the eye |
One of the best ways of preventing fleas is keeping a clean and tidy chicken coop.
If you discover fleas, the chickens and the coop will need to be treated on the same day. A warm sunny day is best. Set aside plenty of time so that you are not rushed.
Try keeping fleas away by adding a few cloves of garlic to their water supply, using food grade diatomaceous earth in the coop and planting fresh herbs that deter fleas around the chicken coop and run, such as mint.
There are both natural and chemical techniques to treat and prevent flea infestations.
If you do develop a flea problem, the sooner you act the better. The adult fleas that you see only represents 5% of your flea population. The other 95% exists in egg and larvae form.
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| Some fleas thrive in the coop litter |
When treating your coop and flock for fleas it is often necessary to repeat the process again 10 to 14 days apart.
Often prevention and treatment for poultry pests including ticks, fleas, mites and lice are identical or overlap.
Photo Credit: Tilly’s Nest unless otherwise stated. All photos are copyrighted.
7 Comments
My chicken when they are laying eggs are much affected by fleas
I have a small flock of chickens and every time I go out and touch them or interact with them…I get all these flea/insect bites all over my body.
I believe my chickens might have fleas and I am contracting them somehow. I have seen rats inside my chicken coop. Can chickens get fleas from rats that are eating chicken feed…?
Definitely. Mice also carry fleas. Here are a couple of articles that may help you limit the rodents in and around your coop.
https://www.communitychickens.com/why-are-rats-such-a-concern/
https://www.communitychickens.com/rodents-and-your-coop/
My neighbor has chickens. I believe they have fleas. My small dogs keep getting them. We keep treating them but every time they go outside they are re-infested. We are at wits end!!!! Our bank account is drained!! Any suggestions??
Spinosad containing flea controls for dogs work well. Neighbor chicken fleas will not go far. Keep vegetation cut low near chicken area and treat with non-toxic DE and aromatic oils to see if that works.
gasoline is best to repeale fleas
Get a flea pill for your dog. It’s the best thing we’ve ever done for our dog. She has not had a flea in over a year. No I just wish they made flea pills for chickens! LOL