chickens and bed bugs

[patti17340]

ok , I have had my 3 chickens for 3 years . I have never had any problems with mites or lice. My sister will not let her children near them. She said she heard you could get bedbugs from chickens. I have tried to tell her that it is not true that chickens do not carry that kind of lice. Is there somewhere that I can get an article to have her read so she will believe me. The kids love feeding my girls.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

ok , I have had my 3 chickens for 3 years . I have never had any problems with mites or lice. My sister will not let her children near them. She said she heard you could get bedbugs from chickens. I have tried to tell her that it is not true that chickens do not carry that kind of lice. Is there somewhere that I can get an article to have her read so she will believe me. The kids love feeding my girls.

It's actually true that they can get them, but it must be rare and typically limited to large poultry operations. I've never seen a case of actual bedbugs in a coop reported here on BYC. I know because I once thought I had them, but quickly learned they were ticks once I put my glasses on and looked at them more closely. It made me wonder though and I checked into it. I have to say, it would be one of the last reasons not to get or raise chickens. It really isn't much of a concern.

 

[blucoondawg]

whether or not they "could" get them isn't really the issue, if your birds don't have any infestations why is she worried the kids will catch an infestation that doesn't exist? Sounds like your sister has some sort of germaphobe type complex.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Your sister is being...overly reactionary, but is not entirely wrong either. Bed bugs can feast on bats, birds, rabbits, and other animals too. http://www.heritagepestcontrolnj.co...e-have-bed-bugs-been-hiding-in-poultry-farms/

Bed bugs are on the rise everywhere, and not just in "poor" and "dirty" areas as social stigma still dictates. She is just as likely to take home bed bugs from a movie theater, Ikea, a hotel, car, friend's house, anywhere people are, etc. as she would be from your coop. So while she could potentially get bed bugs from your hens...she probably already has them.

 

[austingwendell]

ok , I have had my 3 chickens for 3 years . I have never had any problems with mites or lice. My sister will not let her children near them. She said she heard you could get bedbugs from chickens. I have tried to tell her that it is not true that chickens do not carry that kind of lice. Is there somewhere that I can get an article to have her read so she will believe me. The kids love feeding my girls.

She is correct, they carry bed bugs in their feather. bedbugs are really very dangerous as their female one can lay nearly 500 eggs each time they reproduce. This means they rises in the multiples of 500 every time. But there are many exterminators available in the market that can help you get rid of them. For more details on you can look here.