, black dots around face

[cjhixon]

Looks like parasites to my amateur eye. Anybody know what it is and how to treat? Should I treat all of my birds? (6)


Cheers, Carl

 

[redstar14]

May be nothing rub some alcohol on it but dont get in their eye

 

[casportpony]

Never seen that before... Do they move?

-Kathy

 

[redstar14]

If they do it might be tiny fleas

 

[cjhixon]

Bump.

Any treatment ideas assuming it is some sort of infestation? All my girls are laying so need to now if treatment means discard eggs.

 

[dawg53]

Those are appear to be stick tight fleas. You can try smothering them with vaseline or since they suck blood, 4-5 drops of ivermectin pour on on bare skin on the back of the neck might kill them. Or you can pull them off with your fingers one by one.
Here's a link, scroll down:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140

 

[cjhixon]

Great link! Thank you. I ended up treating them all with Sevin. No eggs until Halloween. Maybe they'll go broody.


Cheers, Carl

 

[dawg53]

Great link! Thank you. I ended up treating them all with Sevin. No eggs until Halloween. Maybe they'll go broody.


Cheers, Carl

What do you mean no eggs til halloween, because of the sevin dust? We've been using sevin dust since the 60's in our vegetable gardens, on our dogs, and chickens, on fire ants. Of course we washed off the vegetables, the dogs lived long lives, and I'm still here....and typing too!
(The fire ants are dead)

 

[mariannedavis]

I have 2 hens with the exact same thing. They are all around their faces, do not appear to move so I couldn't tell what it was. I dust their sleeping quarters and laying boxes with DE regularly. Could it be not enough application? My next step was going to dust each hen with DE as well. We have done this in the past. I have just never seen so many dots surrounding the face. Help!

 

[dawg53]

I have 2 hens with the exact same thing. They are all around their faces, do not appear to move so I couldn't tell what it was. I dust their sleeping quarters and laying boxes with DE regularly. Could it be not enough application? My next step was going to dust each hen with DE as well. We have done this in the past. I have just never seen so many dots surrounding the face. Help!

What does that tell you about DE? See post #6.