Using Chickens for insect control
Chickens are a natural form of pest control.
They will eat almost any type of insect with a preference for crickets, grub worms, grasshoppers, larvae of ants, moths, termites, beetles, lawn grubs, and mealworms.
Fire ants are dangerous for chickens.
Ants can make chickens lethargic and even cause death if enough are eaten. Generally older chickens (two months) or more will not eat ants. Most granule ant treatments are poison to chickens. DO NOT USE these in areas where the chickens have access to them.
How to keep flies away from your chickens
Plowing, hoeing, and raking the area where chickens play and cleaning your coop is a good way to keep pesky, disease carrying flies from accumulating and laying eggs. Use fly traps where food and water is kept or in areas which are damp or wet.
Gather eggs daily to prevent insect infestations and predators.
If you are not trying to hatch them. The smell of eggs will attract insects, snakes, raccoons, possums and other predators to your hen house.
They will eat almost any type of insect with a preference for crickets, grub worms, grasshoppers, larvae of ants, moths, termites, beetles, lawn grubs, and mealworms.
Fire ants are dangerous for chickens.
Ants can make chickens lethargic and even cause death if enough are eaten. Generally older chickens (two months) or more will not eat ants. Most granule ant treatments are poison to chickens. DO NOT USE these in areas where the chickens have access to them.
How to keep flies away from your chickens
Plowing, hoeing, and raking the area where chickens play and cleaning your coop is a good way to keep pesky, disease carrying flies from accumulating and laying eggs. Use fly traps where food and water is kept or in areas which are damp or wet.
Gather eggs daily to prevent insect infestations and predators.
If you are not trying to hatch them. The smell of eggs will attract insects, snakes, raccoons, possums and other predators to your hen house.
Featured Video: What Kind of Bugs Do Chickens Eat?
References:
1. What Kind Of Bugs Do Chickens Eat?. (2018). YouTube. Retrieved 12 September 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5lk_WxGT0M
1. What Kind Of Bugs Do Chickens Eat?. (2018). YouTube. Retrieved 12 September 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5lk_WxGT0M
