BackYard Chickens

Advanced Search

BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Predators and Pests › Fleas On Chickens - Just Found My First Flea

Recent Reviews

Leghorn
Reviewed by Chicken Goddess

Leghorns are great egg laying chickens. They are friendly to other Leghorns and can easily fly. The only problems is that they are bad in the pecking order and they can make a mess of the yard....

Full Review
Australorp
Reviewed by chickenman98

I will start by saying that I love Australorps. In fact, my very favorite hen is an Australorp. She is such a sweet chicken and just let's you walk right up to her to pick her up. She doesn't run...

Full Review
2 Gallon Double Wall Fount
Reviewed by RentaPig311

I couldn't get this thing to stop leaking. I even tested it by putting it on a flat concrete surface and it still leaked out the entire 2 gallons. Tried hanging it, tried sitting it on the...

Full Review
Aylesbury
Reviewed by cowgirlHH

seem like a good breed, if i had the room i would probably raise a batch of them they seem like they would be a good 4h starter show bird...considering i dont see many of this breed in my class...

Full Review
3 Quart Plastic Feed Scoop - Blue
Reviewed by cowgirlHH

its a feed scooper it cant be perfect but over all when every thing is said an done i love mine its great its starting to show a little wear an tear but its to be expected i have had it for 4...

Full Review

New Posts All Forums:Forum Nav:

Fleas On Chickens - Just Found My First Flea

Subscribe Search This Thread

Start a New Thread

post #1 of 9

5/1/07 at 2:59pm

Thread Starter

Nifty-Chicken

Location: California - SF East Bay
Joined: 12/2006
Posts: 30,598
online

Select All Posts By This User

BLAH... I hate these things! I've never seen a flea on a chicken, but today I went out to take them off the nesting box (two are broody) and when I came inside I had a pinkish/yellowish translucent flea on my wrist. I'm only use to seeing the dark ones (from when we use to have a dog).

I'm hoping this was just a one off situation and not the beginning of an infestation. Not sure if I'm going to do anything about it, but I should probably start with some DE, etc. and go from there.

So are there any differences between fleas on chickens and those on dogs?

Rob - Married to my wife Emily for 12 years and have two daughters, 9 and 6. Home to four hens
Nifty-Stuff.com | TheEasyGarden.com | SufficientSelf.com | BackYardHerds.com
Upgrade to a Golden Feather Membership - Check Out BYC on Facebook

Having Technical Problems? See here!

Featured Stories on BackYard Chickens

Join Our 4th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-A-Long

Raising Chickens on a Shoestring

Poll: Why raise backyard chickens?

post #2 of 9

5/1/07 at 3:41pm

justusnak
Flock Mistress

Location: South Eastern Indiana
Joined: 2/2007
Posts: 6,026
offline

Select All Posts By This User

A flea?? Jeesh!!! Are you sure it wasnt a mite or lice? I didnt think fleas were that color. UGH! BUGS!! THIS is why I like winter!!

Deb
Heavens Door Acres

post #3 of 9

5/1/07 at 3:43pm

silkiechicken
Staff PhD

Location: Everett WA/Corvallis OR
Joined: 1/2007
Posts: 21,175
offline

Select All Posts By This User

hmm... that color. Are you sure it was a flea? Not a feather louse?

Need egg candling reference pics? Click HERE!
2011 Coop build! Click Here!

post #4 of 9

5/1/07 at 4:29pm

mudhen
confidently clueless

Location: Shepherdstown, WV
Joined: 1/2007
Posts: 2,096
offline

Select All Posts By This User

A feather louse?
I only heard of mites ( and memorized tongue a picture so I can ID one if I see one).
Now there are feather louses...err lice, that I need to know about? yucky
What in the world do they look like??!! Oh, wait, let me guess pinkish/yellowish translucent fleas ?

In the big coop: Cleo EE, Brownie SS, Barbie BR, Coco CW, Wynona GLW, Lacey SLW, Sophia GC, Heidi GL, Myrtle PR, Bernadette D, Cookie CM, Buffy & Goldie BO

In the little coop: Nora SLW, Pee-Wee BR, Mulan RP, Rouge RP, B1 BO, and the Raptors x3 EEs.

In the big coop: Cleo EE, Brownie SS, Barbie BR, Coco CW, Wynona GLW, Lacey SLW, Sophia GC, Heidi GL, Myrtle PR, Bernadette D, Cookie CM, Buffy & Goldie BO

In the little coop: Nora SLW, Pee-Wee BR, Mulan RP, Rouge RP, B1 BO, and the Raptors x3 EEs.

post #5 of 9

5/1/07 at 5:30pm

Thread Starter

Nifty-Chicken

Location: California - SF East Bay
Joined: 12/2006
Posts: 30,598
online

Select All Posts By This User

Well, I put it in the sink to kill it under water (since I couldnt' squish it). The wife pulled the drain before I could take a pic.

Having Technical Problems? See here!

post #6 of 9

5/1/07 at 7:04pm

AccidentalFarm

Location: South Texas
Joined: 3/2007
Posts: 1,126
offline

Select All Posts By This User

Ok, I have to ask...WHY couldn't you squish it?

post #7 of 9

5/1/07 at 7:29pm

Thread Starter

Nifty-Chicken

Location: California - SF East Bay
Joined: 12/2006
Posts: 30,598
online

Select All Posts By This User

They aren't easy to squish.... the little buggers are really tough. Only way I can do it is between two really hard items and then there's a chance they will spring out of sight. I never take the chance and just put them in water to drown.

Having Technical Problems? See here!

post #8 of 9

5/3/07 at 10:27am

2mnypets

Joined: 4/2007
Posts: 958
offline

Select All Posts By This User

I found a website that has a picture and some general information regarding the feather louse in case anyone is interested. Here's the URL:

http://www.birds-online.de/gesundheit/gesparasiten/federlinge_en.htm

post #9 of 9

5/3/07 at 9:30pm

mudhen
confidently clueless

Location: Shepherdstown, WV
Joined: 1/2007
Posts: 2,096
offline

Select All Posts By This User

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nifty-Chicken

If they are like fleas and ticks, they don't drown easy...you have to 'break' their shell as is were...I have no mercy for fleas or ticks...I make sure they are dead before I drown them! gig

Thanks for the link, 2mnypets!

In the big coop: Cleo EE, Brownie SS, Barbie BR, Coco CW, Wynona GLW, Lacey SLW, Sophia GC, Heidi GL, Myrtle PR, Bernadette D, Cookie CM, Buffy & Goldie BO

In the little coop: Nora SLW, Pee-Wee BR, Mulan RP, Rouge RP, B1 BO, and the Raptors x3 EEs.

In the big coop: Cleo EE, Brownie SS, Barbie BR, Coco CW, Wynona GLW, Lacey SLW, Sophia GC, Heidi GL, Myrtle PR, Bernadette D, Cookie CM, Buffy & Goldie BO

In the little coop: Nora SLW, Pee-Wee BR, Mulan RP, Rouge RP, B1 BO, and the Raptors x3 EEs.

Start a New Thread

Subscribe Search This Thread

New Posts All Forums:Forum Nav: