Silkie thread!

[Hinotori]

Will my silkies go broody in the winter?
I live in NorthWest Florida, so its not real cold, but its also not south Florida.

Mine do and I'm in Washington state

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Yes, they possibly could. I have had hens go broody in the winter and I am in Northern, NY.

I have 2 broody ayam cemani and a welbar thinking about it right now. I don't get it

 

[FishMtFarm]

They have that momma instinct in hyperdrive!!

 

[NW Chickadee]

Help! Please tell me my lil' babes don't have bugs! I have 2 - 1.5 wk old Black Silkie chicks. And, I have an absolute big phobia! I've read horror stories about chicken mites taking over peoples homes...

While holding my Silkies, these non-moving, non-alive, very thin black flakes fell off. They're paper thin, really nothing to them, in diff shapes & sizes, yet all relatively small. Could these be dead mites? Is it something to do with new feathers coming in? Ugh....I'm afraid to hold them now. I've searched them head to toe, wing to vent and can't see a single bug!

If anyone has any ideas, I'd so appreciate it! I'm clearly new at this!

Thanks a ton!

 

[FirstTimeClucky]

Help! Please tell me my lil' babes don't have bugs! I have 2 - 1.5 wk old Black Silkie chicks. And, I have an absolute big phobia! I've read horror stories about chicken mites taking over peoples homes...

While holding my Silkies, these non-moving, non-alive, very thin black flakes fell off. They're paper thin, really nothing to them, in diff shapes & sizes, yet all relatively small. Could these be dead mites? Is it something to do with new feathers coming in? Ugh....I'm afraid to hold them now. I've searched them head to toe, wing to vent and can't see a single bug!

If anyone has any ideas, I'd so appreciate it! I'm clearly new at this!

Thanks a ton!

View attachment 1177717 View attachment 1177718

Those look like bits of feather sheath which crumble and fall off as new feathers grow in. This seems to be a moulting time, based on the blizzard of feathers from all of my birds!

Here's a good article on external chicken parasites. It has close-up photos of what to look for. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html
Most chicken parasites won't bite humans. In general the way to treat them is to use a residual insecticide, both on the birds and their living areas. I use a spray that's safe for birds and the environment and lasts about 6 weeks. There are also powders available, as well as internal medications. I don't recommend Ivermectin, as many organisms are resistant to it. DO NOT use diatomaceous earth around chickens (or other birds), it damages their lungs and can kill them.

 

[NW Chickadee]

Those look like bits of feather sheath which crumble and fall off as new feathers grow in. This seems to be a moulting time, based on the blizzard of feathers from all of my birds!

Here's a good article on external chicken parasites. It has close-up photos of what to look for. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html
Most chicken parasites won't bite humans. In general the way to treat them is to use a residual insecticide, both on the birds and their living areas. I use a spray that's safe for birds and the environment and lasts about 6 weeks. There are also powders available, as well as internal medications. I don't recommend Ivermectin, as many organisms are resistant to it. DO NOT use diatomaceous earth around chickens (or other birds), it damages their lungs and can kill them.

Thank you so, SO much! My 'littles' are still in the brooder and very young so I wasn't sure if this would still apply to them but they certainly are getting their new feathers. I feel tons better and really want to have my chicks in the house for a bit longer - I also have 2 more coming and I've been concerned about that I've searched & waited a very long time for.

From your experience, is it relatively easy or even possible to see the lice/mites when taking a very close look - Even with dark colored Silkies?

I'm glad you'd mentioned Ivermectin as that's what the breeder I bought these 2 black ones from, had told me to use but I had a few reservations about it. And do you mind if I ask what spray you use? I'm sure I'll encounter this issue and some point and want to be as proactive in being preventive an infestation if p possible. Geeeez......I itch all over just looking at some of the photos I've seen.

Thanks again!

 

[Hinotori]

Looks like feather sheath to me as well.

You can see mites. They may be small but are visible and they move. Look around the vent area. Mites like that spot

 

[FirstTimeClucky]

Thank you so, SO much! My 'littles' are still in the brooder and very young so I wasn't sure if this would still apply to them but they certainly are getting their new feathers. I feel tons better and really want to have my chicks in the house for a bit longer - I also have 2 more coming and I've been concerned about that I've searched & waited a very long time for.

From your experience, is it relatively easy or even possible to see the lice/mites when taking a very close look - Even with dark colored Silkies?

I'm glad you'd mentioned Ivermectin as that's what the breeder I bought these 2 black ones from, had told me to use but I had a few reservations about it. And do you mind if I ask what spray you use? I'm sure I'll encounter this issue and some point and want to be as proactive in being preventive an infestation if p possible. Geeeez......I itch all over just looking at some of the photos I've seen.

Thanks again!

LOL I know what you mean about "itching all over". When I was in high school I worked at a dog grooming salon during the summers. Often we would get dogs in who were infested with fleas, so badly that when my boss did the preliminary rough clip (she'd do a rough clip, then I'd bathe and blow dry them) there'd be so many fleas that they'd clog the clipper blades and I could hear the "crunch" from the other side of the room. On those dogs we'd put full strength flea shampoo concentrate on them for a few minutes before the actual flea bath. You can bet I went home scratching after we had one of those dogs in.

