Just some reassurance ...... or not ....

[UrbanHenKW123]

Hi there - I have one hen that has bascially been without feathers for the past 4 months. It was feather picking. I took care of all the things that could be causing it and rehomed the main culprit but I think it’s just a behaviour they’ve now picked up. Anyway. My husband was cleaning their dust bath today and noticed these tiny little holes in the dust bath (it’s a wooden box) with little black bugs. They’re like tiny little holes or tunnels. I’ve checked both birds several times over the past few months and treated them with DE (just in case) so I’m thinking this is a wood mite. I’ve cleaned out the coop and hosed it down and added some DE to it , nesting boxes and none of those places have these little holes. Just the dust bath box. I guess I just want to confirm that mites don’t still holes in wood. Lol. Thank you!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like a wood worm or bug. I wouldn't worry. I personally don't use DE. It doesn't really work and is a respiratory irritant to both birds and humans. If necessary use a pyrethin or permetherin based poultry dust or spray to treat for external parasites.

 

[UrbanHenKW123]

Thanks so much!! I’ll see what I can find in Canada. We are pretty limited though which makes it difficult.

 

[UrbanHenKW123]

Sounds like a wood worm or bug. I wouldn't worry. I personally don't use DE. It doesn't really work and is a respiratory irritant to both birds and humans. If necessary use a pyrethin or permetherin based poultry dust or spray to treat for external parasites.

Ok I found this powder. Do I put it directly on the birds or do I just put in the coop etc?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I will dust birds if I'm seeing external parasites. I will also dust nestboxes under the bedding, and all wood roost cracks. I generally only treat when necessary, but you could treat a few times a year if you want to help keep numbers under control.

 

[UrbanHenKW123]

Ah makes sense. Thank you so much !

 

[rosemarythyme]

Doesn't sound like mites. Check your birds closely (pick them up, part feathers and look at skin especially near vents) and also check your roosts at night (take a paper towel and wipe it over the roost bars - look for tiny moving flecks or red smears (blood)).

If nothing turns up on either check, I wouldn't treat the birds.

If you DO see signs of mites, then treat both birds as well as do a full clean out of the coop, and treat the surfaces and crevices in the coop itself. You will need to redo treatment in 5 -15 days, depending on type of mite(s) and severity.

 

[UrbanHenKW123]

Doesn't sound like mites. Check your birds closely (pick them up, part feathers and look at skin especially near vents) and also check your roosts at night (take a paper towel and wipe it over the roost bars - look for tiny moving flecks or red smears (blood)).

If nothing turns up on either check, I wouldn't treat the birds.

If you DO see signs of mites, then treat both birds as well as do a full clean out of the coop, and treat the surfaces and crevices in the coop itself. You will need to redo treatment in 5 -15 days, depending on type of mite(s) and severity.

Ok thanks !!