Are these lice or mites? And treating 3-6 week chicks

[itsjustmeuc]

Hi guys,

I was just taking my chicks out for some outside time and realised the box I used to transport them was covered in these bugs!

I haven’t used this box for a week or so but it was the box I was putting g the rooster in overnight. I have used it a couple times for the three week old chicks whine cleaning out their cage since then.

I’ll do a big clean out today of the main coop and the chicks cage but they have all been exposed now.

I have two treatments for the big girls are either of these safe for the chicks as well? One is pestene and the other is a permethrin based spray.
I also have ivermectin liquid if that can be used?

 

[aart]

Are you sure they are either lice or mites?
Was the box in the coop or the house before you noticed them?
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.

Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[itsjustmeuc]

Are you sure they are either lice or mites?
Was the box in the coop or the house before you noticed them?
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.

Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

I’m in Australia so summer

This box has been in the house but I keep my rooster in it overnight.
I just checked the rooster and couldn’t find anything but I checked on of the chucked and she’s got little brown bugs crawling around under her wings.

It’s daytime here now so I’m thinking it must be lice?

Also the chicks will come back inside at night so don’t really want mites inside.

 

[aart]

It’s daytime here now so I’m thinking it must be lice?

Both poultry mites and lice stay on the bird full time.
Roost mites hide until dark, then come out to feed.
Check the link I posted, good explanation there and will determine how you need to treat.

 

[itsjustmeuc]

Both poultry mites and lice stay on the bird full time.
Roost mites hide until dark, then come out to feed.
Check the link I posted, good explanation there and will determine how you need to treat.

Thanks!

I’ve had a quick read and will keep going. The issue I’m having is I can’t really find anything to say if it’s ok to treat such young birds, there’s no ages noted. Can only assume then that means any age can be treated??

Thanks again

 

[linguini]

I can’t really find anything to say if it’s ok to treat such young birds, there’s no ages noted

How old are your chicks?

Our flock were heavily infested with lice soon after they were moved into their new coop/run in the yard. They were about 8 weeks old when we discovered they had lice.

Having no experience with chickens, we were terrified. After researching the web (didn't know about BYC then!!!!) we treated them with permethrin powder (poultry garden dust). We spread out white garbage bags on the ground and dust them thoroughly with the powder and then gave them some treats. Repeated 2 more times 10 days apart. They were completely cleared after the treatment. The only trauma for them was being caught and held down. Hopefully the treat (pine nuts, they were all crazy about that) comforted them, and most of all, they were all "cleaned" after the garden powder dust bath!!!

At the time, our coop and run were sprayed with DE powder before and after the lice episode. So, DE earth didn't prevent the lice. I finally completely stopped using DE earth, realizing that it probably does more harm to chickens' tiny lungs than preventing lice. The permethrin treatment was easy enough if they ever got lice again.

We thought the lice probably came from the wild birds or perhaps field mice.

Hope our experience helps ease your concern!

p.s. just looked up the records, they were less than 8 weeks old when we treated them.

 

[cmom]

DE didn't work for me either when I had a flock that was infested with mites. I use permethrin. It does not kill the pests eggs so repeat treatments are necessary. I have had no issues with them on chicks but have with my other birds. I also use the permethrin poultry garden dust in my nest boxes. If you dust the chicks make them look like powdered doughnuts. Here is a chart that another BYC member made. It appears you have the kind that live on the birds if you are seeing them on them during the day. I don't know what is available where you are. Good luck...