I have been (and will continue to be) MIA for a while. Last week, I discovered fleas on my indoor cats who are treated with Frontline Plus. These fleas have managed to spread all over the house. I put flea powder and borax in all the rugs, changed the cats to Advantage II, gave them flea dips, and vacuumed daily. There were still fleas so I called the exterminator. I hate having chemicals in my environment, but I can't take this anymore.
I had to be out of the house for 8 hours on Wednesday. The cats got locked in the kids' treehouse. Now I have to vacuum daily for 7 days and every other day for two weeks thereafter. All this vacuuming takes about 2 hours a day!
To top it off, my milk pumps broke. Yes, plural- pumps. So much for a backup. My hands are really hurting from handmilking and all this vacuuming and I have 49 chickens to butcher tomorrow. Replacement parts should be here Monday.
I'll be back when things settle down around here.
I had cat fleas years ago and the best solution was the catcher that uses a light at night to attract them to a fly paper type of material. They were attracted to it by the hundreds and stuck, soon they were gone. We haven't had flea problems since we moved to the country, strange.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! Sorry girl :( I hope you get rid of the fleas and get your pumps working again. I just milk one goat and it kills my fingers. I can't even imagine. You should call in help for the chickens tomorrow. Good Luck ☺
ReplyDeleteWow, you sure do have a mess on your hands there. I hate fleas and get them every spring from these dogs. So I go through all the vauuming and dusting. I know you'll get through this too. But goodness, you have had a summer! I hope you get them all.
ReplyDeleteFleas aren't fun to deal with! Our vet has us using Comfortis flea & tick pills. They have worked wonderfully with our cats & dogs. We only had to use them once with our cats last summer; though, we may have to do it a second time with them this summer. We usually give our dogs a flea pill every month. Anyway, once you give them the pill, it starts its work within thirty minutes and continues to do so for thirty days. We are very pleased with this product; they work so much better than flea baths, flea collars, and topical treatments.
ReplyDeleteHope you can get everything up and running again and those fleas gone soon! Blessings, Lauren :)
Fleas... what a pain!!
ReplyDeleteSorry you are having a rough time of it!
I'm so sorry ! I now how annoying life on a farmstead can occasionally be. There is always something. Tonight I am on fox duty at the duck house, and we are doubling the dog guard. Stretch, our Silky Swede tallest duck was accosted and killed for food by a fox last evening. The fox had to eat it him in the pen because he couldn't get him out of the excellent pen to share with his den.
ReplyDeleteFleas on your cats? Can't you just suspend the fleas for 211 games?
ReplyDeleteNo wait, that's AROD and the Yankees.
Kristin, we'd like to invite you to become one of our Authors in Alexandria. This invitation has been extended to you by email as well.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to posting on anything you wish, as you desire, you may of course mirror posts you've already written from here or elsewhere to gain a different or additional audience or for any other reason that appeals to you. Personally, I'd like to hear about your farm.
If you think you might be interested, contact me through Alexandria or by return email via this comment and I'll forward our formal invitations for you to look over and return if you decide to proceed.
Come contribute your perspectives and opinions to the ongoing conversations there or, even better, start some new - and different - ones of your own.
I look forward to hearing from you.
H. M. Stuart
Alexandria