You'll need about 6 guineas. Keep them pinned in their coop for 4 to 6 weeks, then start letting them out during the day and they'll put themselves back in the coop in the evening. 6 can keep 50 acres tick free. I also use Permethrin on clothes, shoes, hats, etc. when doing yardwork and it works great. The Sawyer brand keeps clothes protected up to 5 weeks even through washing & drying.
Yep. We had about a dozen several years ago that just free roamed all the time (eventually, the hawks got them). We didn't even have grasshoppers those summers!
I have head good results from having guineas and remember the old days where almost every one who lived in the country had them too , they were good about standing in middle of the country roads
Is it likely I brought them in wo realizing n spread them everywhere - like my critters and maybe carpet, etc? Or maybe from the bale of hay... idk. Can I use DE on me, them and everywhere? Everything I am reading keeps saying things like this don’t transfer from pets to humans etc., but after I’ve been w my critters ik there’s bunches crawling up my arms! Maybe from the hay I’ve been giving them all... Aaack if u have any further wisdom, please share! 😭💜🤗
I got these when I was very young, [still remember the misery they inflicted 60 yrs. ago]. I suffered for 2 days before my grandmother noticed. She ran a hot bath, put some bleach in the water and told me to soak for a little while. It stung a little where the bites were but I think it was because I scratched my skin raw from the itching. I slept peaceful that night and hugged my grandma so hard she started laughing.
We buy granulated sulphur at the farm supply store in big bags for about $25.00 & spread it over the yard using a lawn spreader. It will keep ticks & chiggars out of your yard & off your critters too. (cause they get it on their fur from the grass) Spread it in the spring after the rains stop, mid summer & early fall for all season coverage. When going out to pick berries, etc. get the powdered sulphur & put some in grandma's old body powder box (with the puff) & dust your whole body with it before getting dressed. You won't get a single bite that way.
I second the granulated sulphur! We live in North TX and several years ago we had an acre and a half and had chickens and dairy goats. We used granulated sulphur on the whole property, spreading it with a fertilizer spreader, and we never had a chigger or tick problem (though there were lots of fleas and chiggers when we arrived). We never even saw ONE! It also keeps lice and fleas off of your property. Amazing stuff! We spread it once and never had a problem for the 6.5 years we lived there. We spread it just before a soaking rain was forecast because we heard that it needs to be watered in. We and our animals, including our dogs, never had a problem with any fleas, tics, chiggers, or lice.
Appreciate the sulfur tip. When I was a kid and we'd go berry hunting, my mom would dip cloth strips in kerosene, wring them out, and tie them around our ankles. I never heard anyone else doing that, but it seemed to work. Just don't smoke while wearing them!
In 3 years I have had 5 massive infestation . I have had many like 1 or 2 or 5, but when I say massive 500 bites would not be a high estimate. 1 or 2 are aggravating but 500 is just down right miserable. First time it was a little wet outside and was remodeling a home on my property and it was a long 12- 15 hour day and as I was calling it a day and walked down to my house my legs kinda itch. Got home took a shower ate some dinner and crawled into bed. We have a large dog that sleeps between me and my wife. As I lay there the itching started getting more intense. So I get up and start yelling at the dog thinking my best friend just sabbatage my bed with fleas (hence the old wife's tail, lay with dogs you'll get fleas) oh and then I must have done something too piss the red bugs off because all of a sudden they went from ruthless to kill or be killed and take no prisoners. I was going nuts at 11 o'clock at night. If someone would have said to put inriched plutonium on my entire body and that would take care of it. My ass would have been in the car driving to the Nuclear plant an hour away. Finally took some benadryl and that knocked me out so I did get some sleep. Everyone around here in Georgia said nail polish. So I went through a bottle a day. I really think what it does is burns so much that it don't itch for a while and that's it . But man I became a nail polish junkie, couldn't wait for that next burn. That all took place on a Saturday over a long holiday 4th of July. Monday at work sucked. But can't call in or you won't get paid for the holiday. And Tuesday I sadly had to go to a friend's funeral. Suit tie and the works. If someone would have video me sitting there in the church pew. You would think I was on crack. I couldn't sit still. I told my wife that I really to climb out of my skin. I was taking like 3 to 4 showers a day and if I could find a gallon of nail polish I could speed up the rendering aid to myself by using a roller instead of that tiny brush. That takes forever. Think about how long it would take to paint 500 toe nails. But by the following Saturday they started easing up some. Well gotta go hope someone got a giggle from my painful experience
We have both ticks and chiggers in southern Illinois. The best thing we have found is Sawyers clothing treatment. It is sprayed on your shirt, pants, socks and boots. Spray clothes and allow to dry a day or two, it will coat the fabric and can even be laundered a few times and still be effective. You can save money buying a concentrate at your farm store or Amazon for horses with active ingredient permethrin and mix it in a pump sprayer.It also repels mosquitos.
At Girl Scout Camp in the mid-60's, we were told to bring an extra pair of little girl cotton socks. The leaders went around and filled up everyone's sock about half way and then had us tie an over hand knot in it. Then take the sock and dust it all around our feet and ankles after putting on our socks and shoes. None of us ever saw a tick or a chigger. A bag of sulphur is one of my prepping supplies just in case. About 3 years later we moved to the country. anytime one of us had been out in the woods or the pasture, mom had us strip in the utility room and did a body search before coming into the house.
Sulfur works great for chiggers! When I lived in the boonies of Arkansas the entire property was overrun with chiggers and an old neighbor of mine recommended using sulfur. If there is a good breeze just hold up a handful to blow across the property in the wind. If no wind, use a leaf blower and hold a handful where the air goes in and then it will blow out over a large area, get up on a ladder to get it to go out further. This really worked! I would use this every spring and it would last through the season. Keeping the grass short helps a lot too, as they love long grass and humid conditions.
