# Chickens lost because of gnats..



## RaigenB (Apr 8, 2013)

We had 14 out of 30 chickens die today because of the gnats.. Only 8 are accounted for so the rest are missing..

We got rid of the dead ones and wiped down the live ones with vanilla. And we put a fan on high in their coop.

What else can we do for them?? Please help!


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## tojo66 (Apr 9, 2011)

So sorry you lost some. The fan is the best option we've found so far. Some folks say to keep the coop dark. We haven't lost any yet but I worry about it every year at this time. Good luck!


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## RaigenB (Apr 8, 2013)

Thanks! We hope the fan works. Also bought some of those fly strips to hang up. Fingers crossed that it works and helps them! Good luck to you too!


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

what kind of gnats do you have? why do you think the gnats killed them?


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## RaigenB (Apr 8, 2013)

Some kind that bites. Not really sure. And I've always heard that the gnats get in their nose and I assume suffocate them. The gnats were all over them too. Not so much now since we put stuff on them


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

i have seen knats and flys and mosquitos all over them and the yard and not seen them be killed by that, i would look at all the options, you said you have some missing? were there any marks on the dead ones? any symptoms before hand? is it very hot where you are? how old are these birds?


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## RaigenB (Apr 8, 2013)

Maybe it doesn't happen where you are? As long as I can remember, it has always been something that can happen, around here, when you have chickens.

-The dead ones had no markings.
-The missing ones came back.
-One that is still alive, but may not make it, seems very weak and lathargic.
-No symptoms before hand, they were all fine yesterday.
-It was hot but not as hot as last summer and they all survived last year.
-The oldest birds were 2 years old and youngest ones were 1 year old.

These gnats are very thick right now, so it has to be what's it.


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## primal1 (Aug 22, 2003)

do they look like this? http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publichealth/insects/bitingmidge.html

Sounded familiar to our black fly and they are bad her this year already


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## hugh (Apr 22, 2009)

Lost about 15 last year. Have only lost 1 so far this year. They have been really bad the last few days. Products with menthol work. Smear Vicks Vapo Rub on your neck or the chickens. Absorbine Jr also works. These gnats SUCK , had the kids chickens penned up in rabbit cages to get ready for the fair, but had to let them out to keep them away from the gnats.The chickens just stay in the barn and only come out for water.The poor Columbian's rooster head is all bloodly from all the bites.


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## hugh (Apr 22, 2009)

tojo66 said:


> So sorry you lost some. The fan is the best option we've found so far. Some folks say to keep the coop dark. We haven't lost any yet but I worry about it every year at this time. Good luck!


put a fan in the pigeon pen last year after 4 weeks the blood splatter spot was as big as a bushel basket,


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## hugh (Apr 22, 2009)

RaigenB said:


> Maybe it doesn't happen where you are? As long as I can remember, it has always been something that can happen, around here, when you have chickens.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Buffalo gnats are so tough. You have to keep the hens inside the coop, closed up, while they are out. And just use fans to try to keep them cooler. The gnats only stay a couple of weeks, but they kill chickens each year.
Good Luck.


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## Breezy (Jun 5, 2009)

A few years ago we had them so badly here.

Agree to keep the chickens inside/in shade with moving air as much as possible. The gnats are worst in the sunshine.
I tied vanilla scented air fresheners (for car) all around the run fencing. 
and spritzed them with Listerine.

I fed liver as some of the chickens quickly paled/anemic...but all recovered/no losses.

Edit: Spritzed the chickens with listerine...not the air fresheners


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## RaigenB (Apr 8, 2013)

Thanks everyone! The survivors were up and doing good today 

And I believe they are buffalo gnats


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Would it help to give them a place to dust bathe?

Maybe put some kind of spice or peppermint in the dust?


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

fan helps & Vics, Absorbing Jr will absorb & could harm them but Vics wont


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## primal1 (Aug 22, 2003)

Grrr, same as the black fly.. landscaping today was hell i was getting eaten alive and the bites are swelling up like crazy. One got my under the eye and it's so swollen it looks like i got in a fight.. nasty buggers! Tomorrow i am using vanilla!



RaigenB said:


> Thanks everyone! The survivors were up and doing good today
> 
> And I believe they are buffalo gnats


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## Oma2three (May 5, 2012)

Oh my ,I never heard of gnats killing chickens.We are in Indiana and now I am concerned about our chickens.Do you rub the Vicks all around their necks or just dab a bit on the top of their necks, and how much??? Thanks in advance for your answers.


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## Abounding Acres (Sep 8, 2012)

Hi RaigenB,
I'm sorry about your loss, that must be so discouraging! I checked the poultry forum to see if anyone had lost chickens due to gnats. My neighbors lost all 10 of their hens in 3 days, the last ones died today. We are in south-central Indiana. Their hens didn't want to come out of the chicken tractor to eat or drink. Neighbors found them dead all over the chicken yard when they got back from the Farmer's Market today with the gnats all over them. Very sad! Our chickens are okay, but our chicken shed is up on a hill in a field, so it is breezy... I think that helps. If gnats become a problem here, I will take all of the helpful advice I've found here! Thanks everyone!


