# Deer Ticks/controlling them???



## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

Do any of you use anything to control ticks in and around your goat barns and yards? We've got nymphal ticks (tiny ones) and some already grown deer ticks something awful. I took one off my 3yo doe today. It was on her neck, just under her ear. It left a roundish lump where it was attached, about the size of a marble.

They're getting on my goats, the horse and me! ARGH!!!! We just treated the cattle, am about to treat the horse. What is safe to use for ticks and what is not?

The flies are just beginning. Thank goodness the mosquitoes haven't hatched out yet, or have washed downstream or something. We've got horse flies, heel flies and horn flies out here. Probably a bunch more. Also big Red Wasps. I haven't seen many scorpions for a couple of years. We spray around the foundation for those. Used to have 'em in the house! They give me the willies. I let out a scream every time I see one indoors. 

Can we use Coral Dust on goats for flies, ticks and stuff? Like maybe on our bucks or kids, if not the milkers? Or Sevin dust? I have been told to just use a flea spray made for dogs on kids for ticks and lice. It does kill lice buildup in winter. You really have to watch out for them in winter more than Summer. And they will rob your kids and does of their health ability to keep condition, gain condition and even cut into milk production if they are allowed to build up in large numbers. I bought a doe once who was so badly infested the lice jumped off her onto me and "bit" me when I tried to milk her. She had very little milk, even though she had recently freshened, until I treated her for those lice. YUCK!!! She was a lousy doe.


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## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

I am partial to chickens to control ticks. We've had a drastic reduction in our tick population since the chickens have lived here. That's not to say that I don't still see an occasional one, but it's not like it used to be (picking double digits worth of ticks off dogs each night). Now, I might see one every couple of weeks or so. In my book, that's nothing.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

> Deer ticks are also referred to as black-legged ticks or seed ticks. As the primary transmitters of Lyme disease, they are ectoparasites (external parasites). They eat the blood of animals, primarily deer and cattle. They are not able to jump onto animals but rather must transfer from plant to host by the host brushing up against the plant. They are generally found along forest paths and trails. Two natural forms of tick control are the Ichneumon wasp and Guineafowl. The two-year life cycle consists of the larva, nymph, and adult stages. When in the immature stages, they feed on rodents, which is where the tick acquires the spirochete that causes Lyme disease (see Deer Ticks Control in Wisconsin). Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue, and skin rash.


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## Bernice (Apr 2, 2009)

Putting down lime and sulfer seems to help.


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

Guinea fowl are great at keeping ticks down, they love eating them. Chickens work pretty good to, but at my place the Guineas worked best.

Certain plants will keep them away. Most of the mints will keep them at bay, Rosemary is supposed to be very effective. You can grow the plants around the perimeter of the goat/horse/dog areas or you can sprinkle the dried plant on the floor/ground.

Several years ago, my first year at my place, I planted Sweet Annie in my garden. Unbeknownst to me, its a weed.... and grows like one! Now, 11 years later, I have a Sweet Annie jungle on my property. It's everywhere. I did some searching on it to see if its actually good for anything besides smelling good and I found out that it works as a tick repellent. I have found less than 10 ticks on my animals in all the years I have been here (knock on wood) while my neighbors complain that they are everywhere. Up until 2 years ago I had chickens running at large, so they helped, but last year I found 1 tick on my dog, and that was in early spring before the "Annie" was up. So I'm guessing that it is a good way to keep the ticks away.

Now an off topic bit of info in case anyone cares ...one of the natural chemicals found in Sweet Annie is being tested as a cancer fighting drug and has been used since ancient times as a cancer and malaria treatment in Chinese medicine.


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## Madfarmer (Nov 18, 2008)

We've been in fly season for a couple weeks already and are waiting on delivery of the first shipment of parasitic wasps from Spaulding (?) We had excellent results with those when we had the big herd of horses.

Other Lyme Disease Symptoms: Migrating joint pain--one day your elbow will be locked up, next day it's your knee. Unexplained swelling--my eye would swell shut, then be OK. The rash is very specific--a big red bull's-eye. I had it before it had even been described or noted on the West Coast. My Dr. could only speculate that it was collagen disease--that I was producing antibodies against my own tissue. Aspirin will help some with the inflammation.

And, God forbid, if you get it, make sure your spouse is checked, too, even if they've had no tick bites. Research in Texas suggests that it's sexually transmissable.