I am outside all day in the garden and yard and woods-my daily routine from the time I get the first bite is to put vapo rub on my feet and lower legs-waistband and forearms, I tuck my pants into my socks-wear long sleeves and arm sleeves. Shirt tucked in.The menthol works on the chiggers-the petroleum jelly works to prevent poison ivy and the pants tucked into socks keeps people curious and at a distance-
When we moved here to Dragon Hill Farm in NW Arkansas we were inundated with ticks. I cut the grass pretty low and mowed way away from the house and buildings. It really helped with the problem. The next year we bought 8 chickens which we free range and they virtually eliminated them. I have used a diluted solution of 1 part Pine-Sol and water in a spray can to spray around the house and areas I'm concerned with. I also spray my muck boots before going outside.
I think we use to wear ladies silk stockings it's tight weave ans slippery helped to make them fall off. I lived in the woods it was my playground , huntin fish in life . Even ice skated in swamps frozen . We had fun like most couldn't believe. Sulfur bags were in all our trucks for snapper hunting an huckleberry picking time.
I’ve been told and it seemed to work on or trips to the Tennessee plot we had for a while, To deter ticks wear light colored clothes. Had some white cargo pants and white floppy hat. Worked pretty well.
Reminds me of a limerick about home remedy bug repellant/ bite treatment ointments, often called a "rub" because you rubbed them onto your skin. "A chigger is a critter not a whole lot bigger than the tip on the end of a pin. But it's bite is a fright. Makes you scratch all night. And that's where the rub comes in!" lol
I've always been told by the old timers to use sulfur powder and check with doctors but also ingest sulfur regularly so it's in your system as well. I've had rocky mountain spotted fever from a blame tick. They are not no joke good luck you all.
I have been taking garlic tablets to help with mosquitoes but it dosen't help with red bug and a older gentleman told me their mom would mix cream of tater and sulfur together and put it In there shoes. I wonder about eating a little sulfur time to time but I definitely will ask my doctor first. The crazy part I'm the only who gets them here on my property. I own 14 acres with 3 small homes on it and my mom is in one my daughter and husband and kids in on and my wife my son and daughter live in the other. And for the life of me can't figure out what I do differently. My wife and I pretty much eat the same food so I'm at a loss and can't wait for the weather to break so those pest will die.
Prevent prevent prevent. I have had Lyme disease for 20 plus years. I'm 44 now and it has taken a HUGE toll on my life. I'm from WI and love the outdoors. So prevent as much as possible.
I found out how to prevent chigger bites by accident. Hubby and I were working in the yard clearing bushes. He wore jeans and I wore these skin tight, stretchy soft pants from Walmart’s. He got bitten, I didn’t. You have to prevent them from going up your pants leg and could tie a string around the bottom. But he also said there’s a preventative made from talcum powder and baking soda? Which they put in a sock and dusted their genitalia’s with. I suppose you can look it up on the web. Thought of you after this happened. I’ve had these before and they are no fun!
Thanks for the advice. I am always looking for help with ticks and chiggers. This year I used a product called Sawyers on my clothes and skin so soft on my skin. I am a land surveyor in Tennessee and went 3 months with only one tick getting stuck on me
So, my first year here I had a tick infestation under the fascia board on the house and I used the bad chemicals all over that and the back yard. It cut the population. I couldn't use my backyard, but weeks later, I had most of a 3 pound bag of garlic that was not so fresh, and I cut it up and put it all over the yard and no more ticks. I don't know if it killed them or ran them off. Now I just use the liquid garlic concentrate from Arbico Organics (cheaper in the quart bottle through WallyWorld online). Dilute maybe 1/3 cup with water in a gallon sprayer and add a touch of surfactant. Good for some vegetable pests too.
I don't think Kevin & Sarah would go for the Surfactant. Kevin has a terrible sensitivity to those sorts of Chemicals as well as pretty severe Psoriasis. Sarah makes all their soap & special lotions for him. I bet it takes some time to get used to smelling of Garlic?
Thanks for the sulfur tip, wonder if its possibly good for keeping fleas off too. Something about sulphur, my dogs have had a lifelong skin problem no vet could treat, used lime-sulphur dip cleared right up.
Thank you for the nice video. We just bought a small grazing farm just north of you near Grovespring and moved hear from southern Arizona near the border of Mexico. The amount of ticks and chiggers are amazing! Thanks again for the helpful video.
Great video on a itchy subject, the tips are a blessing, it's going to be a long mowing season , I'm considering sheep or goats for a replacement mower
Thanks so much for this video. We are in Ripley County and first time for me in this area. I love it here and don't want to let my fear of ticks and chiggers stop me from enjoying the beauty of MO.
Great info video! I came into what I believe were chigger bites earlier this year (in the winter, mind you!) while working around and in my back wooded area and garden beds mulched with dead pine tree wood chips. The sulphur powder is a great organic approach! My current modus operandi is to spray my socks and shoes with Off Deep-Woods insect repellent before I venture out into the yard. The trousers in boots approach is also another great organic approach.
based repellent: Boil 2 cups of water, and add two chopped lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruit. Let it boil for a minute or so, then simmer for an hour.strain fruit cool and pour into spray bottle.can use on adults, kids and pets.
There was a little chigger who wasn't any bigger than the point of a very small pin but the bite that he raises itches like the blazes and that's where the rub comes in. We grew up with this saying. We also put duct tape around our boots and cuffs. Born and raised in MO.
We live on the Arkansas side of the ozarks and our favorite thing for protecting and treating is LYE SOAP!!! We get ours from Silver Dollar City the ends and pieces bag is like $5 and two or three bags last us all year just be sure to dry it out first. It even helps if you do get into chiggers and ticks just rub a dry bar on the itchy spots!
Killjoy Prepper No we use it as our everyday body soap in the shower and if you do get into chiggers you just rub a dry bar on it. Last year I was being sure to use it everyday (along with a lavender shampoo)and my husband was not so diligent and I had maybe 2-3 ticks all year and he would be covered.
