ticks

I have been pulling a lot of ticks out of my Guinea Hogs and was wondering if I could prevent ticks. Luckily I have only had one on a piglet. Nobodys happy when I have to pick them up. Thanks for any tips.

i have no experience with pigs but i do plan on starting up a farn in a few years and pigs will be on the farm. but i have heard the tick has one really big predator. guinea fowl, sadly they are incredible loud from what i hear but they are savage bug eaters. of course this is from what i hear. but its an idea.

We had guineas for a few years. They are loud. I ate them. I find that our chicken laying hens are just as good at catching ticks and other insects. The chickens are much quieter, better meat and produce more eggs that are larger and of better quality than guineas do.

The remedy that I have read of for ticks, lice and such is to pour vegetable oil in a line down the back of the pigs. I've also heard of pouring it in their ears. This is supposed to suffocate the parasites. I've never done it as we have never had a problem with these parasites and our pigs. I have read of some people using motor oil but I would not do that as it has chemicals in it that I would not want tainting my pork. Stick with vegetable oil.

Walter Jeffries wrote:We had guineas for a few years. They are loud. I ate them. I find that our chicken laying hens are just as good at catching ticks and other insects. The chickens are much quieter, better meat and produce more eggs that are larger and of better quality than guineas do.

The remedy that I have read of for ticks, lice and such is to pour vegetable oil in a line down the back of the pigs. I've also heard of pouring it in their ears. This is supposed to suffocate the parasites. I've never done it as we have never had a problem with these parasites and our pigs. I have read of some people using motor oil but I would not do that as it has chemicals in it that I would not want tainting my pork. Stick with vegetable oil.

Walter, do you have squash bugs where you live? I was considering getting guineas this spring to control the ticks and squash bugs. We got 15 chickens this winter though, who free range, and I have heard mixed info on chickens' bug-eating preferences. If they will eat ticks and squash bugs, I would be happy to skip the guineas.