Mites? Lice? Ewwww... I'm SO GROSSED OUT right now!

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happyhens120

happyhens120

Songster
8 Years
Aug 8, 2011
652
5
131
Central PA
I was just in the chicken house, and upon inspecting a hen's crop, I noticed some creepy crawlies! There were some tiny, and I mean TINY, little black bugs crawling around, and also some tan bugs that remind me of fleas. I only noticed them on the older Red Star hens... not the younger ones or my roo.

I have never had any kind of problem like this! I'm sure it's just in my mind, but I'm all itchy right now and completely grossed out.

I got some DE out and dusted the hens I could catch, and I will go back out tonight to get the ones I missed. I also dusted the coop.

So I have some questions...
1. Is this something that humans can contract? Should I be doing anything inside the house? I took my clothes off and into the washing machine on hot they went...
2. Is DE going to be enough to kill these creepy crawlies, or should I be doing something different?
3. It's cold here. Can I give the chickens a bath safely? How do I bathe a chicken?
4. Are they picking up these critters when they are grazing in the grass?
5. Why do only some of my hens have them and other don't?

I understand that bugs are everywhere, I just can't stand the thought of it! I just got done treating my dog for fleas too. Yuck!
 
Quote:
Sounds like mites. The tan ones maybe lice.

DE is more for preventation than treating an infestation.

I rotate between Ivermectin Pour On and Peremthrin 10% spray. If these are layers you can use Eprinex Ivomec pour on, which has zero withdrawl so you don't have to toss the eggs. .25 cc for bantams .50 cc for standards, I use a bit more than that. Put it on the skin on the back of their neck, or under the wing on the skin. It lasts about 6 weeks.

Peremthrin 10% spray I get a Tractor Supply. It gets diluted in a pump sprayer and the birds get sprayed down at night, under the wings, by the vent, legs, etc. You can also make a stronger solution and use in the coop, on roosts, walls, crevices, and spray the run down.

Wild birds can bring in lice/mites, etc.

Since it's cold where you are i'd skip the bathes and use ivomec eprinex. It works really really well for mites. No, the mites/lice will not live on humans.
 
Thanks for the advice! I will try to get to TSC tomorrow to see what they have. It's just so disturbing to me to see creepy crawlies on my hens!
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Hi Happy Hens. Mites are serious stuff, they actually killed one of my hens last winter and it happened in the course of just a single day. The incredibly helpful people here on BYC gave me great advice to clear out the entire coop and dust the heck out of it with Sevin 5%, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. DE is ok for maintenance but you need to take care of them with something stronger. I was using straw for bedding which is apparently a huge no-no since the little buggers live in the hollow tubes of straw. Switch to shavings if you don't already use them, and get yourself some poultry protector spray that you can spray right on the chickens as part of their weekly routine. Make sure it says it kills mites and is safe to apply directly to the chickens. I itched for about 2 weeks after going through our mite problem and am itchy now just thinking about it (yes, they will hop onto you and make themselves a home if you don't get rid of them quickly). It's amazing something so incredibly tiny can do so much damage and be so irritating. Good luck!!!!!
 
The creepy thing is, you probably aren't imagining the itching on yourself, they WILL crawl onto you and taste you, I butchered a rooster last Spring that was infested and they got all in my hair and in my clothing and bit me quite a lot. Luckily they all died or abandoned ship, but UGH!
 
I didn't know about the straw thing... I actually always use shavings or shredded paper, but my hubby brought home some straw just last week. Maybe that's where the came from! I'm pretty sure they are lice. At least the yellowish bigger ones are. From what I've read, they can't live on humans... right? I mean, humans can't contract lice from chickens? I'm sure they will try to bite and crawl around on us, but they won't stay. Right? lol... slightly paranoid here!
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Can I dust the birds themselves with 5% Sevin dust? I will clean out the coop completely tomorrow and disinfect again. I use Oxine for a disinfectant. I've read that mites don't like the smell of citrus oils. I have some orange oil that I plan on using on the roost. My coop is actually brand spanking new... just moved the girls in a week ago. I need to get this under control before it gets any worse!

Keep coming with the suggestions please and thank you!
 
Wow,

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this conversation. I have supplemented my pine shavings with some straw. I'll be removing all straw tomorrow and sticking with the pine shavings. Good to know Geeezz I'm one of those that treat her chickens like cats and I'm constantly handling them and hugging them ...I better keep an eye out and check their chicken skin before I start loving on them...LOL Good luck and i hope you get it cleared up. Please let us know what all worked best when you get them gone.

Roxysly and her girls
 
I used Sevin. Put some in a knee-high hose and carefully puffed it onto the girls and in the coop. Took care of it pronto. I put a hanky over my nose/mouth, just to be safe, and washed up quickly.
 

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