I make a spray of a couple ounces of Avon Skin So Soft oil in a bottle of water. A few drops of citronella oil also helps. Shake very well and spray boots and hats prior to heading into the woods, pastures. Keeps all but the deer flies away. If I remember to use the spray (it is the smell that repels), it really helps reduce/eliminate the ticks and chiggers. Use it for many years to repel flies from horses, goats, and animal sheds.
We are not able to use Skin So Soft or any other body product that is not homemade. One of us has severe allergies and sensitivities to several of the chemicals in manufactured body products.
The smell of Avon Skin So Soft always repelled me too. Couldn't stand it. But I know many people have said it works for a long time. But I heard they recently changed the formulation and it no longer works as a bug repellent.
The best way to pull the ticks off is not to go after them with tweezers which I have done for years. The best way is to SLOWLY pull them off - you are stronger than they are but it must be slow so you don't pull off their head or squeeze their previous meal into you. I do use a tweezer but it is flat ended like a screw driver and I sure don't grab it hard - remember tender and S.L.O.W. If you flush them lots of times they float back up after you think they went down. Not good to get bit when they crawl out of the bowl.
I don't live to far from ya'll and a few weeks ago I was in the woods and fell. I landed on my right knee and from the knee down to my ankle has more than a hundred chigger bites. Not only was I a buffet for the chiggers I was covered in seed ticks. I had on bug spray and it failed me. Now I use peppermint and lavender oil and dust with sulfur and it works better than the spray. Granted I have not fallen again (I believe that is why they were so bad) but I still have spots from the chiggers. I also wear long socks and tuck my jeans down into them and fingerless (tight) gloves that I tuck my shirt sleeves into. Overkill? yes, I am not going through that again and I grew up in the Ozarks and have never had them this bad. We need a long hard freeze to help reduce their numbers this winter.
My boyfriend is in the national guard in Idaho and they sent him for summer training down to Texas. He got chiggers sooo bad and si did quite a few of his men. Ended up getting a really bad infection and put on antibiotics. Was horrible. Wish I would have seen this before hand. And the ticks were HORRIBLE here in Eastern Washington pulled 8 off my dog.
Thank you for the sulfur powder tip. Also what works is MSM powder. It also is a natural remedy for arthritis. I take 5,000mg of MSM in some lemon water or fruit smoothie. A tick will land on me but it won’t attach.
Thanks I was serching for this answer, some one recomend to us, sulfur with hones as a old remedy to avoid chigers and ticks bits... but my husband is diabetic and we prefer to take the pills.. but i dont was sure if the MSM pills will work, thanks for sare your experience..
Growing up in Dallas many years ago they used to sell sulfer in shaker cans or bottles (like talcum powder) and we learned to always shake it on our shoes and socks and even on our ankles down in our socks in order to deal with the chiggers.
My son is a farmer in Mississippi and he really knows chiggers and ticks!! Coming from Arizona as you both know we so do not have these..Mark was just like he had raw burger ankles from the chiggers. I get to entertain those buggers when I go visit, as you said take precautions...I did not so got to bring home my misery!! They do what you do except for guineas..they have lots of chickens and ducks...
Hi guy's! You can mix water and peppermint oil and spray on your clothing to repel ticks. We also use it in our hand sprayer and spray around the windows, doors, eaves, deck, well house, chicken coup, carport etc to repel them and the wasps. They hate it! We usually have a pair of pants/shirts to wear more than once. Bonus...you and your house etc smell GREAT! The chiggers love my hubby so the sulfur trick will be a must try. Kevin you are not alone. Mike (hubby) gets chigger bites so bad.
Talking old school? If you get chiggers, I learns from field &stream mag.years ago! Lol preparation H !! It kills them and stops the itch sounds funny but it works
I'm from CT, and we have Lyme disease really bad here. Also the ticks with the white mark on the back that causes you to become allergic to meat protein. So I FREAK out whenever I see one. We've been looking for land in VA for almost 6 years and have been told by many locals they have very few ticks. Not sure about chiggers. We've hiked through all kinds of woods and only have had a few ticks. But no cases of Lyme down there. I've been told they don't like light colored clothing.
Sulfur powder has been used for decades and it does work. So don't blow it off. My mom in the 50's would pat my neck with the sulfur sock as well as the ankles. Sorry, but there is not much better than Deet for ticks and mosquitoes. There are others out there but most are only good for about an hour at very best. As an old man I cannot risk the diseases but I can risk the deet. Just my opinion. Great video and I love your channel.
I made that same face Saturday night while soaking in the tub after a long day of working outside, when I saw a tick on the tub. Think it didn't liked the lavender castile soap or the tea tree shampoo and made a run for it. I also found that rose geranium oil (pelagaronium capitatum x) is a great essential oil for repelling them and needs no carrier oil. 1 drop on each ankle, wrist and back of neck. Oh and light clothing can help spot them crawling on you. 🤤
Thanks for this advice on chiggers. We moved from the city to the country 2 seasons ago and have found chiggers to be our number one enemy so far as enjoying country life. I will certainly give the ol' sulfur bag treatment a try. Just wondering? We have two barn cats. Do you think it is possible that I may be picking them up from the cats? Do you have outside pets and if so, is there any advice on managing chiggers IF they are taking a ride on my cats and then hopping on me for their final destination? Great video!
We just had this happen to our family. We took a trip to the arkansas ozarks, not knowing how bad the ticks were. We are battling sickness and waiting for results. Take their word and protect yourself.
Yesterday I pulled 7 ticks off my dog and 1 off me. It's just 2:30pm and I've already pulled 2 off me and 4 off the dogs and we have just been at my auto shop, not in a field or anything. Ticks are crazy this year!! And the grass is mowed, and we haven't been in the woods. We planted mint and lemon balm in planters next to the entrance yesterday. Hopefully that helps keep bugs away and keeps our lobby area smelling nice instead of like oil :) The sulfur sock is an old trick! My grandma used to do that to me when I was a kid at her house and running around in the field. It works!
