How Do Chickens Help Control Fleas?

Chickens help control fleas in many ways. The first way is to remove any adult fleas from your hens’ bedding. Fleas can cause your chickens to become restless at night, suffer from dermatitis, or change where they roost. The next step is to remove the fleas from the environment of their coop. You can also apply insecticides to bedding to kill any fleas you may have. Repeat the treatment 10-14 days later to break the life cycle of fleas.

Diatomaceous earth is another effective product that you can use for controlling fleas. This natural compound, which is found in the soil, pierces fleas’ exoskeletons and suffocates them. The good news is that it’s safe for chickens to ingest this product – they often roll around in it.

Using food-grade diatomaceous earth on the coop floor and nesting boxes can help control fleas. You can also rub it along roosts and on the bottoms of the flock. Before using this product, read the ingredients and make sure it’s safe for your flock. Garlic is also a natural flea deterrent, and you can sprinkle it on the coop floor and on your chickens.

A flea’s life cycle is typically four weeks, but it depends on the temperature. Fleas lay eggs on a bird during the night while the bird is asleep. The eggs are very small and fall to the ground. The larvae emerge four days later and feed on organic matter and the feces of the adult fleas.