Lice and Mites - Pictures

[casportpony]

I was just out with my hens. I could feel something on the thighs of one of the girls. I looked closer, wondering if maybe she had leg mites or lice. Her legs & feet look fine, so I don't think it's leg mites. It is more on her thighs, in her feathers. It looks like sand. She usually dust baths in the peat moss I provide but wanted to make sure there wasn't any parasite I should be concerned about. It all looked to be in her feathers, not on her skin. This is probably stupid and I'm answering my own question. But I'm a new chicken owner and haven't had to deal with any parasites yet.

Lice and mites move, do these move? If they move they are probably lice. Treatment is permethrin spray or permethrin dust.

 

[hbrown322]

Lice and mites move, do these move? If they move they are probably lice. Treatment is permethrin spray or permethrin dust.

They do not move. I really think it's just sand embedded in her down feathers. Should I give her a bath?

 

[aart]

Quote: No reason to give her a bath if she just has some dirt on her legs....she'll preen it out.

 

[hbrown322]

No reason to give her a bath if she just has some dirt on her legs....she'll preen it out.

Thanks!

 

[OR4-hmom]

I have a hard time seeing movement on the bird so I gently slide my fingers down the feathers. I can then see movement on my fingers.
Northern Fowl Mites are horrible!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

No reason to give her a bath if she just has some dirt on her legs....she'll preen it out.

bathing a hen is worse on her feathers than the lice and mites are.

Let me give aart a big thumbs up.

 

[Red5]

Oh my. My heart goes out to you in having to deal with this issue. I recently started my first flock in our old coop. I restored said coop over the Winter, it used to house a dog between chicken periods. No offense, but if this happens to me and it very well could as this dog had flea issues, (I soaked it in bleach, etc, during restoration) I am going in there like General LeMay in Vietnam with napalm and laying down malathion after evacuating and burning everything inside of there (minus the birds which would be temporarily quarantined) giving it a few days and reassess. That is some serous business you got there, good luck to you.
Red5

 

[RobandSue2]

HELP PLEASE.....I have had my girls in a large insulated Garage for the winter...
I started noticing saddle feather loss and then BAM the all had it. Not much choice as I am in Northern NH and snow just finally left and they have been able to get out and about. I have tried cleaning the entire coop/garage and spraying with Strombergs Poultry protector.....each bird with same....each bird hand dusted with DE.....they still have feather loss. Their egg production has come back but could be the warm weather.....some seem to have discharge from vent not normal....I am at a loss...I've done garlic in water and probiotics to fend off what I thought was mites and I am still concerned I am missing something. Close inspection of birds I can't see anything on the bare spots...I only have 4 roosters to 47 hens....combs had been grey and dull but are starting to get red again.....tough to know if it's the weather or feeling better.
Any help advice or diagnosis would be greatly appreciated....I'd also like to hear from anyone that had it this bad also and when the chickens grew back their feathers and started looking good again? How long does it take?
Thanks!!!

 

[aart]

@RobandSue2 Feathers probably will not grow back until birds go thru a molt.

Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?
Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.
Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).
Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.
Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

If you do find some...check out this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134783/permethrin-spray

 

[RobandSue2]

Thank-You aart! I created a warm bath with permethrin (diluted) and have separated 6 of my girls into fresh quarters away from their coop. I am hoping to see results.

So you are saying the feather loss that is showing in the photo's I posted will not grow back until their molt (in this case this fall)??

Never have I had a mite problem and I would hate to think it was because of the move to the garage....it makes a fantastic winter spot with lighting insulation and space. It will be difficult to spray the entire garage-walls and ceiling as it is 14 feet high and ceiling of 20.