I once had 267 red bug bites (chiggers) when I lived in the woods in Virginia. I put iodine on each bite so I could know how many bit me. I was positively miserable for 3 weeks. Wish I had known about the sulfur.
We have problems with ticks & chiggers here in Central KS, TOO. we found taking a hot shower as soon as you can after being in chigger grass, etc. helps. And we wash our clothing as soon as possible.
Yep. Natural bug sprays and soaps never seem to work. I use permethrin on clothes and picaridin on skin. Those two are a good combo, without the headache and nausea of DEET. The sulfur works as well for chiggers; a good old-timer's preventative.
New subscriber here. You guys are great. This is a timely video for sure. Love the Sulfur advice, I'm very active outdoors and chiggers find me every year. Something that helps me with the itching is Extra strength Benadryl itch stopping gel with Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride Topical Analgesic. It's in a green blue and white tube.
My husband was a telephone man for nearly 40 years and with having to wade weeds out in the middle of nowhere, he found that Skin So Soft bath oil from Avon worked really good and he also always used Dial (gold) bath soap. The Skin So Soft he would put in a spray bottle then lightly spray it on his bare skin and rub it in. He also lightly sprayed his clothing to help keep them from wantjng to hitch a ride. The Dial soap that he bathed with he said also helped ease the itching of the few chigger bites he would occasionally get. This combination also helped ward off mosquitoes.
Kavin and Sarah, omg I swear every time i look for a solution a problem for my homestead you guys seem to pop up. I have been subscribed for awhile now and you guys have been an invaluable resource. I am not new to chiggers but i was looking for new ways to combat these pests and shazaam!!! You guys deliver again!!! From the canning, chickens, and rabbit video, youbtwo have jelped make my homestead a success. Thanks!!!
We just purchased a farm in Missouri. Last week we walked the perimeter...through talk grass . I’m covered with hundreds of chigger bites. SO ITCHY! great video I’ll try the surfer.
What we used in the 50's for chigger bites was a mixture of flower of sulfur and carbolated Vaseline I understand they do not make carbolated Vaseline anymore so I would try just plain Vaseline, you can mix a little at a time, make a paste and rub it on your bites, it seemed to kill the chigger or made the itch go away, it really worked. One of the uses for flower of sulfur is to treat acne so it is safe for the skin.
Gr8 gr8 video my beautiful brother & sister thank you we just bought land and started homesteading and that tick situation has got me spooked me lol i bought a bee keeper suit and some permethrin to spray on my suit for when i go into our wooded area and when doing yard work, quick question, if i have a septic system is it safe to spray permethrin in the yard? Thank you in advance
Hi Al Larson in Lombard, Il. I have heard that vitamin B12 will help you to be immune to them, I was born & raised in So. Dak. on a farm where we had jiggers.
A can of Cutter bug spray works great! Great ideas you shared with us. Ticks and chiggers are very bad here also. Hope you folks have a great weekend! :-)
You'll need about 6 guineas. Keep them pinned in their coop for 4 to 6 weeks, then start letting them out during the day and they'll put themselves back in the coop in the evening. 6 can keep 50 acres tick free. I also use Permethrin on clothes, shoes, hats, etc. when doing yardwork and it works great. The Sawyer brand keeps clothes protected up to 5 weeks even through washing & drying.
Yep. We had about a dozen several years ago that just free roamed all the time (eventually, the hawks got them). We didn't even have grasshoppers those summers!
I have head good results from having guineas and remember the old days where almost every one who lived in the country had them too , they were good about standing in middle of the country roads
opossom eats them to
Is it likely I brought them in wo realizing n spread them everywhere - like my critters and maybe carpet, etc? Or maybe from the bale of hay... idk. Can I use DE on me, them and everywhere? Everything I am reading keeps saying things like this don’t transfer from pets to humans etc., but after I’ve been w my critters ik there’s bunches crawling up my arms! Maybe from the hay I’ve been giving them all... Aaack if u have any further wisdom, please share! 😭💜🤗
Montana MVK. Bedbugs?
Always carry a lint roller with you easily removes crawling tick you may not see, also light colored clothing will help spot them crawling on you.
Avon’s Skin so soft! Not trying to sell it but definitely works.
Yes it does..being in the military I even posted this for all the soldiers to take into the field with them and it works great!
@@cheriwhitley8385 does it work for ticks also? Or just chiggers and mosquitos?
I got these when I was very young, [still remember the misery they inflicted 60 yrs. ago]. I suffered for 2 days before my grandmother noticed. She ran a hot bath, put some bleach in the water and told me to soak for a little while. It stung a little where the bites were but I think it was because I scratched my skin raw from the itching. I slept peaceful that night and hugged my grandma so hard she started laughing.
You two are such cutie pies. Favorite homesteading couple, hands down. Charming and informative!
We buy granulated sulphur at the farm supply store in big bags for about $25.00 & spread it over the yard using a lawn spreader.
It will keep ticks & chiggars out of your yard & off your critters too. (cause they get it on their fur from the grass)
Spread it in the spring after the rains stop, mid summer & early fall for all season coverage.
When going out to pick berries, etc. get the powdered sulphur & put some in grandma's old body powder box (with the puff) & dust your whole body with it before getting dressed. You won't get a single bite that way.
I second the granulated sulphur! We live in North TX and several years ago we had an acre and a half and had chickens and dairy goats. We used granulated sulphur on the whole property, spreading it with a fertilizer spreader, and we never had a chigger or tick problem (though there were lots of fleas and chiggers when we arrived). We never even saw ONE! It also keeps lice and fleas off of your property. Amazing stuff! We spread it once and never had a problem for the 6.5 years we lived there. We spread it just before a soaking rain was forecast because we heard that it needs to be watered in. We and our animals, including our dogs, never had a problem with any fleas, tics, chiggers, or lice.
Would the sulfur be safe to use with reptile pets like lizards and tortoises?
