Do my hens have lice or mites? Pics included

[BirdsOfAnarchy]

Is regular acv effective or do you have to get that special kind with the "mother" (whatever that is) to make an effect on parasites?

 

[aart]

Is regular acv effective or do you have to get that special kind with the "mother" (whatever that is) to make an effect on parasites?

Any vinegar can be mildly antiseptic...but it is not an antibacterial so to speak, it can inhibit the growth of some things because of it's acidic nature.

Active ACV (the kind with the 'mother'-which is a colony of cellulose and acetic acid bacteria) can help promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

 

[NotableNancy]

Is regular acv effective or do you have to get that special kind with the "mother" (whatever that is) to make an effect on parasites?

Any vinegar can be mildly antiseptic...but it is not an antibacterial so to speak, it can inhibit the growth of some things because of it's acidic nature.

Active ACV (the kind with the 'mother'-which is a colony of cellulose and acetic acid bacteria) can help promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

I agree. From what I've read with the Mother is the most beneficial and is so popular can now be found in Walmart, Target, most large chain grocery stores as well as health food stores. Years ago it was hard to find. I've also read not to use it in the hot summer months in their water. But now I forget why.

 

[aart]

Quote: I've read that too and don't remember why either...something to do with calcium absorption I think.

The ACV fad is huge and probably grossly over values the beneficial effects of it......here's a pretty good article on it.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Is regular acv effective or do you have to get that special kind with the "mother" (whatever that is) to make an effect on parasites?

Yes I keep the kind with mother. By raising the PH level it makes the area hostile to many forms of bacteria. Diluted is best, but we have applied direct to rain scald and ringworm on horses with great results. Yes there are a lot of people toting acv, DE, garlic just to mention a few, but I have personally been using acv for many years. Long before google I purchased Pat Colebys series of books on natural animal care . Pat is in her 80's and has forgotten more than most people will ever know. Her books have saved several animals on my farm .

I should have said that ACV helps to maintain the correct PH level in the body.

 

[Folly's place]

Vinegar is acidic and LOWERS the pH, doesn't raise it! Sevin will kill lice and mites, but may not remain potent in a moist environment. Permethrin dust may last longer in the bedding. Ivermectin works well on the birds for external and internal parasites. Mary

 

[Fancychooklady]

Vinegar is acidic and LOWERS the pH, doesn't raise it!  Sevin will kill lice and mites, but may not remain potent in a moist environment.  Permethrin dust may last longer in the bedding.  Ivermectin works well on the birds for external and internal parasites.  Mary

Yes it does my mistake. Should have read back over my post. If you read back over the posts you will see that OP has used sevin and is concerned that it may have caused the redness. The vinegar was just a suggestion in case of something bacterial as the OP feels certain that they don't have lice.

 

[BirdsOfAnarchy]

Thanks for all the vinegar info. I use vinegar for everything at my homestead.

 

[NotableNancy]

Mmm, frustrating. You know I've never seen a mite on my chickens but when they do have them I know it. About 10 minutes after I've given them a cuddle I'll feel something crawling on me. Some of them are so small but they feel like a baby elephant walking on you. If all else fails perhaps an antibacterial wipe down with acv. And as you say , just wait and see.

I just went out again tonight, about 2 1/2 hours after dark (is this enough??) to check the girls for mites/lice. NOTHING. Absolutely nothing. I had a headlamp on and could see really well. I looked at 4 of them very closely. 3 that have issues and one that doesn't and I looked at the roosts and walls of coop. My coop isn't that big so it's not that hard to do. And I don't see anything on or off them. And now as I sit here, no creepy crawly feeling at all. It is so frustrating. Just lots of missing feathers and broken feathers on them. And not all of them.. Just 4 out of 10 as far as I can see.
Their skin seems really dry and flaky too. Is that normal?
I also don't use any straw in the coop. I use PDZ on the poop board, sand on the floor and pine shavings with a light dusting of poultry dust on the bottom of the nest.
I know people say mites live in the wood and straw but would they live in sand and PDZ?

It's going to be very warm on Monday so I'll bathe a few in the epsom salts.... any other ideas?????? Of course my one that's the worse off is attempting to go broody (no rooster here) so I'll have to try and break her of that also.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/167/vitamin-b-deficiencies
You might try a poultry vitamin pack if you haven't already just to see if it helps.