New (old) way to control ticks

[baronrenfrew]

Where people have guineas free range ticks can drop 90%. But with all the coyotes and other predators something will get them sooner or later.
Jabulani vineyard near Ottawa had guineas free to control bugs. They were dinner for a fox.
I once had guineas free range. The hens would hide a nest in the junipers nearby, then sit on the eggs. Raccoons would get them all.
There's lots of articles and books...let me know how it works.

[JimW]

Guinea fowl free ranging definitely are effective to reduce tick numbers we use them on our property. But as baron said expect loses. Coyotes and foxes get most of ours and raccoons eat eggs and kill nesting birds. They are not the smartest birds and often wander onto the road, though we have had some groups they never once went on the road and others that always went on the road. If i find a group or individual birds like the road too much I lock them up or eat them.

JimW

[41714049]

Guinea fowl not really an option as they annoy the heck out of the other half...

Just a bit of background... I do have the entire area fenced with a 5' fence and ideally that is the area I want to concentrate on.

I have 2 girls (2 and 4 years old) that play there and want to keep the ticks away as best I can... last year there was a high population. Just jogging to the neighbors house one time I ended up with one on my sleeve... a 1 min jog.

[Skinny rooster]

Last summer was insane for ticks, I have never seen so many. I got one just walking to the barn and back one evening after I came home from work and went to check on the girls. I keep my lawn clipped but still got one. A guy at work got Lyme disease and many coworkers who live in the city (Ottawa) got ticks from their back yard. I am hoping it was just a bad year, the same reason we had clouds of mosquitoes and houses were invaded by cluster flies. I hope this cold weather will kill them. I could never release guineas here, they would be gone by the second or third day.

I am a little confused however by people thinking we are "getting" ticks. This area has always had ticks, some years the cats and dogs would be covered with them, ticks are not something new here. Is it that now they are carrying Lyme disease or is this a different tick? Anybody know?

[Brebis]

There must be natural predators for them? I wonder if with the decline of many insect eating wild bird species their numbers are increasing.

I think the tick that carries Lyme is new to Ontario. I got a tick last fall on my back shoulderblade and didn’t realize it was there for a few days. It was crushed and mangled by the time it was removed so it was impossible to identify. I haven’t had any illnesses so guess it wasn’t one carrying Lyme! I’m careful to keep covered but in that case I was trimming tall shrubs and it must have dropped from that.

[thegawd]

lyme disease was biologically engineered into the tick on purpose....... yup thats how smart we are.

what about a controlled burn with say a propane tiger torch?

[Skinny rooster]

lyme disease was biologically engineered into the tick on purpose....... yup thats how smart we are.

what about a controlled burn with say a propane tiger torch?

Al, where did you get that idea? Is this an experiment gone wrong? You better not say you heard it on the Art Bell show or I'm going to tease you for six months!

[41714049]

There must be natural predators for them? I wonder if with the decline of many insect eating wild bird species their numbers are increasing.

I think the tick that carries Lyme is new to Ontario. I got a tick last fall on my back shoulderblade and didn’t realize it was there for a few days. It was crushed and mangled by the time it was removed so it was impossible to identify. I haven’t had any illnesses so guess it wasn’t one carrying Lyme! I’m careful to keep covered but in that case I was trimming tall shrubs and it must have dropped from that.

Incubation period before symptoms can sometimes take months... at least that is what i was told by my doctor when I went in for tests after my tick bite a few years ago.

[Brebis]

Yes, it can be months but I also reckon the odds are on my side since at present only 20% of the carrier ticks carry it.

However, I do know of several people here in the County that have gotten it!

[41714049]

Yes, it can be months but I also reckon the odds are on my side since at present only 20% of the carrier ticks carry it.

However, I do know of several people here in the County that have gotten it!

Yup... and I would rather my kids not get it.