Appreciate the sulfur tip. When I was a kid and we'd go berry hunting, my mom would dip cloth strips in kerosene, wring them out, and tie them around our ankles. I never heard anyone else doing that, but it seemed to work. Just don't smoke while wearing them!
My grandparents did that for them and their families.
Mom used to mix turpentine and baby oil, put it on your arms and legs, keeps ciggers off.
In 3 years I have had 5 massive infestation . I have had many like 1 or 2 or 5, but when I say massive 500 bites would not be a high estimate. 1 or 2 are aggravating but 500 is just down right miserable. First time it was a little wet outside and was remodeling a home on my property and it was a long 12- 15 hour day and as I was calling it a day and walked down to my house my legs kinda itch. Got home took a shower ate some dinner and crawled into bed. We have a large dog that sleeps between me and my wife. As I lay there the itching started getting more intense. So I get up and start yelling at the dog thinking my best friend just sabbatage my bed with fleas (hence the old wife's tail, lay with dogs you'll get fleas) oh and then I must have done something too piss the red bugs off because all of a sudden they went from ruthless to kill or be killed and take no prisoners. I was going nuts at 11 o'clock at night. If someone would have said to put inriched plutonium on my entire body and that would take care of it. My ass would have been in the car driving to the Nuclear plant an hour away. Finally took some benadryl and that knocked me out so I did get some sleep. Everyone around here in Georgia said nail polish. So I went through a bottle a day. I really think what it does is burns so much that it don't itch for a while and that's it . But man I became a nail polish junkie, couldn't wait for that next burn. That all took place on a Saturday over a long holiday 4th of July. Monday at work sucked. But can't call in or you won't get paid for the holiday. And Tuesday I sadly had to go to a friend's funeral. Suit tie and the works. If someone would have video me sitting there in the church pew. You would think I was on crack. I couldn't sit still. I told my wife that I really to climb out of my skin. I was taking like 3 to 4 showers a day and if I could find a gallon of nail polish I could speed up the rendering aid to myself by using a roller instead of that tiny brush. That takes forever. Think about how long it would take to paint 500 toe nails. But by the following Saturday they started easing up some. Well gotta go hope someone got a giggle from my painful experience
RAID works pretty good too, just spray it on!
@@jantruitt9241 mm
KÀzi
We have both ticks and chiggers in southern Illinois. The best thing we have found is Sawyers clothing treatment. It is sprayed on your shirt, pants, socks and boots. Spray clothes and allow to dry a day or two, it will coat the fabric and can even be laundered a few times and still be effective. You can save money buying a concentrate at your farm store or Amazon for horses with active ingredient permethrin and mix it in a pump sprayer.It also repels mosquitos.
At Girl Scout Camp in the mid-60's, we were told to bring an extra pair of little girl cotton socks. The leaders went around and filled up everyone's sock about half way and then had us tie an over hand knot in it. Then take the sock and dust it all around our feet and ankles after putting on our socks and shoes. None of us ever saw a tick or a chigger. A bag of sulphur is one of my prepping supplies just in case. About 3 years later we moved to the country. anytime one of us had been out in the woods or the pasture, mom had us strip in the utility room and did a body search before coming into the house.
sulphur socks was what we used in girl scout camp, yay!
Sulfur works great for chiggers! When I lived in the boonies of Arkansas the entire property was overrun with chiggers and an old neighbor of mine recommended using sulfur. If there is a good breeze just hold up a handful to blow across the property in the wind. If no wind, use a leaf blower and hold a handful where the air goes in and then it will blow out over a large area, get up on a ladder to get it to go out further. This really worked! I would use this every spring and it would last through the season. Keeping the grass short helps a lot too, as they love long grass and humid conditions.
My grandmother put meat grease on chiggas.
I am outside all day in the garden and yard and woods-my daily routine from the time I get the first bite is to put vapo rub on my feet and lower legs-waistband and forearms, I tuck my pants into my socks-wear long sleeves and arm sleeves. Shirt tucked in.The menthol works on the chiggers-the petroleum jelly works to prevent poison ivy and the pants tucked into socks keeps people curious and at a distance-
We put clear nail polish on chigger bites. It suffocates them and then you don't have to spend a week or so itching.
When we moved here to Dragon Hill Farm in NW Arkansas we were inundated with ticks. I cut the grass pretty low and mowed way away from the house and buildings. It really helped with the problem. The next year we bought 8 chickens which we free range and they virtually eliminated them. I have used a diluted solution of 1 part Pine-Sol and water in a spray can to spray around the house and areas I'm concerned with. I also spray my muck boots before going outside.
I think we use to wear ladies silk stockings it's tight weave ans slippery helped to make them fall off. I lived in the woods it was my playground , huntin fish in life . Even ice skated in swamps frozen . We had fun like most couldn't believe. Sulfur bags were in all our trucks for snapper hunting an huckleberry picking time.
My dad always tied a flee and tick dog collar to his shoes when going in the woods.It never touched his skin since it was on the outside of her shoes.
put the sulfur on the ground. For chigger bites dap a little apple cider vinegar on it. It stings for a minute but it stops the itching.
Three years later and you are still a Hoot Kevin!
You guys are awesome. Thanks form Canada
I’ve been told and it seemed to work on or trips to the Tennessee plot we had for a while, To deter ticks wear light colored clothes. Had some white cargo pants and white floppy hat. Worked pretty well.
Truth! My Dad was raised on a farm and they kept a pan of sulfur by the door and stepped in it every time they went outside
Stepped in it with their shoes?? This is very interesting. Ty!
Reminds me of a limerick about home remedy bug repellant/ bite treatment ointments, often called a "rub" because you rubbed them onto your skin. "A chigger is a critter not a whole lot bigger than the tip on the end of a pin. But it's bite is a fright. Makes you scratch all night. And that's where the rub comes in!" lol
Used to pee in woods as kid you dont wantone there
@Wayne Tadlock. - 💯💕😀
Light colored clothing makes it easier to see the critters! Great video, great information! Bee Blessed Danny and Rita in TN on Rooster's Ridge
Thanks for sharing. Hope you had a happy mother's day
I've always been told by the old timers to use sulfur powder and check with doctors but also ingest sulfur regularly so it's in your system as well. I've had rocky mountain spotted fever from a blame tick. They are not no joke good luck you all.
