Entomologist Surrounded by Bird-Brians

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NicEhOh

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Hi there,

My name is Nic and I am an aspiring entomologist in the Raleigh/Durham area of NC. I have joined this community in hopes of finding someone whose flock may have some form of arthropod parasite to include mites, ticks, poultry lice, flies, or beetles and would be willing to send some samples my way. This would help advance my education, and I may also be able to provide some light, non-legally binding advice on how to treat or prevent these pests in return!

Although I focus my research on insects, I love all animals (yes, even the creepy crawlies that make most people look the other way) and look forward to not only hearing all about what's eating your birds up, but also learning about your chickens in general.

Cheers,
Nic
 
:welcome Glad you joined us. You may want to update your Profile with at least the State you're in. Would love to send you samples of what I have ... Dept of Health, University Entomologist & Dept of Ag can not ID what I have.

Whatever "mite" it is in my Chicken Enclosure it's non biting but knowing it's there bugs me! None are on the Chickens, none on the roosts, none in the nest boxes, none on the posts, I have no bites, it must be coming from the ground although the it's hard clay with thick layer of shavings. It's not from the shavings as I've checked, shoving my arms in the bag comes out clean.

I've had chickens in this enclosure at least 2.5yrs & this is the first ever. First discovered last August when I saw them crawling up my legs, freaked out thinking it was bird mites. Sprayed Permethrin, Neem, Insecticidal Soap, Alcohol, dusted with DE, Sevin, Poultry Dust. It's not as bad now I can walk in & none crawling on my feet/legs & they're still not on the chickens nor anywhere in their living area but they are there. I know they're still there, I feed my chickens out of a square plastic mold dog dish. The critters collect on the underside in the molded corners. When I pick up the dish in the evening, I see them, spray with alcohol & they die, strain them into an old stocking & burn ... EVERY DAY since last August. They're probably harmless but I would would like to know what they are and should I just quit killing them. There's alot less but they're still there. They teeny tiny, color of straw & I think they maybe "Soil Mites" ....

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drumstick diva said:
Welcome to Backyard chickens Nic, hope someone with buggy chickens will send samples your way. I guess it would be good to tell them how to prepare/send samples.
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Agreed. Sending live, parasitic insects through the postal service has "bad idea" written all over it. Putting them in rubbing alcohol might work. I don't know it they would still be usable at the other end, but at least they'd be DOA.
 
dheltzel said:
Agreed. Sending live, parasitic insects through the postal service has "bad idea" written all over it. Putting them in rubbing alcohol might work. I don't know it they would still be usable at the other end, but at least they'd be DOA.
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That's one way I amuse myself at the barn. Each year I take a plastic bottle, put rubbing alcohol in it, and every tick I pull of of an animal that year goes in the bottle. It's kind of morbidly interesting to look at the number and sizes of ticks in there at the end of the year... It's much easier than trying to individually crush or otherwise kill them, just drop them in the bottle and they die eventually (the big ones take a while sometimes)
 

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