little bugs too- which replent is best?

[nightshade]

I have also noticed that a few of my laying hens Have little bugs on them. I currently give them apple cider vinager but maybe I am not giving them enough.?..... We do not have rodent problem that we know of. And have not seen a mouse anywere (house, garage, outside even) for over a year. Good barn kitties

I think I may have gotten a bird at farm market that had them and they spred from there.

I wanted to use something on them to get rid of the bugs so I looked on McMurrey's site and found two things. I would like to know which one you guys think works best.

There was some things called "no mite strips" I guess you are suspose to hang them where the birds will brush agenst them. And then there was a spray called "Scalex Mite and Lice Spray" Has anyone out there every used any of these? How do they work? What do you all use?

I am really worried cause some of the girls are really use to being held and they jump right on you when you go in the coop. I don't want any bugs getting on our son so I told him he is not allowed in the coop right now. This has left him very upset cause after all some of teh chickens are his pets.

I hope that if we find something that works I can keep alittle extra on hand and when I bring new birds home from market I can spray them down with it. Before I add them to our flock. That woudl make me feel a whole lot better about it. Please any suggestions...

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I don't know about chemical type stuff for mites and lice. I use food grade DE in my coop bedding, dust bath areas, and in the chickens feed. It may not help get rid of a problem, but it helps to prevent a problem. I have not had any 'bug' problems to date. Someone with more experience will probably be along shortly to answer your questions on that.

What I can add though, is that you should consider putting any new bird into a temporary quarantine area, away from your flock, for a week or two so that you can observe the bird and detect any illnesses or parasite problems before the rest of your flock is put at risk.

 

[ella]

No matter how well you take care of your chickens, if they are in contact with wild birds they will probably get a parasite infestation at one time or another. How you deal with it is up to you. I'll share my experiences for what they're worth...

First it's a good idea to know what you're dealing with. A good way to do this is to take a flashlight and go out at night and look closely around the chickens rear-ends (I know it's wierd!) That's where most external parasites feed because the blood supply is close to the surface of the skin.

Anyway if you see fairly large white or light yellow bugs they're likely lice. Lice feed on the skin and feather shafts. They're pretty easy to get rid of because they can't live off the bird for very long.

If you see smaller black, red, or dark brown bugs, these are mites. They are nasty little critters that feed on the blood of their victims and can cause serious damage. They are very tough and can live off their host for months. That means they require a thorough coop clean as well as treating the chickens in the coop.

The active ingredients in parasiticides are usually a Pyrethrum derivitive.

Pyrethrum is an extract from the Painted Daisy. If it has Pyrethrum in it- it is usually pretty safe to deal with. Some of the derivitives of Pyrethrum include Permethrin and Permethroids.

Permethrin is a more potent (and most common) form that is also pretty safe to use and is very effective. That is likely what is in those products you mentioned. If you use them as directed on the label both will be quite effective on Lice. Mites may need more intensive treatment, but you can worry about that later.

Personally I've dealt with both lice and mites (ick!). I use Eprinex which is a cattle wormer. One half cc on the back of the neck takes care of almost all internal and external parasites. It's approved for both milk and meat cattle, has no withdraw time and binds quickly to soil so there are no enviromental concerns. But using it for chickens is considered an 'off label' use. It's never been tested for poultry I assume because it doesn't pay to treat a chicken that will only live a year at most before it's butchered.

I hope others will post with their experiences with other treatments like Pumpkin seeds, tea tree oil and whatnot. It's good to have a variety of options to choose from.

 

[nightshade]

Quote:
Hi the Eprinex is that anything like ivomec its a cattle wormer also. Would that work the same way? we sure it on hound dogs as an off label use for most infections as well as it gets rid all parasites. Let me know what you think please.

 

[nightshade]

ella-----

okay hubby says no way on the ivomac that it is way way too strong. The stuff you use could I get that at my local feed store to tractor supply store? How often do you give it? Does it hurt the eggs when it comes eatting them? I am very courious about this cause I know the other stuff works amazingly on dogs as long as you use it properly. Which is like giving any other types of dog shots yourself you have to do it right or it has devistating affects. Any way if you could send me more info on it I would be very grateful.
Thanks so much

 

[silkiechicken]

If the bugs are just lice, your son can still play with them. They are species specific.

 

[ella]

I get it at my local feed store, any place that has cattle supplies should have it.

I use it about 2 times a year, and I do eat the eggs, but that would be your personal choice as to whether you're comfortable eating them after treating the chickens with Eprinex.

Here is the product label info: http://merialusa.naccvp.com/view.php?prodnum=1111033

 

[nightshade]

Hi !

Thanks so much for the info ellla.

I am deffenitly going to look for it. They do appear to be lice from what discriptions I found on here. I check all the girls like I seen listed on here on a different listing. They only seem to be on a few birds, really older ones that are basicly just living out the end of their lives here, not really laying eggs or anything. I guess it probably has something to do with the younger birds being healthier probably. But if a few have them them then they could all have them is my thinking. Which scares the crap out of me weather they are "chicken only" or not. I guess its just a mind thing that "my girls have bugs ahhhhhh!"

Okay one more stupid question. With lice do the bite if they get one you? I am scared that if the son would get some on him and they would bite him, he would be terrifide to go in the coop ever again. And that is the last thing I want to happen.

Thank you so much for all your help everyone.

 

[ella]

Here is a link from Ohio State University about Lice and Mites: http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

It says in part: Poultry lice are host specific and cannot be transferred to humans. So you don't have to worry about them getting on you.

 

[dangerouschicken]

I used food grade DE also. for adult chickens. Seemed okay.