I have been taking garlic tablets to help with mosquitoes but it dosen't help with red bug and a older gentleman told me their mom would mix cream of tater and sulfur together and put it In there shoes. I wonder about eating a little sulfur time to time but I definitely will ask my doctor first. The crazy part I'm the only who gets them here on my property. I own 14 acres with 3 small homes on it and my mom is in one my daughter and husband and kids in on and my wife my son and daughter live in the other. And for the life of me can't figure out what I do differently. My wife and I pretty much eat the same food so I'm at a loss and can't wait for the weather to break so those pest will die.
Love our Guineas Before them we got ticks almost every time we went out. Now a RARE occurrence:)
Prevent prevent prevent. I have had Lyme disease for 20 plus years. I'm 44 now and it has taken a HUGE toll on my life. I'm from WI and love the outdoors. So prevent as much as possible.
Karen Hernke colidal silver gets rid of lyme. Disease. Yes me back for recipe
@@potofgoldinthesky678 I could really use something to get rid of mine. How do you make it?
I heard Bee Venom therapy is healing people. I'm so sorry for ur suffering. It's awful.
I found out how to prevent chigger bites by accident. Hubby and I were working in the yard clearing bushes. He wore jeans and I wore these skin tight, stretchy soft pants from Walmart’s. He got bitten, I didn’t. You have to prevent them from going up your pants leg and could tie a string around the bottom. But he also said there’s a preventative made from talcum powder and baking soda? Which they put in a sock and dusted their genitalia’s with. I suppose you can look it up on the web. Thought of you after this happened. I’ve had these before and they are no fun!
Thanks for the advice. I am always looking for help with ticks and chiggers. This year I used a product called Sawyers on my clothes and skin so soft on my skin. I am a land surveyor in Tennessee and went 3 months with only one tick getting stuck on me
Skin so soft bath oil is a life saver!
So, my first year here I had a tick infestation under the fascia board on the house and I used the bad chemicals all over that and the back yard. It cut the population. I couldn't use my backyard, but weeks later, I had most of a 3 pound bag of garlic that was not so fresh, and I cut it up and put it all over the yard and no more ticks. I don't know if it killed them or ran them off. Now I just use the liquid garlic concentrate from Arbico Organics (cheaper in the quart bottle through WallyWorld online). Dilute maybe 1/3 cup with water in a gallon sprayer and add a touch of surfactant. Good for some vegetable pests too.
Oh, thank you so much for all the tips you shared ---- very helpful.
Awesome thanks
I don't think Kevin & Sarah would go for the Surfactant. Kevin has a terrible sensitivity to those sorts of Chemicals as well as pretty severe Psoriasis. Sarah makes all their soap & special lotions for him. I bet it takes some time to get used to smelling of Garlic?
Hooray for not using chemicals! I’d rather deal with bugs than cancer. ~cancer survivor
Put some tea tree oil in at trace when making your homemade soap. Then when you take a bath,you are using a natural bug repellent that works great.
Garlic oil you can get it at the cooperative by the gallon. Mix with dawn and water and put in a big ag sprayer an spray the whole place
I've never seen a gallon of garlic oil, but then I've never seen a co-op. How much do you pay per gallon?
Moved from the city to the sticks this winter. I knew of the bugs, I wasn't real sure how to protect myself. Your timing is perfect! Thank you!
The sulfur dust is a great idea! Thanks for the info in this video.
Thanks for the sulfur tip, wonder if its possibly good for keeping fleas off too. Something about sulphur, my dogs have had a lifelong skin problem no vet could treat, used lime-sulphur dip cleared right up.
Thank you for the nice video. We just bought a small grazing farm just north of you near Grovespring and moved hear from southern Arizona near the border of Mexico. The amount of ticks and chiggers are amazing! Thanks again for the helpful video.
Great video on a itchy subject, the tips are a blessing, it's going to be a long mowing season , I'm considering sheep or goats for a replacement mower
Did you ever get a goat? I've been thinking of that also
Dog flea and tick collars loosely around your ankles will help with the ticks. Works like a charm if you are hiking in the woods.
Thank you for the tip on the sulfur powder!
Thanks so much for this video. We are in Ripley County and first time for me in this area. I love it here and don't want to let my fear of ticks and chiggers stop me from enjoying the beauty of MO.
Great info video! I came into what I believe were chigger bites earlier this year (in the winter, mind you!) while working around and in my back wooded area and garden beds mulched with dead pine tree wood chips. The sulphur powder is a great organic approach! My current modus operandi is to spray my socks and shoes with Off Deep-Woods insect repellent before I venture out into the yard. The trousers in boots approach is also another great organic approach.
Have taken suffer tablets since childhood during those seasons and rarely have had a problem with them
based repellent:
Boil 2 cups of water, and add two chopped lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruit. Let it boil for a minute or so, then simmer for an hour.strain fruit cool and pour into spray bottle.can use on adults, kids and pets.
And checking each other for ticks, not a bad thing. Hope your summer is tick free.
There was a little chigger who wasn't any bigger than the point of a very small pin but the bite that he raises itches like the blazes and that's where the rub comes in. We grew up with this saying. We also put duct tape around our boots and cuffs.
Born and raised in MO.
do you just duct tape your pants leg real tight , or duct tape the pants hem to the boot?
Tuck your pants leg in your shoes and tape around your shoe and pants leg. Hope this helps.
We live on the Arkansas side of the ozarks and our favorite thing for protecting and treating is LYE SOAP!!! We get ours from Silver Dollar City the ends and pieces bag is like $5 and two or three bags last us all year just be sure to dry it out first. It even helps if you do get into chiggers and ticks just rub a dry bar on the itchy spots!
