Found brown little critters crawling around the vent area of one hen!

[chickenlorena]

I'm new to raising chickens so I have no idea what these are and how to treat. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. We only have 3 hens and I clean their coop everyday, and they free range as well.

Also, we are going on a 4 day trip tomorrow... will this hen be OK until we come back?

Thanks!!!!

 

[schellie69]

mites/lice get some sevin dust and dust each hen and coop and roost. Good luck.

 

[chickenlorena]

Thank you for the advice! Are the eggs still safe to eat if I dust with Sevin? Where do I get it? Do I need to repeat it again after a certain time?

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

Yes, the eggs will still be safe to eat. And you can get Sevin at any garden store.. Even Wal-Mart carries it.. It's also a good practice to routinely check them and treat their coop and bedding just to prevent them in the first place.. It's still no guarantee of course. Bugs are sneaky!!

 

[chickenlorena]

Thanks! So I need to repeat treament or it's a one-time thing? Also, how do you prevent another infestation?

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

I hit submit before I was finished.....

I edited my post above, to answer the rest of your question.

 

[chickenlorena]

Thanks so much!!! I've heard the DE is good for prevention... will try that since I have heard that Sevin can be toxic for humans and my kids regularly play with the hens. We go to such extents to have organic eggs and now this!

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

Good grief, I am scatter brained this evening..... But you can also pick up some Adams Flea & Tick mist... It's in a blue bottle and is relatively pricey at around $18 depending on where you get it and what size bottle.. I have some here at all times and I put a spritz on the back of their heads, under each wing and some under their vents.. It is also a good preventative by itself.. But I use it in conjunction with treatment of their coop and bedding.. Oh, and it smells pretty good too!

 

[Imp]

Here's some info on the little beasties:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

schellie and ms.fuzzy... are absolutely right

Use the 5% Sevin, or as an alternative you can get Poultry dust from the feed store. There are other things you can use as well, but these are easy to get.

You need to dust all the birds, paying attention to underwing, vent, and belly. Retreat in 7-10 days.You also need to treat the coop, especially unpainted wooden areas. I sprinkle it under the bedding when I deep clean the coop.

Good luck,

Imp

Oh! and unless you think you are in the midst of a horrible overwhelming infestation. I think you'd be OK to go on your trip.

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

Quote:
DE is fine for prevention.. But it will not get rid of them. And it isn't necessarily 100% safe.. It can be rough on the lungs.. But if you already have an infestion, you are going to have to use Sevin or something of the like. Nothing you do to rid these or other bugs from your flock, will make your eggs any less organic. It's what the chickens eat and how they are treated that makes them organic. IMO...