GORHAM (NEWS CENTER Maine) — More Mainers are turning to chickens as a way to control ticks on their property, even though there is no scientific evidence to back it up.
Orchard Ridge Farm owner Steven Bibula raises about 6,000 chickens in Gorham. He says the feathery fowl devour all bugs. They are flying off the shelves and are being used by homeowners backyard tick control.
Bibula is having a hard time keeping up with the demand from customers from as far away as Rhode Island.
He also raises special breeds he calls the special forces of the chicken world. They are more aggressive and naturally wary of predators.
"We are now stocking more of those breeds as people find they are desperate for alternatives to chemical control or ticks all over themselves and their dogs," Bibula said.
Experts say using chickens in your backyard should not replace measures to prevent ticks, including cutting your grass and doing regular skin checks.