Tom


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

For the horses and dogs I use a spot on treatment called Freedom 45. I use ONE tube between the four horses and the three dogs. I apply it every week during peak tick season, although I forgot last week, but checked the horses and they do not have ticks yet. This has saved me a ton of money over more expensive treatments, although I use it in and off-label manner. It does not say safe for dogs, but my dogs are still alive after two years of it. I have also used it on the cats...just a couple of drops, with no problems. (Now, I aint saying it's safe) It also says to use one whole tube on a horse. I have used whole tubes before and it did not work better. Less pesticide is good in my opinion. I've not used it on the goats, however, they rarely get ticks. We do have chickens, maybe that helps. A hundred years or so ago, when I was married, my ex-husband and I went to look at a place to buy. It was a good deal, and he liked it because it had a huge workshop, but we turned it down because when we went in the house I wanted to try the spray hose at the kitchen sink, which looked abnormally large. Well, I went to pick it up, and the thing reared up at me! It was the biggest black snake I have ever seen and scared me to almost death....but that paled in comparioson though to the ticks we soon discovered were crawling all over us. I don't mean one or two. We were literally covered with hundreds and hundreds of tiny seed ticks, and regular sized ticks...and they apparently were mighty hungry. I don't know why certain places, houses seem more "tick attractant" but we certainly were not taking the chance that we'd be able to get rid of those! Eww, I still cringe at the thought. I like some of your ideas for the sweet annie and rosemary. We must have something here already because around the house our pets don't seem to get bothered. Mostly the horses and the dogs when they go out in the woods.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I can send everyone some Fire Ants!
We used to wade into masses of seed ticks when we first moved here and the understory was very thick and there were no fire ants (70's). They have completely done away with the tick population. I hate the ants but I think I would rather have them since you can at least tell where they are! 

For a repellant border around a structure any powder will work- ash-slicia-sulphur because they will not walk thru fine dust that clogs up the pores they breathe thru. We have used Neem Tree bark dust on our dogs.
Lee


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## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

I'll corroborate on the guineas. They do a better job than chickens, but I just dont' want guineas.


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## Haglerfarm (Aug 11, 2008)

Where do you get Freedom 45 or Neem Tree bark dust.
I have not heard of either.
Les


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

Doh!!! :duh Now I remember why I liked having all those chickens, besides having fresh eggs and having to sell or barter fresh eggs, they really helped with the ticks. 

Doggoned raccoons :mad Someone has promised me a large breed puppie. I need to go pick him up, and some more chickens. I had some guineas too but they got eaten also. They are cotton-pickin' noisy birds. However, we figured out that when they are being particularly annoying, if we go see what has set them off, there may be a coyote sneaking up on them or a black snake. I actually leave the black snake alone. He's not poisonous. I don't want a copperhead to take his place. I'm sure it want's to eat eggs in the henhouse, but it might just as well be eating mice. We never see mice, unless they are in the mouth of one of our cats. Heh, heh :twisted

I already have a collagen disease: Lupus. I don't want Lyme disease on top of that. I have a tick bite I am watching because it sort of loks like it is developing that "bullseye" rash. Darn it! I have a doctor appnt. this week anyway. They have a serum test they can run for Lyme disease now and you just have to take antibiotic and it goes away, unlike Lupus. You just stay allergic to yourself with that, and just try to manage the flares.


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## Sheryl (Oct 27, 2007)

Sprinkle DE all in the barn, all in the yard. It won't hurt any animal, or human that ingests it. It is full of trace minerals, but it will kill the ticks once they get it on them


> Pest control
> Diatomite is also used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate. Arthropods die as a result of the water pressure deficiency, based on Fick's law of diffusion. This also works against gastropods and is commonly employed in gardening to defeat slugs. However, since slugs inhabit humid environments, efficacy is very low. It is sometimes mixed with an attractant or other additives to increase its effectiveness. Medical-grade diatomite is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans. It is most commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and eventually eliminate a cockroach infestation. This material has wide application in control of insects of grain storage.


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## Qz Sioux (Feb 21, 2009)

I have tried to find DE, but the only place I can find it is at a pool supply. I have heard that the DE sold there is not the same as what people use for pest control. Can anyone tell me if it is, or where I might find it otherwise? We don't see many ticks, but the fleas! Oh My the FLEAS are horrible! I keep hearing "treat the yard, treat the house, treat the pet" Yeah, how am I gonna treat the 5 acre yard? Plus, I do have chickens, but they can't free range due to the useless Antatolian/Pyr cross dog that wants to eat them. I'd love to have some guineas, but mine never survive over a month or so when I get them as keets, and when I get them older, they leave.

Back when I had turkeys and geese, I hardly ever saw a snake. Of course when I did see it, it was soon lunch/snack for the tom turkey that was in love with me and followed me everywhere.

Suzie


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## Haglerfarm (Aug 11, 2008)

DE, has not worked here. I have tried it.
I even put it on the dogs, still did not work.
Guineas are the best, I love them. I just don't have enough of them. Mine are generally quiet unless it is really something.
We have a lot of visitors and they just ignore them most of the time if I am out there.
Now, predators, hawks and such they raise a ruckus. That is what they are here for.
The problem is that my guineas do not come to the house. They stay in the pasture areas. So they do not help with the ticks around the house and on the dogs.
Les


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## Sheryl (Oct 27, 2007)

No absolutely do not use DE from the pool place or if it is for use in pool filtration systems. That DE has added glass particals.

You need Organic DE, which is sold in feed stores, gardening supply places. etc.

