Clear or whitish bugs on hens....

[adamsfam2006]

So I was showing my son how the feathers attach to our gals when I saw bugs. It was bigger than a flea I've seen on your average dog and clear to white....what is this, can it spread to my dog that comes inside our home and how do I treat it....no pictures of it of course. I'm rather grossed out!

 

[katelk]

Sounds like lice!! I feel your pain when it comes to these disgusting things! Be careful of these. I do not know about dogs, although I don't see why not, but people also get lice. I do not know if chickens get different lice or what, but I have always been extremely careful of this.
When one of my Roos got lice and mites (bad infestation when I was a newbie to birds) I got rid of them completely by following this procedure:

1. Buy some Adams Flea & Tick shampoo ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004KDRGD2/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1414564530&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40 ) This is very strong stuff and not the same as other brands or types!

2. Draw a lukewarm bath (not too hot or cold for the birds) in a wash basin or bathtub and pour in enough of the shampoo to where you can easily smell it in the water.

3. Put bird in bath and use a cup to gently (avoiding face) pour water over the bird, under and through feathers, using hands to hold feathers up if necessary. The bugs will start washing out of the feathers into the tub, keep going with the pouring all over until you feel good about eliminating the bugs.

4. Wrap bird in towel to dry. If it is cool outside, keep bird indoors so they don't get chilled until dry. I actually used a hair dryer on low heat to dry my roo (he loved it) make sure to use low heat and switch to cool air if the bird starts panting.

5. If the bird has mites or visible bugs on head and around face, use Q-tip to dab Vaseline all over head, comb, wattles, etc. (avoiding nasal area to prevent blocking nose)

6. Next day, gently and avoiding face, spray a fine mist under feathers of Adams flea and tick spray ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00C2O3PT0/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1414564530&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40 ) all bugs should be gone at this point.

7. For prevention in the future, dust birds with food grade Diatomaceous Earth or Sevin Dust every couple of months or so. Also take note of any birds that do not dust bathe regularly. These are always the problem birds when it comes to buggys. If the birds dust bathe, usually they will naturally stay bug free.

 

[dawg53]

Dust your birds with sevin dust. Dust inside their house and nests as well. Redust your birds again in 7-10 days to kill larva from hatched from lice eggs. You can put a pile of the dust at the entrance to their house. Then hit it full blast with a leaf blower. I guarantee you the dust will get in every nook and cranie. Make sure there's no birds inside the hen house if you do this. The dust will settle in about 30 minutes. Wear a mask.

 

[adamsfam2006]

Thanks, we are in the pnw so it's rather wet this time of year. I might try to make them a dust bath area...