Chickens & Ticks

[PinkFlamingoFrm]

I have a really stupid question & feel free to laugh at me. My dog just got diagnosed with Lymes disease, although I have always given her flea & tick medication, she is a shelter dog & the vets believe she has had it since before I got her, 5 years ago. But now, I am freaking out and am taking extra precautions against ticks. Can chickens, ducks or quails get ticks? and if so, can they develop Lymes disease? Should I check them all for ticks on a regular basis or am I just being crazy?

 

[sumi]

First of all: that is NOT a stupid question! It's a very interesting question actually and something I think lots of us chicken owners have wondered about at some point. To answer your question, yes chickens can get ticks and they can get very sick from tick bites. Poultry Ticks is the biggest culprit. But according to the scant info I found on the topic their chances of getting Lymes disease is small and according to this study:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8600769

are most vulnerable when they are very young. If you are concerned examine for and treat your birds against ticks. Ticks like to stay under cover and become more active at night, so examine your poultry for ticks after dark, it will be easier to spot them then.

Hope your dog gets better soon!

 

[txnative]

So, what do you use to prevent ticks for chickens?

 

[sumi]

There are a number of products you can use, but permethrin is considered the most effective.

 

[PinkFlamingoFrm]

Thank you! thats good to know! We dont put our chickens outside until they are about 6 weeks so if their information is right, they should be good with lymes. I'm still gonna get some of that permethrin for them just incase. Thanks, my dog is doing better, the lymes disease went to her kidneys, which it is trying to shut them down. The first vet wanted to put her down, but i've since gotten two second opinions and they disagree, they say she has some years left! Shes doing better for now . I'll definitely be checking them for ticks just incase. I really hate those stupid little bugs.

 

[suebee]

Chickens do get ticks. I had a silkie acting gloomy and slow moving. I picked her up and looked at her eyes. One eyeball was sunken in so far back I couldn't see it. Right below her eye was an embedded swollen tick. I got the tick out, gave her an eye antibiotic ointment 2 week treatment and it went back to normal. Not sure if she has lyme since she's acted normal since then.

I use Exprinex or 5% Sevin dust on my chickens.

 

[PinkFlamingoFrm]

Chickens do get ticks. I had a silkie acting gloomy and slow moving. I picked her up and looked at her eyes. One eyeball was sunken in so far back I couldn't see it. Right below her eye was an embedded swollen tick. I got the tick out, gave her an eye antibiotic ointment 2 week treatment and it went back to normal. Not sure if she has lyme since she's acted normal since then.

I use Exprinex or 5% Sevin dust on my chickens.

aww the poor baby! Glad shes better now .. I think we have some sevin dust, I'm gonna be doing everything possible to keep those dang ticks away.

 

[suebee]

When we moved to this land 16 years ago I loved the wooded area surrounding us. So private and awesome wildlife. Since then I've had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease. Lyme has been devastating to me. Be careful, not only you but your animals.

 

[PinkFlamingoFrm]

When we moved to this land 16 years ago I loved the wooded area surrounding us. So private and awesome wildlife. Since then I've had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease. Lyme has been devastating to me. Be careful, not only you but your animals.

aww Im sorry to hear that. I hear its very painful. Yeah, Im very careful now with ticks now, what is Rocky moutain spotted fever from? We have woods in our backyard and I had never even seen a tick, still havent to this day, my mom is my neighbor and pulls a few off of her dog every year, but I've never even seen one on my dog. Thats why I was so confused when they said she had Lymes. The vet told me over 50% of dogs here have lymes, its awful.

 

[suebee]

So glad you haven't seen any ticks. It's mostly in wooded property or high weeds. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is a tick related disease. Even though diagnosed I didn't get any bad symptoms.

The Lyme was a different story. I was bitten by a tick and developed a huge red circle around the area. I started losing my balance. I was put on antibiotics but still couldn't keep my balance...going down stairs, taking a shower, walking across the store parking lot...impossible without the sensation of falling. I felt a bit better after 6 months but still have symptoms, especially if I get other illnesses such as a cold.

Keep on the lookout for those bad boys!