anyone use a microscope etc to check for mites and worms

[ladyearth]

talked to a biologist yesterday over phone. He said it was a simple thing to do....and check skin scrappings he said....
how powerful does the microscope need to be??? what should I look for in a used one??/
I have a small kiddy one somewhere,,, but maybe I should invest in a better one...
we know a guy who has a nice one ,who got it to check when he mushroom hunts..
I may need to call him. for advice?
If I look at a feather thats just been dropped will it have the "mite"? or do the tiny mites live on the skin? I just hate seeing my girls keep itching their ears etc....
sure cant find anything with a flashlight in the coop....
Hubby right now is covering the inside of coop with 1/4 plywood... cause unfortunely made the coop out of frence boards.. old ones... what a MISTAKE.... cause it gives those creeps a place to hide....tried cauling but it would take so much caulk.....
thanks all

 

[Wishing4Wings]

It's pretty easy to see mites without a microscope. Smallest ones will be the size of the mark from the sharp tip of a pencil or the dot on the i. Some are bigger. They can look like bits of dirt except they move! There are several types, though.

Red roost mites live in the coop, not on the birds. They crawl out at night and feed on the chickens and crawl off to lay eggs in the coop. An infestation can grow quickly. Best seen at night with a flashlight crawling along or under the roosts. Red ones are full of blood, hungry ones look greyish. If you find these, let me know and I can give you some tips on control. They are a frequent problem here.

Northern fowl mites live on the birds. Little experience with these. Small grey creepy-crawlies on the skin more easily seen near tail, vent, and under the wing. There will be dirty looking clumps of eggs laid on the feathers near the base of the shaft. Poultry dust took care of these the one time I saw them on a rooster who did not dust bathe. The hen paired with him bathed frequently (while he gallantly guarded her) and the hen had no mites on her.

These are the most common types of mites and the only ones I've had experience with, but there are others.

If you are looking for mites, pick up the birds and look under their feathers, especially where they are scratching. Not sure what else could cause excessive scratching. Maybe molting? Are you sure it's not just typical daily preening?

 

[BBQJOE]

How the heck do you get a chicken under a microscope???