Do I have feather mites? PLEASE HELP. Pics

[LovinMyHensInNC!]

Hi, I just read on another post that lice are fast moving verses mites are slow moving. So maybe you are dealing with lice versus mites if you are having trouble catching those buggers. Also, lice are wheat colored and mites tend to be red. I think my hens have lice and feel like all I have been doing all day is researching on what to do so thought I'd pass along what I have learned on this dandy forum

 

[threehorses]

Actually it's the opposite - mites are round and very fast, lice are elongated (though they can get fat) and slower moving. Slower than mites anyway. There might be some times that mites are slow - as when they're feeding.

They also aren't always on the bird. Mites will feed on the bird and move off to rest and lay eggs. Lice are host-dependent and you will always find them on the bird rather than having an off period.

In either case, they need to go.

Lice can also be red - but then they're usually red only in their abdomen as it fills with blood. Many are wheat colored.

This i know from experience as I found lice on my flock last night, though I check them very very often, and it helped to take a turkey down. Even me. Mine were the lice that are red-bottomed. (I suspect a turkey buzzard brought them into my flock).

They are VERY devestating and must be treated very fast. Just treat for them if you at all suspect them.

 

[marthalazar]

I'm pretty sure I don't have lice. I have seen no critters. This is why I feel as though I'm working with a boogey man. I gave one of my 3 girls a flea/tick shampoo yesterday and will do the others today.

I also ordered plastic perches for my Omlet to replace the wooden ones.

I have the run filled with wood chips, so that's going to be my challenge. I know a lot of people swear by Sevin, but I just can't use the stuff. I will try permethrin and DE. Someone mentioned loose tobacco. Does anyone have any experience with that? What do I buy?

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
Gosh, I can't imagine using loose tobacco. I would think that if the birds ate it they could get poisoned from the nicotine!

That's just my initial impression, I could be wrong - I haven't had much experience with this. Although I do remember calling Poison Control when my 3-year-old little sister ate 1/2 of my dad's cigarette...

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
I used to use Sevin, but I just don't any more. I like the fact that permethrin is the synthetic version of a natural insecticide, from flowers. And that it doesn't have such a residual effect. And DE I think is worth a shot in addition to the permethrin.

On the wood chips, just sprinkle the permethrin on top and stir it in. And don't be fooled by not seeing lice. I thought that, and I have been checking my birds because I had a turkey hen who was acting poorly but very vaguely so. We handle those birds daily as they're big pets. One day she was covered with them, and then I lost her. I wish I had just dusted her having even suspected lice, and now I have regrets.

On tobacco, I know it used to be used as a wormer. I don't know as much about other things. Of course, I wouldn't recommend it. It's one of those older remedies that worked well enough for it to be passed down - but in this case, the permethrin is more of a sure thing.

Incidentally, Tulie, my mom and I heard about it being a wormer for horses AND people from an old cowboy. She swallowed a bit of some one day. Boy was she ill! Oh that brings back the memories! She and I laughed about that for years, about how she sure wasn't wormy after that - nothing could have stayed in her at that rate.

 

[danaljamat]

Can anyone tell me if permethrin is harmful to the chicken eggs. Do you have to discard them for a few days?

 

[threehorses]

You can eat the eggs, that's fine.

It doesn't do anything to the inside of the birds.

 

[Tink82]

I would separate this chicken from your other chickens and I would highly recommend for you to go to an avian veterinarian and get your bird tested. If your bird has what I think it is, it is very contagious and can be very fatal for your whole coup. You should talk to the avian veterinarian about testing for Psittacine (parrot) Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD). Even though this is a disease that parrots get, it is better to be safe than sorry. I wish you all the best and hope there is nothing wrong in the end. I wish I could have been of more help, I specialize in parrots... so I do not know much about poultry in the end. GL

 

[MAT10]

I feel like I'm fighting some sort of phantom boogie man here. I can't see them, but I know they are here. Don't know when it will be obvious that they are gone though. I guess I'll keep watching for the head scratching.

I'll definitely send our rain to TX! My friend has mushrooms growing on her welcome mat here in Brooklyn, NY.

I am here in Utah. LOTS of rain & crazy temps this spring. Today as I inspect & dust my hens (10), the wind is blowing, sun shining & raining ice crystals. Welcome to Utah??? Isn't that what they say?

Anyway, I am experiencing the same as you ( except no sores or anything at the feather base). Hens losing feathers (mostly neck area/back tail feather area, but two underbelly), drop in egg production, poor egg shell quality, no visible signs of parasites. Yesterday found 2 broken eggs & 1 today. I'm a new chicken care taker (since 2022) & I get so frustrated with so many problems that come up. I'm an over the top worrier & OCD with coop/run cleaning but...(right or wrong?) I have no idea. Just do the best I can with my basic lamen understanding & more info to process with each problem all the time. Backyard chicken raising is FAR from simple.

In trying to diagnose, I've gone from boredom to bullying to stress to parasites; too confined/not enough free range to...too many treats/nutrition imbalance? and so on trying to figure out whats wrong. I've done nothing different from year #1 and five hens to year #2 with ten hens (except trying to provide extra entertainment to keep them busy... NEVER had one problem with the five. The more the merrier, right?
I am now believing it's a parasite thing..... missing feathers and messy bottoms. I have bathed two hens and I guess when the weather breaks I will have to bathe the rest. Meanwhile, treating with Garden poultry with Permethrin & DE and hoping for the best. So sad.

My DIL commented the other day (they have 7 chickens), that "no one told her chickens were cannibalistic" when she bought those cute little baby chicks. My sentiments exactly. My bad for lack of more research

So here we are in what sounds like the same boat. I feel your pain & wish you & anyone else who finds themselves in the same predicament the VERY BEST of luck. This is a wonderful & helpful forum. Don't know what I'd do without it. My husband tells me our chickens will be the death of me...

 

[BigBlueHen53]

This thread dates from 2009. You should probably start your own thread in the same category, you'll get better response.