I've been dealing with a major earwig issue in my yard each year, and it's really affecting my ability to grow leafy greens and other crops. I've tried clearing out decaying organic materials and using various traps, but nothing seems to help much. I'm considering getting chickens as a potential solution, but I'm unsure if they would actually be effective since chickens are active during the day, while earwigs are nocturnal. I know it would require a permit and some infrastructure, so I'm wondering if the effort would be worth it. What do you think?
4 Answers
I've had a bad earwig year too! I use diatomaceous earth, which works pretty well. Also, my puppy loves to play with them, but she usually ends up getting pinched!
Have you thought about getting guinea fowl? They’re known for eating insects and might help with the earwig problem better than chickens!
I tried using sevin dust last year and it worked great for my cabbage, but my experience with chickens wasn’t so good. I tried to control Colorado potato beetles with them, and they just ignored the pests and went after my tomatoes instead! Honestly, I don’t think chickens will do much for earwigs since they’re nocturnal.
Chickens might help a bit, but remember, they could also attract snakes to your garden since they'll eat whatever greens they can find. If you're in a snake-free zone, you might be safe from that concern! Seems like a bit of a gamble, but it's worth considering if you're okay with the extra commitment.
Haha, I'm in zone 4, so no snakes here! I'm willing to take the hit for a season to see if chickens can bring the earwig population down.