How to Kill Gamefowl Fleas in a Yard
The main types of gamefowl raised domestically in the United States are quail, pheasant, partridge, ducks and chickens. Turkeys can be included in this list. Fleas are small, flat, parasitic arthropods. Over 2,400 species of flea have been identified worldwide. In any area you may have dog fleas, cat fleas and bird fleas, though bird fleas are the only type that will bother your gamefowl. Flea remedies generally take care of all types of flea at once.
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Things You'll Need
- Natural flea repellent substances, as outlined in Section 1
- Pyrethrin flea killer
- Hose-type chemical sprayer
Instructions
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Natural Flea Control
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1
Before embarking on a pest control program, be certain any chemicals you use are safe for the animals in your yard, and follow all precautions for your own safety as well. Wear appropriate clothing, eye protection and a breathing mask when spreading chemicals. Many organic and natural remedies, safe for you and your pets and fowl, exist to eliminate (or at least limit) fleas in your gamefowl yard.
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2
Keep your gamefowl yard in a sunny location. Ideal conditions for flea eggs and larvae are temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 70 percent or greater. Fleas grow in bushy shrubs, leaf litter and tall grass as well as cracks or crevices between boards in a hutch or hen house. Countering these conditions can go a long way toward reducing flea populations.
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3
Treat shady and damp areas, and other places larvae hide, with insect-attacking nematodes or insecticidal soaps. Ask for Steinernema carpocapsa at your garden store or nursery, or buy it online. You can buy insecticidal soap products containing 0.01 percent pyrethrin in pet stores and hardware stores.
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4
Purchase diatomaceous earth and sprinkle it liberally around your gamefowl yard. Silica aerogel is a similar product. Fossilized diatoms and silica taken from sand kill fleas by rupturing their exoskeletons and dehydrating them, absorbing oil and moisture.
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5
Use borates, like those in powdered Borax laundry enhancer, to kill fleas. This product is especially useful indoors in carpeted areas, if fleas have followed you and your pets indoors. Sprinkle the powder on carpet, leave for several hours, and vacuum up. You can sprinkle Borax in your gamefowl yard or coop as well, and it sweep into cracks.
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6
Spray areas where fleas hide with products containing citrus-peel extracts d-limonene and linalool to kill all stages of fleas. Products containing only d-limonene will kill only adults and larvae. You can purchase these compounds in liquid form or aerosol. Citrus extracts can be irritating to the skin, but effects are temporary.
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7
Sprinkle cedar chips liberally over your treated gamefowl yard to keep fleas away. Cedar chips are an inexpensive way to repel fleas but will not rid you of an infestation.
Chemical Flea Control
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8
Choose a chemical flea control product that non-toxic to your gamefowl and pets. Pyrethrins are the family of chemicals used most often because they are lethal to insects but not mammals or birds. The effects of naturally occurring pyrethrins do not last as long as synthetic pyrethrins.
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9
Use a hose-type sprayer to apply the product, not a pump-type sprayer. Follow the chemical manufacturer's instructions on the package label.
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10
Allow seven to 10 days between repeat applications for best results. You will need to repeat application as fleas in the pupae stage are impervious to chemicals. Full elimination of severe flea problems may take up to eight weeks.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Colloquial evidence suggests that apple cider vinegar added to a fowl's water for a week will rid them of lice, fleas and other ailments, such as coccidiosis. Amounts recommended vary from 1 teaspoon per quart of water to ¼ cup per gallon of water.
Frontline spray and Adams Flea and Tick spray will kill fleas, mites and lice living on the birds but are not recommended for poultry you will use for meat or eggs.
Resources
- Photo Credit Photo by Online Creative Media
