24 Comments
User's avatar
⭠ Return to thread
INGRID C DURDEN's avatar

I read somewhere that chickens will pick ticks as well, don't know if it is true

Expand full comment
Just Comment's avatar

Chickens are a natural pest control that can significantly reduce tick populations in your garden naturally.

https://www.drberg.com/blog/why-don-t-chickens-that-eat-ticks-get-lyme-disease

Expand full comment
N Springer's avatar

Guinea fowl are supposed to be the best for eating ticks. But they are dumber than chickens and loud. So. Very. Loud.

Expand full comment
CitizenA's avatar

Loud! Yessss! When our last guinea died we never got another one. Chickens are so much quieter and they forage for all sorts of pesky insects, including ticks. I prefer large breed (brown egg layer) chickens like gentle Buff Orpingtons. They make great pets too.

Expand full comment
RunningLogic's avatar

Possums/opossums too!

Expand full comment
INGRID C DURDEN's avatar

thank you for that tip! I will stop immediately to chase them off ! (2 come and see if the cats had any leftovers at night, my dog is furious at them LOL) 5 or 6 years ago we had lots of ticks, but in the last 2 years only saw a couple.

Expand full comment
RunningLogic's avatar

I had a newfound appreciation for them when I found out about that!

Expand full comment
MayBella82's avatar

I had a family that lived in my backyard. Never bothered my cats or dogs... and vice versa. My pets never had a tick and rarely got fleas. I had 4 oak trees and they kept it pest free mostly. My neighbors wanted one for their yard because they had problem with ticks all the time.

Expand full comment
MayBella82's avatar

And they don’t get rabies.... or rarely. They are very interesting animal. Very passive. When they would see me, they would turn around and slowly walk away.

Expand full comment
INGRID C DURDEN's avatar

we got one peaceful one and one angry one LOL. Before I had my dog we had several more. In the meanwhile 2 more human families moved close by, and tore out most of their trees. I don't really mind them but sleep light and they make lot of noise!

Expand full comment
RunningLogic's avatar

Scratch that, apparently it’s a myth and some scientists researched it and found there was no evidence for it 😕

Expand full comment
Maggie Think of Me's avatar

That has been debunked....

Expand full comment
RunningLogic's avatar

Thank you, I wasn’t aware of that! Ugh I guess you have to check every single thing you hear or read 😕 I was so pleased to hear that about the poor maligned animal that I didn’t check it 😡

Expand full comment
Maggie Think of Me's avatar

I wasn't happy to hear it either. My big brother used to find baby opossums and would bring them home and we'd care for them until they could live on their own... He put them inside his t-shirt and ride around town on his bike. They'd crawl all over him, like it was a carnival ride!

Expand full comment
RunningLogic's avatar

Aww! Sounds so sweet! And reminds me very much of *my* older brother who was constantly bringing “critters” of all kinds home!

Expand full comment
Maggie Think of Me's avatar

I really really miss him.💔❤️❤️❤️❤️

Expand full comment
RunningLogic's avatar

I’m so sorry 😞 I miss mine too. Lost him during the lockdowns due to medical neglect 😢

Expand full comment
Maggie Think of Me's avatar

I'm so sorry! My precious big brother died peacefully his sleep in November 2019. I thank God every day, that he didn't have to live through the covid mess! He did beat his term life insurance policy by 3 days! That was a huge help for his wife who was diagnosed with dementia in June of 2019. It has been a difficult journey for her without him by her side. She lives with their oldest daughter now. I think about and miss him every single day. The best big brother any girl could hope to have!

Expand full comment
RunningLogic's avatar

Thank you. I’m so glad your brother didn’t have to live through all that too. And that his life insurance was able to take care of his wife—it’s good she has a daughter who can help ❤️ I know it’s been difficult for my sister-in-law and my niece to have my brother pass so unexpectedly.

It’s so hard when someone you love dearly is gone from your life. Today is the two year anniversary of my beloved mom’s death, I miss her terribly. And the anniversary of my brother’s death will be on the 30th. My dad passed away in December and his birthday was in March. March is a tough month for me lately 😞

Expand full comment
KATHERINE JERNIGAN's avatar

Yeah. Bring a chicken with you. 😂

Expand full comment