chicken poop issues (photo attached)

[ladyearth]

yeah but isnt that lice eggs? I dont know if mites I assume lay eggs too. I read about on here microscopic sized mites

 

[rebrascora]

Lice live on the chicken and live off skin and feather debris on the surface of the chicken and lay their eggs in grey clusters at the base of the feather shafts particularly under the vent and wings which are the warmest areas. They are an irritant but not a serious threat to a chicken's health and usually an infestation on a chicken is an indication that something else is amiss and the chicken is not feeling well enough to dust bath properly or doesn't have access to a dust bath to keep the numbers under control. You don't need a microscope to see the egg clusters or the mites but you do have to look closely in the areas stated. Plucking an odd feather or two and checking them is unlikely to detect a problem. Winter time may be more of a problem for lice as the chickens have reduced access to dust bathing facilities due to wet or frost. It may even be one of the reasons they moult at this time of year to break the cycle by getting rid of feathers crusted with eggs so that they go into the winter "clean".

Mites live in the cracks and crevices of the coop and crawl onto the chickens at night when they are roosting to suck their blood and then hide in their dark hidey holes through the day again. Because they suck the chickens blood they are a serious threat to their health, but the place to look for them is in the coop. I have a white dustpan and soft brush and every few weeks I use the brush to sweep into the corners and cracks around the roost ends and catch the debris in the pan. Any red mites are clearly visible against the white background and as an extra check you can crush them with a finger and you will a smear of blood. They lay eggs in the coop and summer time seems to be the problem season for them from my experience.

Many people examine their chickens at night when they are roosting with a strong head torch to check for mites but I find my dust pan in the coop through the day is easier.

I hope the above clarifies how these two differs parasites live and how to spot and differentiate between them.

Regards

Barbara

 

[Sunshine 123]

How do you get rid of bugs in coop? It dews heavy at night here in Stuart

 

[casportpony]

How do you get rid of bugs in coop? It dews heavy at night here in Stuart

Permethrin spray.

-Kathy

 

[Sunshine 123]

Dust bath , sand, dirt& de food grsde correct?

 

[casportpony]

Dust bath , sand, dirt& de food grsde correct?

To treat bugs? No, treatment requires permethrin on bird and coop.

-Kathy

 

[CHICKENRANCH14]

I find this site very helpful in the difference in chicken poop http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/whats-scoop-on-chicken-poop-digestive.html It has helped me a lot.