Do I have mites? what to do?

[cheeperchick]

I noticed by Delaware roo (15 moths) lies down a lot but generally eats and drinks normally. I figured the lying down is related to it being low on the pecking order. I decided to check him out and noticed this around the vent area.




Its seems like when I expose the skin, they seem to run and hide. My buff orp also has them so i separated them. Is this mites. any recommendations on what do do?

This thread shows where he lying down: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/827190/delaware-roo-or-hen

I'm starting to realize chicken keeping is harder than I thought!!

 

[kelck22]

Looks like lice to me. Mites live in the coop and only go on the chickens at night. Lice are only on the chickens.

I had a major infestation on my young roo, clumps of white eggs and hundreds of lice. I treated with Ivomec Eprinex pour on. I put 1/2 cc on the neck, then re did it 7 days later. No more lice for me.

I treated my whole flock as lice spreads easily by touching. Dont worry about you, these are poultry lice and feed on chicken feathers and dead skin.

If treating laying hens make sure to withhold the eggs for one week after the last dose.

 

[cheeperchick]

they are all pretty close to laying age right now they are all between 15 and 17 weeks old. haven't seen a egg yet. what concerns me also is the behavior of the chicken in general. he separates himself from everyone else seems kind of clumsy.

 

[kelck22]

Lice will make a chicken uncomfortable so they will act weird. your far enough from eggs that I would go ahead and treat all your chickens, it will also take care of worming them which is good to do every year or 6 months. Since you see bugs I would treat once then again in 7 days. If you happen to get eggs within a week after the last dose just don't eat them. Some people don't withhold and the ivomec eprinex is the zero withdrawal time but I still like to be extra safe and it is what a vet would recommend doing.

You can get the stuff and most feed stores or online, it is a cattle wormer. I like to use syringes with blunt tips so it is easy to get it all the way to their skin.

.5 cc for standard size
.25 cc for bantam

 

[kelck22]

This stuff would also take care of mites if you do have them.

 

[cheeperchick]

Thanks. What about poultry dust? Would it do the trick? Don't know if I feel comfortable injecting...

 

[kelck22]

You DO NOT inject. you just put in on their skin like you would flee medicine for dogs and cats. I just get the BLUNT tip needles so it is easier to get down the the skin as it needs to be on the skin not he feathers.

I personally have never used the dust. I dont like the idea of chemicals going everywhere. with the ivomec it is very controlled and causes very little stress on the chickens.

I do like to put dietamacious earth (DE) in the nesting boxes and in their dust bath areas. That is a natural way to deter mites and lice.

 

[cheeperchick]

Oops sorry I saw the cc and I automatically thought inject.

 

[kelck22]

I dont think I could handle injecting 40 chickens! lol

 

[Michael Apple]

Thanks. What about poultry dust? Would it do the trick? Don't know if I feel comfortable injecting...

Don't be confused by lack of information, or misinformation. Ivermectin may work for external parasites that come in contact with the bird's blood, but not lice. Lice scurry around the body chewing on feather shafts and skin. They lay eggs as well. Ivermectin , whether given orally or topically won't do anything. Go to the store and get some Sevin-5 powder and dust your birds. It has carbaryl which wipes out lice and mites quickly. Dust once and do it again in 7 days. Keep it out of their faces while dusting. Part the feathers as you dust along the bird's body as you want it to get on the bird's skin. A panty hose stocking works well for containing the powder. Clean all the litter out of your coop, spray a permethrin based product like Permectrin II. Follow label directions and spray down the walls, floors, roosts, walls, and nests. Put new shavings back in the coop.