Ask Dr. Bug - Cockroaches

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How do I get rid of cockroaches in a chicken farm?

I need more information to offer a solution that would be of value to your pest problem. Can you provide the following information:

Type of chicken farm: egg laying, breeder, or other

Construction of the building: dirt floor, concrete foundation, hollowblock foundation, or other

Sanitation practices: hose down every day, clean between breeding cycles, or other

Type of roaches: German, American, Oriental, or other

Feeding preferences of the roaches: fecal material, feed, dead chickens, or other.

If you are dealing with a concrete foundation I would assume there is a wood frame. The wall voids are possibly where the roaches harbor during the day. If possible, the use of gel roach baits in the existing cracks & crevices or in selectively drilled holes in the wall would be a way to keep them from foraging for food at night. Whitmire Micro-Gen manufactures Avert Cockroach Gel Bait.

Another way to keep the roaches from foraging for food would be to apply a repellant dust to the entry points into the wall voids. Whitmire Micro-Gen manufactures a bulk and aerosol dust called PT Tri-Die which has a combination of pyrethrum, desiccant, and residual properties.

If the nesting is occurring in the cooling pads, they would have to be treated between flocks. Then the pads should be drained, treated and rinsed before the next flock. A residual product like PT Optasheild is labeled for poultry house use.

If you do see cockroaches accumulate in the back of the chicken houses, any direct application with a residual aerosol or liquid spray will knock down the numbers. If residual sprays can not be used, a mixture of hot soapy water will knock them down and, with continued spraying, they should die. You may have to make this application over several services to get control.