Help!!! Mites? Lice?

[TMNfarm]

My turkey hen came home about 6 weeks ago with 11 babies. At about 3-4 weeks old, 9 of them died within a 24 hour period. They were in an outside brooder with the hen. The last two have been doing great and seemed to be growing well. This afternoon, I thought I would give momma a break from being cooped up, so I opened the top of the brooder to let her out. This evening when we went to do chores, one of the poults was missing and the other one was laying in the brooder looking dead. I went to pick it up and it was still alive, but barely. We located the other poult who was hiding in the bushes and got the hen back in the brooder. The other poult was stronger, but still seemed a little week and cold, so I brought them both in the house and sat with them on my lap for warmth and gave them some water with a dropper. I soon noticed my head, neck, and arms were itching. I thought maybe it was the weeds I had to crawl through to find the missing poult, but then I saw a bug crawling on my arm! I found several more in my hair and on my neck, so I checked the poults, and sure enough, they are covered! They look like lice. Very small, white to clearish, crawling, not flying or jumping.... I feel horrible, but I ran them back outside and put them back with the hen. They will have to take their chances. I took the hottest shower I could stand, but I still feel like they are crawling all over me, though I haven't found any more on me...

So.... What are they?? And could this be what killed the others 2-3 weeks ago?

 

[youngchooklover]

My turkey hen came home about 6 weeks ago with 11 babies. At about 3-4 weeks old, 9 of them died within a 24 hour period. They were in an outside brooder with the hen. The last two have been doing great and seemed to be growing well. This afternoon, I thought I would give momma a break from being cooped up, so I opened the top of the brooder to let her out. This evening when we went to do chores, one of the poults was missing and the other one was laying in the brooder looking dead. I went to pick it up and it was still alive, but barely. We located the other poult who was hiding in the bushes and got the hen back in the brooder. The other poult was stronger, but still seemed a little week and cold, so I brought them both in the house and sat with them on my lap for warmth and gave them some water with a dropper. I soon noticed my head, neck, and arms were itching. I thought maybe it was the weeds I had to crawl through to find the missing poult, but then I saw a bug crawling on my arm! I found several more in my hair and on my neck, so I checked the poults, and sure enough, they are covered! They look like lice. Very small, white to clearish, crawling, not flying or jumping.... I feel horrible, but I ran them back outside and put them back with the hen. They will have to take their chances. I took the hottest shower I could stand, but I still feel like they are crawling all over me, though I haven't found any more on me...

So.... What are they?? And could this be what killed the others 2-3 weeks ago?

Mmm I wouldn't say so. I have read on this sit that the lice and things one your turkeys and chickens you can't catch so I would say that the bugs on your arm were in the grass. As for what killed your poults I wouldn't know sorry.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would think they were mites, or lice, enough on a turkey poult that early would weaken them enough that they can't recover, I haven't seen any on my turkeys, but I have seen them on broody chickens thick enough to weaken, I would dust them and the hen if you can with a poultry lice product, some people have luck with hens raising their poults but I haven't so I always take them, hopefully the rest survive, good luck, and I know that crawling feeling, handled a bantam chicken full of lice, had to shower as well, thankfully they can't survive on you.