Fleas on a chicken?

[flock-mama]

I have a BO that is 2 yrs old, her butt looks poopy and bare, as I looked closer there was little black bugs on her back. I was going to use some mite dust like I do every year, but these look like fleas. Bigger than a mite. The poopy, remindes me of baby chicks with poopy butt. I have never wormed or anything except for dusting for mites. All my chickens free range so maybe she ate something funny. Any help would be great!

 

[ninny]

I would use a flea and tick shampoo for puppies or kittens. Thats what we use it also kills mites. Wash them with dawn dish soap to break down the oils in the feathers first then with the flea shampoo. make sure you have some thing in the sink for them to step on. I use the bathtub feet grips. Then towel dry. we use a blow dryer on our birds and they love it.

 

[Dawn419]

Found this post that may help you out:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=52853

...until someone with more knowledge sees this.


Dawn

 

[ruby]

are you sure they aren't stick fleas??. they are a problem now

 

[flock-mama]

I don't know what stick fleas are. She looks like the only one, I don't have anymore coops to put her by herself.
So you really just bath your chickens like a dog? I had to do it once to get loads of mud off a hens back, but I thought I was crazy doing that. I didn't want to hurt her.

 

[flock-mama]

Ok I read that link, thank you. I think that may be what it is. So mite dusting might help. I will get some and try.

 

[LynneP]

I'm wondering also if you should put some Sevin or Dri-Kill anywhere your birds dust bathe. Another way to keep fleas at bay is to use a hanging no-pest strip (pyrethins) made by Black Flag or Vapona. Can be used in coops, barns, homes but not over water/feed or where animals might get at them.