Lice and mites

[aart]

My girls are showing the signs of having mites. (Biting wings, feathers falling out around base of tail and vent.) I want to nip it before it gets out of hand. I plan on spraying and dusting the coop and run with sevin. How should I directly treat the girls? Thanks.

I'd check to see if your birds actually have bugs before treating for them.

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.

And yes Permethrin better choice if needed because Sevin has been given a lifetime withdrawal by FARAD.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Some lice are really small, so I suggest wearing reading glasses when inspecting, and inspect entire bird, 'cause the different types live in different places on the birds.

As for the "Sevin has been given a lifetime withdrawal by FARAD", will someone please show me where they say this, because I cannot find a source.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Look at what I just found on the FARAD site:
http://www.usfarad.org/uploads/5/4/9/6/54966231/poultryexternalparasites.pdf

 

[casportpony]

And this:
http://www.usfarad.org/uploads/5/4/9/6/54966231/us_aadd_poultry_tolerances.pdf

 

[casportpony]

Main species of lice on domestic birds

Cuclotogaster heterographa, the head louse, is about 2.5 mm long and is found mainly on the head and the neck of birds. It prefers to stay close to the skin or at the base of the feathers. It does not suck blood, but feeds on skin and feather debris. It is more frequent on young birds and turkeys. Heavy infested birds may even die before maturity.
Eomenacanthus stramineus (= Menacanthus stramineus), the chicken body louse is the most common species on domestic birds, and probably the most damaging one. It is rather large (2.5 to 3.5 mm long) and of a brownish color. It feeds mainly on feather debris, but is capable of sucking blood. It lives mostly on the skin of birds, seldom on the feathers, and prefers body parts with few feathers, e.g. around the vent, although in case of heavy infestations it may be found also on the head, under the wings and on the chest. The eggs are laid in clusters on the feathers or directly on the kin.
Goniocotes gallinae, the fluff louse, is one of the smallest lice of poultry, only 0.8 to 1.5 mm long. It is found all over the birds' body, but less densely on the head and the wings, on the fluff or base of the feathers. It also feeds mainly on feather debris.
Lipeurus caponis, the wing louse, is 2.0 to 2.5 mm long, and has a grayish color. It is found mainly in the inner part of wing, tail and head feathers. It only feeds on parts of the feathers, but so intensively, that is also called the depluming louse.
Menopon gallinae, the shaft louse, is rather small (1.5 to 2.0 mm long). It feeds mainly on skin and feather debris, but may also suck blood from the wounds it produces. It prefers the chest, the shoulders and the back of birds. Eggs are whitish and are laid often in clusters at the base of the feathers.
Columbicola columbae, the slender pigeon louse, is 2.0 to 2.8 mm long. It can be found all over the body, especially at the inner side of the wing feathers. It feeds on feather debris. Eggs are laid preferentially are the small feathers under the wings.

MITES of CHICKENS and POULTRY: biology, prevention, non-chemical and chemical control.

​

Mites are the most damaging external parasites (ectoparasites) of poultry. There are two major groups of poultry mites, those that suck blood, and those that don't suck blood.

Bloodsucking poultry mites behave rather like soft ticks. The most important species are:

• Dermanyssus gallinae, the red fowl mite: worldwide in all climatic regions.
• Ornithonyssus sylviarum, the northern fowl mite: especially in the Northern hemisphere.
• Ornithonyssus bursa, the tropical fowl mite: worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions.

Non-bloodsucking poultry mites behave rather like mange mites. The most relevant species are:

• Cnemidocoptes gallinae, the depluming mite, the itch mite: worldwide.
• Cnemidocoptes mutans, the scaly leg mite: worldwide.
• Epidermoptes bilobatus, the scaly skin mite: worldwide.

More bugs here:
http://parasitipedia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2655&Itemid=2933

 

[aart]

Quote: Some lice are really small, so I suggest wearing reading glasses when inspecting, and inspect entire bird, 'cause the different types live in different places on the birds.

As for the "Sevin has been given a lifetime withdrawal by FARAD", will someone please show me where they say this, because I cannot find a source.

-Kathy
http://farad.org/
Didn't save the exact link but this is the site.....good luck, it's jungle in there.

 

[casportpony]

Quote: Some lice are really small, so I suggest wearing reading glasses when inspecting, and inspect entire bird, 'cause the different types live in different places on the birds.

As for the "Sevin has been given a lifetime withdrawal by FARAD", will someone please show me where they say this, because I cannot find a source.

-Kathy
http://farad.org/
Didn't save the exact link but this is the site.....good luck, it's jungle in there.
I have searched there and here http://www.usfarad.org/, cannot find it.

-Kathy

 

[Flock Master64]

Very interesting and informative, just to subscribe.