For my birds I use a product called Avian Insect Liquidator. It has a residual effect and will work for about 6 weeks. Use it on both the birds and their enclosure. It's safe to use on all caged birds right down to small finches. It's even safe for newly hatched chicks. However, it's not approved for use on birds which produce meat or eggs for human consumption. Here's where I order it from - this is a good (US) site for medications and supplements for birds: http://www.allbirdproducts.com/newproductpages/AB10284.html

Re finding the bugs - they're harder to find on darker coloured birds, but not impossible to find. You have to look for movement, rather than trying to see the bug itself. Also, they hide close to their food source. Feather lice prefer the shaft of the feather, close to the skin. If you can't see the lice themselves, you may see tattered areas or holes in the feather near the shaft. To find them, start at the base of the tail and slowly part and lift the feathers, moving towards the head, and watching for signs of movement near the skin, or feather damage. The lice are usually greyish but sometimes reddish. I've found them most often at the base of the tail and on the neck. Use a bright light if you can (I use a head light) as this will cause any lice to run away from the light. Unlike fleas, lice and mites can't jump or fly.

Mites prefer the skin around the vent. They irritate the skin, so you may see poop around the vent and/or scabs where the chicken was picking at the irritation. Sometimes other members of the flock will start picking at the affected hen's vent as well, in which case she'll need to be separated. Leg and face mite damage is easy to spot. The bare skin becomes swollen, inflamed and crusty looking and the scales look overgrown and raised from the skin. Face and leg mites are easy to treat by coating the area with vaseline or Bag Balm which smothers the mites.

Re the Ivermectin, it's relatively harmless and it doesn't hurt to try it, but don't be surprised if it doesn't work on all bugs and worms. I bought some to kill air sac mites in my English budgies, but it didn't work. It did work on worms that I didn't know they had until I saw the dead ones in their poop. The disadvantage is that it does nothing for any bugs or eggs in their environment. If you use an internal med for parasites I would still recommend using an insecticide for their enclosure at the same time, to kill any eggs.

 

[NW Chickadee]

LOL I know what you mean about "itching all over". When I was in high school I worked at a dog grooming salon during the summers. Often we would get dogs in who were infested with fleas, so badly that when my boss did the preliminary rough clip (she'd do a rough clip, then I'd bathe and blow dry them) there'd be so many fleas that they'd clog the clipper blades and I could hear the "crunch" from the other side of the room. On those dogs we'd put full strength flea shampoo concentrate on them for a few minutes before the actual flea bath. You can bet I went home scratching after we had one of those dogs in.

For my birds I use a product called Avian Insect Liquidator. It has a residual effect and will work for about 6 weeks. Use it on both the birds and their enclosure. It's safe to use on all caged birds right down to small finches. It's even safe for newly hatched chicks. However, it's not approved for use on birds which produce meat or eggs for human consumption. Here's where I order it from - this is a good (US) site for medications and supplements for birds: http://www.allbirdproducts.com/newproductpages/AB10284.html

Re finding the bugs - they're harder to find on darker coloured birds, but not impossible to find. You have to look for movement, rather than trying to see the bug itself. Also, they hide close to their food source. Feather lice prefer the shaft of the feather, close to the skin. If you can't see the lice themselves, you may see tattered areas or holes in the feather near the shaft. To find them, start at the base of the tail and slowly part and lift the feathers, moving towards the head, and watching for signs of movement near the skin, or feather damage. The lice are usually greyish but sometimes reddish. I've found them most often at the base of the tail and on the neck. Use a bright light if you can (I use a head light) as this will cause any lice to run away from the light. Unlike fleas, lice and mites can't jump or fly.

Mites prefer the skin around the vent. They irritate the skin, so you may see poop around the vent and/or scabs where the chicken was picking at the irritation. Sometimes other members of the flock will start picking at the affected hen's vent as well, in which case she'll need to be separated. Leg and face mite damage is easy to spot. The bare skin becomes swollen, inflamed and crusty looking and the scales look overgrown and raised from the skin. Face and leg mites are easy to treat by coating the area with vaseline or Bag Balm which smothers the mites.

Re the Ivermectin, it's relatively harmless and it doesn't hurt to try it, but don't be surprised if it doesn't work on all bugs and worms. I bought some to kill air sac mites in my English budgies, but it didn't work. It did work on worms that I didn't know they had until I saw the dead ones in their poop. The disadvantage is that it does nothing for any bugs or eggs in their environment. If you use an internal med for parasites I would still recommend using an insecticide for their enclosure at the same time, to kill any eggs.

Gaaaaah! The fleas! I can only imagine and it's so crazy the tricks our mind can play on us! I so appreciate all of your help & feedback.

I've spent so many hours reading about all of these things online, but to get advice from someone with experience clears it all up so much! I've seen so many pictures of Bird & Northern Fowl mites and chicken lice, but when I'm looking for them on my chicks, they look nothing like the pictures of them under a high-powered microscope. Knowing the secondary things to look for (poopy butt, loss of feathers, etc.) is incredibly helpful.

Honestly, I hate to admit it but I saw those black pieces and immediately itched everywhere and was sure my house was also infested and gonna need to be burnt the debecause they're in a spare room. Thanks again for all the advice - I can't than you, personally enough, and everyone here on BYC!

 

[NNYchick]

Ok, I had not planned on attempting any hatches but with losing Yeti last week and having a pullet laying everyday, and I know Yeti was breeding her. I have decided I have to at least try. I am going to borrow a friends incubator (I know nothing about the incubator yet). I have eggs that I have been collecting since 11/1, I have dated them and put them in a bowl on my countertop in the kitchen. I am going to pick up the bator today sanitize it and set it up, make sure I get everything calibrated and plan to put the eggs in on Friday morning. Can anyone point me to a one stop explanation site or thread. I did read the article on incubating here but it is very hard to follow with all the links. I have figured out the basics like temp, humidity and lockdown. Still confused on what position do the eggs go in and how to turn the eggs(hoping the bator has an turner)? And as always any helpful tips from your experience with hatching.