Killjoy Prepper No we use it as our everyday body soap in the shower and if you do get into chiggers you just rub a dry bar on it. Last year I was being sure to use it everyday (along with a lavender shampoo)and my husband was not so diligent and I had maybe 2-3 ticks all year and he would be covered.
@@rachealveel90 pure lye? Did your husband use the soap as well and still get covered?
@@CG-mj8tk pure lye is dangerous, never touch with bare hands, it can also blind you, please note they are using a soap made with lye as ingredient.
My father-in-law recommended that I bathe with Irish Spring Original soap, and that has worked very well. Just another step in battling the biters.
I make a spray of a couple ounces of Avon Skin So Soft oil in a bottle of water. A few drops of citronella oil also helps. Shake very well and spray boots and hats prior to heading into the woods, pastures. Keeps all but the deer flies away. If I remember to use the spray (it is the smell that repels), it really helps reduce/eliminate the ticks and chiggers. Use it for many years to repel flies from horses, goats, and animal sheds.
We are not able to use Skin So Soft or any other body product that is not homemade. One of us has severe allergies and sensitivities to several of the chemicals in manufactured body products.
The smell of Avon Skin So Soft always repelled me too. Couldn't stand it. But I know many people have said it works for a long time. But I heard they recently changed the formulation and it no longer works as a bug repellent.
@@TiffanyTwisted-u9m not good!
@@LivingTraditionsHomestead If you have a clean product that works as well and not too expensive that is wonderful!
The best way to pull the ticks off is not to go after them with tweezers which I have done for years. The best way is to SLOWLY pull them off - you are stronger than they are but it must be slow so you don't pull off their head or squeeze their previous meal into you. I do use a tweezer but it is flat ended like a screw driver and I sure don't grab it hard - remember tender and S.L.O.W. If you flush them lots of times they float back up after you think they went down. Not good to get bit when they crawl out of the bowl.
I don't live to far from ya'll and a few weeks ago I was in the woods and fell. I landed on my right knee and from the knee down to my ankle has more than a hundred chigger bites. Not only was I a buffet for the chiggers I was covered in seed ticks. I had on bug spray and it failed me. Now I use peppermint and lavender oil and dust with sulfur and it works better than the spray. Granted I have not fallen again (I believe that is why they were so bad) but I still have spots from the chiggers. I also wear long socks and tuck my jeans down into them and fingerless (tight) gloves that I tuck my shirt sleeves into. Overkill? yes, I am not going through that again and I grew up in the Ozarks and have never had them this bad. We need a long hard freeze to help reduce their numbers this winter.
My boyfriend is in the national guard in Idaho and they sent him for summer training down to Texas. He got chiggers sooo bad and si did quite a few of his men. Ended up getting a really bad infection and put on antibiotics. Was horrible. Wish I would have seen this before hand. And the ticks were HORRIBLE here in Eastern Washington pulled 8 off my dog.
Thanks guys. Great job. Good info.
hey thanks for info. to stop chigger itch one dot of nail polish on bite cuts off air and stops itch so you can sleep and washes off in a day or two.
Thank you for the tips!!!
Great advice 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you for the sulfur powder tip. Also what works is MSM powder. It also is a natural remedy for arthritis. I take 5,000mg of MSM in some lemon water or fruit smoothie. A tick will land on me but it won’t attach.
Thanks I was serching for this answer, some one recomend to us, sulfur with hones as a old remedy to avoid chigers and ticks bits... but my husband is diabetic and we prefer to take the pills.. but i dont was sure if the MSM pills will work, thanks for sare your experience..
Growing up in Dallas many years ago they used to sell sulfer in shaker cans or bottles (like talcum powder) and we learned to always shake it on our shoes and socks and even on our ankles down in our socks in order to deal with the chiggers.
My son is a farmer in Mississippi and he really knows chiggers and ticks!! Coming from Arizona as you both know we so do not have these..Mark was just like he had raw burger ankles from the chiggers. I get to entertain those buggers when I go visit, as you said take precautions...I did not so got to bring home my misery!! They do what you do except for guineas..they have lots of chickens and ducks...
7:52 Good sir Thankyou!❤ I have hope! 😅🎉
You guys are awesome
Thanks again for your video.
Hi guy's! You can mix water and peppermint oil and spray on your clothing to repel ticks. We also use it in our hand sprayer and spray around the windows, doors, eaves, deck, well house, chicken coup, carport etc to repel them and the wasps. They hate it! We usually have a pair of pants/shirts to wear more than once. Bonus...you and your house etc smell GREAT! The chiggers love my hubby so the sulfur trick will be a must try. Kevin you are not alone. Mike (hubby) gets chigger bites so bad.
Talking old school? If you get chiggers, I learns from field &stream mag.years ago! Lol preparation H !! It kills them and stops the itch sounds funny but it works
Hello 3 years ago! I'll have to mention this to my husbsnd. Thanks!
I received my irrigation system and am anxious to install! The dimples! Oh my goodness you two make me smile:) thankyou!
Very informative - Do you have a list of the natural bug sprays, soap & oils? Is it home made? Where is it purchased?
I'm from CT, and we have Lyme disease really bad here. Also the ticks with the white mark on the back that causes you to become allergic to meat protein. So I FREAK out whenever I see one. We've been looking for land in VA for almost 6 years and have been told by many locals they have very few ticks. Not sure about chiggers. We've hiked through all kinds of woods and only have had a few ticks. But no cases of Lyme down there. I've been told they don't like light colored clothing.
Thanks for sharing this information.
Sulfur powder has been used for decades and it does work. So don't blow it off. My mom in the 50's would pat my neck with the sulfur sock as well as the ankles. Sorry, but there is not much better than Deet for ticks and mosquitoes. There are others out there but most are only good for about an hour at very best. As an old man I cannot risk the diseases but I can risk the deet. Just my opinion. Great video and I love your channel.
