I need help with ticks or mites or flea

[Riskeroo]

Hello everyone,

I have 5 Silkie chickens and we just discovered that they have some kind of mite on them. They are red in color and one guy told us they were a type of tick. Regardless of that, they are collecting around the eyes of some of the chickens and I would like to know how in the world I get them off.
Can I dust their faces? Like rub their eyelids? Cuz I feel like I would need to do that to get these off. Or if I have a spray to get rid of them can I use that to spray around their eyes? Or do I need to use a q-tip. I just don't know if chickens will automatically close their eyes like people do?
But ya the mite tick deals gather in the outter eyelid socket and it looks terribly uncomfortable and I just need to get them off but I'm afraid to try anything near their face. Any help or advice is welcome. Thank you!

 

[peeper89]

red north foul mite hope treatin them help http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Mites are the pits, and so are lice and ticks. Permethrin poultry dust works, repeated in ten days, and permethrin spray concentrate (Gordon's) works too, and is easier. You will need to toss their bedding (not next to the coop!!!) and spray the coop, floors, walls, every nook and cranny, and their run if it's roofed. The bugs arrive on free ranging birds from the ever-present songbirds, and can't be avoided unless your birds are indoors 24/7. I inspect some of my birds at night, on their roosts, with a flashlight, at least every week, and treat if one bird has one mite, or louse. Trying to stay ahead of the nasty little critters! You can't just pick them off, don't waste your time. Mary

 

[Riskeroo]

This is the chicken I'm most concerned with because of how many there are around her eyes. It's just packed, especially on the eye I took the picture of. It's kinda hard to see because of the lighting but I just wanted to show exactly what I meant. Thank you so much for the replies I've gotten already. They have been super helpful

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I have safely and effectively gotten rid of lice from chicks by their eyes by using the permethrin with a cotton swab and rubbed a streak on their heads.

 

[Riskeroo]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I have safely and effectively gotten rid of lice from chicks by their eyes by using the permethrin with a cotton swab and rubbed a streak on their heads.

Awesome! Thank you so much! I'm ordering as we speak. A lot of people recommend that stuff. Sounds like it's what I need

 

[EggSighted4Life]

When I zoom in I can actually see them! They do look kinda like ticks. But I agree, regardless need to be treated.

Look forward to an update how it worked for you. Love Silkies!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

They look like Sticktight Fleas. The Permethrin may work, but since they usually are on the face, you may need to smother them with an ointment - you can try plain neosporin. They also may need to be picked off individually with tweezers - some things I have seen say they won't fall off even when dead - hence "Sticktight".

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg236
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/lice-and-mites-pictures.1155789/

 

[Riskeroo]

They look like Sticktight Fleas. The Permethrin may work, but since they usually are on the face, you may need to smother them with an ointment - you can try plain neosporin. They also may need to be picked off individually with tweezers - some things I have seen say they won't fall off even when dead - hence "Sticktight".

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg236
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/lice-and-mites-pictures.1155789/

Omg are you serious?? Wow. I did notice that when I rubbed my fingers over them they didn't even kinda budge and I even scratched at them a bit. What a pain. Thanks so much for the information!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Omg are you serious?? Wow. I did notice that when I rubbed my fingers over them they didn't even kinda budge and I even scratched at them a bit. What a pain. Thanks so much for the information!

LOL I guess that's why their called Sticktight. Let us know how it goes, I would hope that once they are dead they may loosen easier, but I don't know, I've never physically seen these. How you get them off will be helpful to others in the future.