Sheryl


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

I knew you could use DE for slugs (beer works as a wonderful bait) but I've never heard of using it for ticks. I might try it in the barns. 

The trouble with my guineas was that instead of roosting in the trees (where I wanted them) they thought they were chickens and took over the henhouse and ran the hens out to sleep in the goat barn. Grrrrr :mad


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## Haglerfarm (Aug 11, 2008)

My guineas sleep in the trees unless owls start bothering them. Then they roost with the chickens. They all get along.
Les


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## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

Okay, after our vet visit today, scratch anything I've said about being content with LESS ticks instead of NO ticks. Our GP came back negative for heartworm, but positive for Lyme's disease. Our poor girl! This means a month of antibiotics, and after that, we'll be getting a urine test to check kidney function. Stuff's not cheap, either. We need to shave her and use a special collar in conjunction with the frontline... not what I wanted to hear today.


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## Haglerfarm (Aug 11, 2008)

There is a Lyme vaccine for dogs.
Also, if the collar you mention is the Preventic, good luck.
I have tried them 3 times at over $15 bucks a pop for 7 dogs. Supposed to work for 3 months. Lucky if they worked for 3 weeks.
Frontline also does not work here. Maybe it will for you.
I sure hope so.
Les


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

Oh, sorry to hear about your PYR.  Frontline plus works well here for my little Rat Terrier. Nary a flea or a tick on him. I wish I could use that stuff on me. I use Deep Woods Off, but I have to put it on my clothing and shower as soon as I come in from the woods. Putting it on my bare skin is begging for a migraine.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I just can't believe none of you want me to send you any fire ants! Imagine that.

We have Anatolians and they run in a wooded area as well as pasture.
We shampoo in tick season with Thera Neem pet shampoo which smells so good and repels ticks without poisoning your dog. The ticks we have found on them are confused and wandering on the top of their fur and easily dispatched. They never seem to bury up until about a month after shampooing. The stuff is great-very concentrated so it lathers up even a very heavy coated dog. You can order the Neem Tree Bark powder from the same people. I have used this on the goats when they showed signs of lice as well as cedarwood oil spray diluted and put in a mister so this might repel ticks on goats as well. 
Lee
http://www.organixsouth.com/theraneem.html#petcare


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

Sorry, DS did his boot camp at Ft. Jackson, SC. I met up with those intrepid critters and decided I didn't much care for 'em. Hey, when the DI says "drop and give me 20" he doesn't CARE if there are fire ants biting you !!!!!!! Whew. Man, I don't know how those guys do it, but I suppose they may have to hide and let stuff crawl on 'em sometimes when they REALLY need to stay hidden and quiet.

And I am not too sure what the department of Agriculture (and other dwellers in my state) would think about me importing those. Um, can you collect a bunch and run them through a blender and mail me some fire ant extract to spray around. I might try that. :twisted

What is the active chemical in NEEM tree bark? Where does it come from? Hmmmmm. I'm a chemically sensitive person. I ought to check that out.


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## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

Yeah, I did my bootcamp in Parris Island, SC and had enough fire ants in the pit then to last two lifetimes. Lyme disease or not! Neem trees are grown in Central America. Google them--interesting stuff.

Ugh, yes, Les, it is a Preventic collar. I have to shave around her neck before I put it on to even have a chance of it working. Something that will have to get done after I get home from the hospital as tonight is catching up on laundry, ironing, packing things for the kiddos tomorrow... Using it in conjunction w/Frontline... Vet was pretty shocked that we had Lyme's and wondered if I ever had the dog anywhere else b/c it is rare in this area. Just my luck, huh? Thinking thru the lifecycle and that the mouse nest I found in the barn this morning might have something to do w/it. (I killed the babies, but the adults scampered off and my cat just watched in amusement...)

And to add to the frustration, her exam of my goat with the hurt knee amounted to everything I've done here, no x-ray, and a $25 charge. She did sell me some banamine and said she wanted to check w/my regular vet who is on vacation. (sigh) So, given the dog news it's possible that Lyme's is also something to rule out with him as well...


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

Thanks for your service. 

I have to use something on my Rattie that works and Frontline Plus does, even though I hate putting poison on my doggie. He sleeps under the covers at the foot of my bed. So he gets a bath once a month and the spot-on applied. (unless he gets into something that gets him filthy before a month is over) He's an excellent foot warmer. I refuse to have ticks and fleas in my house, let alone in my bed. It's bad enough I have to share my bed with a dog. He's lucky he's a little dog. I don't want him bringing ticks indoors. 

We had a dog before him who had fleas so badly it was awful. Somebody told me to try this and I did. They also said that the fleas that had gotten into my house would get on the dog and die; and so they did. End of flea problem.


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## Madfarmer (Nov 18, 2008)

Not ticks, but fireants. If you wash the bites immediately with plain household ammonia, you neutralize the venom. No pain, itch, or blisters.

Tom


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