Can someone help me calm down

[Coopcheney]

I have had my sweet peas for a year now. Last spring they had the start of those nasty red mites but I quickly made sure to take care of that….now I noticed my one lady was molting but I felt like it’s too early in summer to molt…I checked her and I believe she has feather lice or mites. I had lice as a kid and it traumatized me and now I’m in a panic thinking I have it now, my cats and my husband even though I know we don’t. I have treated them all but I am so anxious about it. I have cleaned everything and they are treated…they seem to care less but I clean the coop daily and just need to be reminded that these things happen. I am feeling discouraged.

 

[nuthatched]

What did you use to treat them? Unfortunately, none of us are professional counselors, we can't help you that much.

 

[The Coop Crew]

You’ve done what you need to do. Deep breath I know how it is when you see or hear about lice and immediately start itching your head. Just keep telling yourself that it’s all anxiety and everyone is okay. You got this!

 

[Coopcheney]

What did you use to treat them? Unfortunately, none of us are professional counselors, we can't help you that much.

You’ve done what you need to do. Deep breath I know how it is when you see or hear about lice and immediately start itching your head. Just keep telling yourself that it’s all anxiety and everyone is okay. You got this!

thank you, I just want them to be ok.

 

[The Coop Crew]

thank you, I just want them to be ok.

I think they will be fine! You caught it and treated it. Just keep a close eye to make sure the treatment was effective. I know how this feels. When one of my chicks is slightly off, I also freak out. But everything has always been okay and in the end I overreacted which can’t be helped sometimes. Hugs

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Mites happen. When they do, you treat. Simple as that. Even if you do everything right, mites can still happen - often brought by wild critters. Unless you are locking your birds inside a building 24/7 w/ no outside contact - and really, for all that there would be fewer potential mite exposures, I don't think your chickens would thank you for a life like that.

The important thing is that you saw a potential problem, investigated and recognized it, then took action to correct.

What did you use to treat, btw?

 

[Coopcheney]

Mites happen. When they do, you treat. Simple as that. Even if you do everything right, mites can still happen - often brought by wild critters. Unless you are locking your birds inside a building 24/7 w/ no outside contact - and really, for all that there would be fewer potential mite exposures, I don't think your chickens would thank you for a life like that.

The important thing is that you saw a potential problem, investigated and recognized it, then took action to correct.

What did you use to treat, btw?

Thank you for saying that I use first day lime in the dust bath, all around and in coop regularly. To treat them I used the premo poultry spray and will dust them them this evening with poultry permethrin powder. It’s strange though…I have four girls and only one has this happening but it looks like she is also going through a molt. The other three a super light my but my one girl dahlia seems to be molting and stopped laying…she has the little white dots super tiny on her feathers…the others don’t. I just want them to be happy.

 

[texsuze]

One of my hens looks to be also losing a feather here, a feather there. Plus, she has stopped laying, so even though the timing seems wrong, I believe she's beginning to molt. I was worried about lice/mites but have seen no actual "bugs". Sometimes their dander looks like lice on first glance, too. I've noticed some turkey vultures flying over the area are missing flight feathers-- they have always been the tell tale sign, always coinciding with my girls' molts. My point is, your hen may be simply be starting to molt. Fingers crossed!