black bugs

[egg girl]

If my chickens have little black bugs on them, what do I treat them with? We've never had this problem before. Also, if I have bites on me, do I need to be concerned that the bugs are now in my house if I brought the chicken in for a few days for some tlc?

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Sounds like fleas? Do you have pics?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Where do you see these bugs?

I use permethrin spray. It is affordable, safe, easy to use, and effective on MOST types of chicken, dog, goat... pests. The bottle I bought was labeled as horse fly spray for under $10 and was intended to keep the mosquitoes off my goats. But I discovered it had many uses that are approved in chickens with no withdrawal time for eggs when treated according to directions. It even has a residual effect to minimize need to retreat and has directions for which species bug you are treating. They do make it in powder form if your area is freezing and spray won't work well. It's not my preference but I would use powder if needed.

I wouldn't separate a chicken unless it was more harmful for them to stay with the flock. It could be an added stress to be alone and in a strange environment. But each situation calls for an individual assessment.

 

[chickens really]

I'm thinking fleas also..What kind of Bedding? Sometimes straw can have fleas. I use a flea dusting powder under all bedding.
You will need to totally clean coop and all around the edges sprinkle the powder. Use pine shavings. I also Dust it onto Roosts.

 

[aart]

If my chickens have little black bugs on them, what do I treat them with? We've never had this problem before. Also, if I have bites on me, do I need to be concerned that the bugs are now in my house if I brought the chicken in for a few days for some tlc?

Welcome to BYC...sorry you're having troubles.
Yes, you do have to worry about them being in the house.
Keep infested birds outside and be careful of carrying bugs inside on your clothing.

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for...then go check birds ad coop thoroughly.

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).

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

If you do find some...check out this thread:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134783/permethrin-spray

 

[casportpony]

If my chickens have little black bugs on them, what do I treat them with? We've never had this problem before. Also, if I have bites on me, do I need to be concerned that the bugs are now in my house if I brought the chicken in for a few days for some tlc?

If they are tiny black bugs they are almost certainly mites. Do as @EggSighted4Life and @aart have suggested. One of the approved treatments for poultry mites and lice in the US is permethrin. Spray works really well, and I suggest that you use spray in your coop. If it's not too cold where you are, use spray on the birds. If it is cold, use dust.

Tractor Supply sells this 10% permethrin spray:

Tractor Supply sells one of these powders:


Did the bugs look like this? These are mites.

These are mites:

These are lice:

These are stick tight fleas:

 

[cgmccary]

Put 1 cc injectable ivermectin per gallon of water. Make sure it is their only drinking water source for two days. Don't eat eggs for 14 days after use and don't use on birds you intend to slaughter for food. Repeat in 10-14 days. It'll deworm them (all except tapeworms) and get rid of scaly leg more too.

 

[casportpony]

Put 1 cc injectable ivermectin per gallon of water. Make sure it is their only drinking water source for two days. Don't eat eggs for 14 days after use and don't use on birds you intend to slaughter for food. Repeat in 10-14 days. It'll deworm them (all except tapeworms) and get rid of scaly leg more too.

Did you know that it's not water soluble and that it does *not* treat capillary worms?

 

[cgmccary]

Did you know that it's not water soluble and that it does *not* treat capillary worms?

I have been told it is not "water soluble" ; however, from experience, it works whether it is water soluble or not. Fwiw, other breeders I know with large flocks also tell me they use it for mite and worm control.

I get mites once or twice a year. My flock is too big to spend many hours treating each bird. I do also use Frontline for puppies/ kittens spray on show birds before shows and any heavily infested birds.

I have taken many a dead bird to the State lab to find out why it died (more than a couple of dozen over the years). I have not had a capillary worm found in one of these lab examinations (and they tell you everything, every parasite, external and internal). There is a LOT of misinformation on the internet.

 

[casportpony]

Don't eat eggs for 14 days after use and don't use on birds you intend to slaughter for food.

There is a vet that says egg withdrawal time is more than 14 days, and she allegedly got her information from FARAD.

It'll deworm them (all except tapeworms) and get rid of scaly leg more too.

There are many studies and posts that say it will not treat worms in poultry.

I have been told it is not "water soluble" ; however, from experience, it works whether it is water soluble or not. Fwiw, other breeders I know with large flocks also tell me they use it for mite and worm control.

How do you know it worked? Did you have before and after fecals done? If not, you'll never know.

I have taken many a dead bird to the State lab to find out why it died (more than a couple of dozen over the years). I have not had a capillary worm found in one of these lab examinations (and they tell you everything, every parasite, external and internal).

I've also had several necropsies done by the state, and none of them revealed any type of parasite, same with most necropsies done here, and the majority of them were *never* de-wormed. So a worm free necropsy doesn't mean that ivermectin worked.

There is a LOT of misinformation on the internet.

I agree, and would like to see concrete evidence from people that ivermectin in water does treat lice, mites, and all but tapeworms, as well as something about egg and meat withdrawal.