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## RaigenB (Apr 8, 2013)

Oh no!  Wow that isn't good ://

Sounds like you're in the clear right now, hope all of your chickens make it and stay healthy!  good luck!


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

Yep, buffalo gnats. We don't have them here but I have heard the awful stores from folks who live with that scourge. From what I have heard and read, the main way that chickens die from buffalo gnats is by the dang things clogging the nostrils and suffocating the birds!


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## RaigenB (Apr 8, 2013)

Ya that's what I've been told too... :/ but so far, our survivors are still surviving! 

Also, with the storm that passed through last night, it moved our coop back 1 foot!!! Couldn't believe it! Thankfully there wasn't a tornado because I'm really surprised there wasn't...

The wind THANKFULLY did not blow over our beehive. We were very worried about that.. the small trees around it must have done a great job blocking the wind!


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

fishhead said:


> Would it help to give them a place to dust bathe?
> 
> Maybe put some kind of spice or peppermint in the dust?


You don't want them outside while the gnats are out. You keep them shut in the coop with fans to keep them cool. The gnats will kill chickens within a couple of hours or so.


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## richmond1273 (Oct 4, 2011)

i lost 25 meat birds and 18 new layers a week ago. i was only 3 days away from butchering the broilers. lost lots of money. i have never heard of this until i did some research on it. i know the nats is what caused it. they were in chicken tractors in the pasture, i put screens like you put on your doors on the other pen with the adult layers and sprayed them with vanilla as best i could. so far so good......


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

If you can put something in the coop that has a strong Citronella smell, that will help keep flying bugs out.


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## cornfieldgirl (Jun 10, 2013)

We lost two of our chicks to this gnat. We have only been raising chickens for four years and have never run across this problem. I had no idea that they could kill the chickens and now I feel horrible that I didn't protect them. They were swarmed with gnats and dead within an hour. A third one is very sick.
I have been reading poultry forums, talking to farmers and neighbors. Many of us have lost chickens to these gnats. I have done the vanilla and the de but nothing seems to be cutting them back.


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## ODINSWORN (Jun 8, 2010)

What about fly spray for horses? I use that on my dogs for camping, works really really well. Made me jealous!


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## tojo66 (Apr 9, 2011)

cornfieldgirl said:


> We lost two of our chicks to this gnat. We have only been raising chickens for four years and have never run across this problem. I had no idea that they could kill the chickens and now I feel horrible that I didn't protect them. They were swarmed with gnats and dead within an hour. A third one is very sick.
> I have been reading poultry forums, talking to farmers and neighbors. Many of us have lost chickens to these gnats. I have done the vanilla and the de but nothing seems to be cutting them back.


I'm really sorry. I don't know of anyone successfully cutting back the gnats-just protecting their chickens. These gnats swarm people also. I keep a spray bottle of vanilla right outside my back door. Everyone uses it, even the contractors who installed my fence last year asked to use the vanilla. I've heard of construction workers wearing vanilla car air fresheners around their necks-maybe you could hang those around your coop? We just use a fan. Our birds have access to the outside but refuse to leave the coop during "gnat season." I really think the answer is to keep their air moving.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

I have seen these gnats as well but all my chickens free range and dust bathe. Where they dust bathe at I have put DE down in the dirt as well. Have no losses due to gnats so far.


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## razor1616 (Mar 22, 2013)

Try Buggins. I found it at Rural King. I put it on the dogs, pigs, chickens, and myself. It really works for the knats. It is sort of costly but so are dead cridders. Not that they kill anything but the chickens. I have co workers who have lost birds and don't want to lose any myself.

~Nathan


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## cornfieldgirl (Jun 10, 2013)

Thanks everyone. The vanilla seems to be working at this point. I just wish gnat season would be over. I have talked to so many people near here that have lost chickens to gnats this year.

Due to the foxes that are surrounding our area, we cannot let them 100% free range. We have fenced in a very large area and they can run and dust bathe but that didn't make any difference. We also use DE but to no avail. We live so close to the marsh in the area that has recently flooded. We can't even go outside. My daughter became infected after three bites and had to be taken to urgent care. Sometimes I feel like we are under attack.


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## Patchouli (Aug 3, 2011)

We have had this every year for the past 5 and it is a serious problem. Buffalo gnats kill by suffocation and from their bites. They do not like dark cool places so if you have a barn or shed that you can keep dark it will be your easiest route. Vanilla does seem to be the best thing for keeping them away, we have tried all the suggested scents and sprays and vanilla is the best. Citronella doesn't seem to phase them at all. Neither do conventional bugs sprays. Once your temperatures get up over 80 degrees they will go away for the year. You need a perfection combination of a lot of rain and high flowing water followed by cooler temps in the 70s to have a real problem with them.


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