Does the sulfur carry any risks?
I made that same face Saturday night while soaking in the tub after a long day of working outside, when I saw a tick on the tub. Think it didn't liked the lavender castile soap or the tea tree shampoo and made a run for it. I also found that rose geranium oil (pelagaronium capitatum x) is a great essential oil for repelling them and needs no carrier oil. 1 drop on each ankle, wrist and back of neck. Oh and light clothing can help spot them crawling on you. 🤤
Mo resdident, 1st year gardening... major chiggers bites from harvesting.
Thanks for this advice on chiggers. We moved from the city to the country 2 seasons ago and have found chiggers to be our number one enemy so far as enjoying country life. I will certainly give the ol' sulfur bag treatment a try. Just wondering? We have two barn cats. Do you think it is possible that I may be picking them up from the cats? Do you have outside pets and if so, is there any advice on managing chiggers IF they are taking a ride on my cats and then hopping on me for their final destination? Great video!
We just had this happen to our family. We took a trip to the arkansas ozarks, not knowing how bad the ticks were. We are battling sickness and waiting for results. Take their word and protect yourself.
Theyre the same in Kansas, and they like short grass too.
Yesterday I pulled 7 ticks off my dog and 1 off me.
It's just 2:30pm and I've already pulled 2 off me and 4 off the dogs and we have just been at my auto shop, not in a field or anything. Ticks are crazy this year!!
And the grass is mowed, and we haven't been in the woods.
We planted mint and lemon balm in planters next to the entrance yesterday. Hopefully that helps keep bugs away and keeps our lobby area smelling nice instead of like oil :)
The sulfur sock is an old trick! My grandma used to do that to me when I was a kid at her house and running around in the field. It works!
Natural bug sprays are great. I use an essential oil spray and it helps quite a bit
I once had 267 red bug bites (chiggers) when I lived in the woods in Virginia. I put iodine on each bite so I could know how many bit me. I was positively miserable for 3 weeks. Wish I had known about the sulfur.
We have problems with ticks & chiggers here in Central KS, TOO. we found taking a hot shower as soon as you can after being in chigger grass, etc. helps. And we wash our clothing as soon as possible.
Yep. Natural bug sprays and soaps never seem to work. I use permethrin on clothes and picaridin on skin. Those two are a good combo, without the headache and nausea of DEET. The sulfur works as well for chiggers; a good old-timer's preventative.
Oil funnel works great for the sock also.
Great video. Thanks for advice.
Have you tried citronella essential oil? I use it here in Michigan for mosquito s. Don't Know if that works for chiggers and ticks
Thanks!
New subscriber here. You guys are great. This is a timely video for sure. Love the Sulfur advice, I'm very active outdoors and chiggers find me every year. Something that helps me with the itching is Extra strength Benadryl itch stopping gel with Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride Topical Analgesic. It's in a green blue and white tube.
Great info.
Get some Apinol for the itches. Wonderful stuff!
This came up in my recommend videos. We were in SW Illinois this past weekend and came home ate up with chigger bites! Thank you so much for the info!
I use flea and tick collars for dogs and put them around my ankles and around my knees. It’s a better alternative to the bug sprays.
How long after this video was made, did you have the "itchies" just from talking about it? LOL.
My husband was a telephone man for nearly 40 years and with having to wade weeds out in the middle of nowhere, he found that Skin So Soft bath oil from Avon worked really good and he also always used Dial (gold) bath soap. The Skin So Soft he would put in a spray bottle then lightly spray it on his bare skin and rub it in. He also lightly sprayed his clothing to help keep them from wantjng to hitch a ride. The Dial soap that he bathed with he said also helped ease the itching of the few chigger bites he would occasionally get. This combination also helped ward off mosquitoes.
I used skin so soft to keep flies off my horses. It didn't work for the stable flies but the filth flies didn't like it.
Chiggers don’t bite you they burrow into your skin.
Kavin and Sarah, omg I swear every time i look for a solution a problem for my homestead you guys seem to pop up. I have been subscribed for awhile now and you guys have been an invaluable resource. I am not new to chiggers but i was looking for new ways to combat these pests and shazaam!!! You guys deliver again!!! From the canning, chickens, and rabbit video, youbtwo have jelped make my homestead a success. Thanks!!!
I always strip down to my birthday suit and have my missus give me a head to toe check for ticks and such when i've been out in the woods and fields.
We just purchased a farm in Missouri. Last week we walked the perimeter...through talk grass . I’m covered with hundreds of chigger bites. SO ITCHY! great video I’ll try the surfer.
What we used in the 50's for chigger bites was a mixture of flower of sulfur and carbolated Vaseline I understand they do not make carbolated Vaseline anymore so I would try just plain Vaseline, you can mix a little at a time, make a paste and rub it on your bites, it seemed to kill the chigger or made the itch go away, it really worked. One of the uses for flower of sulfur is to treat acne so it is safe for the skin.
Gr8 gr8 video my beautiful brother & sister thank you we just bought land and started homesteading and that tick situation has got me spooked me lol i bought a bee keeper suit and some permethrin to spray on my suit for when i go into our wooded area and when doing yard work, quick question, if i have a septic system is it safe to spray permethrin in the yard?
Thank you in advance
Hi Al Larson in Lombard, Il. I have heard that vitamin B12 will help you to be immune to them, I was born & raised in So. Dak. on a farm where we had jiggers.
Thank you for the great tips 😃
Definitely planning on getting guineas before I even get chickens when we move! Already planned on that.
Amazing tips
A can of Cutter bug spray works great! Great ideas you shared with us. Ticks and chiggers are very bad here also. Hope you folks have a great weekend! :-)
Great information! thanks! unfortunately, ticks carry at least 10 different diseases; take precautions regardless.
I have heard there are up to 200 co-infections they can carry and pass on to you, and no tests for those .
@@sandieblack4860 even Lyme's is incredibly hard to diagnose