Michigan

[NovaAman]

Well, from what I understand, ALL lice suck blood... Hmmm...

 

[Amy PT]

I've been feeling like a weird chicken person voyeur looking in her and not saying much. But, there's not much to say. I'm learning a lot about chicken keeping from y'all and I appreciate the info available here.

Our coop is a good hour of work away from being done. And then we'll do the run. We're having a coop christening party in August.

Nova, I'm sorry for your sister. I'm glad she's able to walk, but what a terrible ordeal for all of you.

Farmer boy, I hope that your family is finding strength and comfort while preparing to meet and say goodbye to baby Micah.

 

[NovaAman]

Bird lice suck blood from both mammals and birds. The Suborder Mallophaga are sucking lice that feed on a bird’s feathers as well as sucking blood through the bird’s skin. These lice can live under and between feather shafts; but one species is so specialized that it lives on blood, other fluids, and pith within the shaft of the developing feather calamus.
Reference
Proctor, Noble S., and Patrick. J. Lynch. Manual of Ornithology: Avian Structure and Function. New Haven, CT: Yale University, 1993.


Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet

Veterinary Preventive Medicine

1900 Coffey Rd., Columbus, OH 43210

Common External Parasites in Poultry: Lice and Mites

VME-18-03

Carrie L. Pickworth
Avian Disease Investigation Laboratory
Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine
The Ohio State University
Teresa Y. Morishita
Extension Poultry Veterinarian
Ohio State University Extension
Parasites can be detected on the external surfaces of the body by way of a thorough physical examination. Periodical examination of the flock can help to detect an early infestation and can help to prevent a larger flock outbreak. It is important to detect infestations early because of the restrictions on treatments available for food-producing birds. Moreover, many of the parasites have an environmental component so treating the environment is also necessary for controlling infestations. Prevention and early detection are the keys to successful treatment and control of external parasites in poultry flocks. The most common external parasites seen in poultry are lice and mites.
Poultry Lice

Poultry lice are tiny, wingless, 6-legged, flat-bodied, insects with

Figure 1. Lice eggs at the base of the feather shaft​

broad, round heads. They lay their eggs on the host bird’s feathers, especially near the base of the feather shaft (Figure 1). A female louse will lay 50 to 300 eggs at a time, which she cements to the feather shaft. There are several species of lice that affect poultry, and multiple species can affect a bird at any given time. Some species can be localized on specific locations like the quill lice; or others can be found over most of the body surface like the chicken body lice. The lice found on poultry do not suck blood as the lice found in other species of animals; rather they feed on dry skin scales, feathers, and scabs. However, they will ingest blood extruding from irritated skin. The entire life cycle of the lice occurs on the host bird, primarily in the feathers. Poultry lice are host specific and cannot be transferred to humans.

Fall and winter are the most common times to observe lice infestations. Inspect the ventral region of the bird for live lice crawling on the bird and for nits (lice eggs) as most infestations start in this area of the bird’s body. Eggs are white and commonly appear in bunches on the lower feather shaft. Feathers of infested birds may have a moth-eaten appearance. Due to the feather damage, the bird may have a dull or roughened appearance.
Poultry Mites

There are two major types of mites found on the body of poultry. They are the Northern Fowl Mite (or in tropical environments, the Tropical Fowl Mite) and the Chicken Mite (or Red Roost Mite).
The Northern Fowl Mite is the most common external parasite in poultry, especially in cool weather climates. It sucks blood from all different types of fowl and can live in the temperate regions of the world. As compared to the Chicken Mite, the Northern Fowl Mite primarily remains on the host for its entire life cycle. These mites can live off the host bird for 2 to 3 weeks. These mites are small and black or brown in color, have 8 legs, and are commonly spread through bird-to-bird contact. The Tropical Fowl Mite is comparable to the Northern Fowl Mite but lives in the tropical regions.
The Chicken Mite is a nocturnal mite that is primarily a warm weather pest. These mites suck the blood from the birds at night and then hide in the cracks and crevices of the houses during the day. Chicken Mites are dark brown or black, much like the Northern Fowl Mite.
The life cycle of mites can be as little as 10 days, which allows for a

Figure 2. Mites and eggs along the feather shaft.​

quick turnover and heavy infestations. Mites can be transferred between flocks by crates, clothing, and wild birds. Mites are capable of living in the environment and off the host bird for a period of time. Diagnoses of mite infestations are similar to that of lice; however since mites can live off the bird and some are nocturnal, inspect birds and housing facilities at night especially if you suspect that the Chicken Mite is the cause of the infestation. Observable signs may include darkening of the feathers on white feathered birds due to mite feces; scabbing of the skin near the vent; mite eggs on the fluff feathers and along the feather shaft (Figure 2); or congregations of mites around the vent, ventral abdomen, tail, or throat. Since mites congregate around the ventral region, they can also reduce a rooster’s ability of successful matings.

Flock Symptoms

Flocks infested with lice or mites show similar general symptoms. Birds will have decreased egg production; decreased weight gain; decreased carcass-grading quality; increased disease susceptibility; and decreased food intake. If any of these generalized symptoms are observed, a visual evaluation is recommended. Inspect birds around the ventral region for signs of lice or mites since infestations usually start in this area of the bird.
Treatments

Sanitation and cleanliness are the keys to lice and mite control. Sanitation includes cleaning and disinfecting housing facilities and equipment between flocks. Moreover, reducing people traffic through housing facilities is recommended. Eliminating the contact between flocks and wild birds can reduce the potential transfer of external parasites. Chemical control can include the use of carbaryl (Sevin

). Treat the walls, floors, roosts, nest boxes, and the birds simultaneously. When dusting an entire house, be careful to avoid feed contamination. One treatment method for small flocks or individual birds is the use of a dusting bath with Sevin

. Place the bird into a garbage bag containing the medicated powder with the birds’ head out and rotate/shake the bag to completely cover the bird with powder. Be sure not to inhale the medicated powder during treatments. The use of a facial mask is recommended to prevent inhaling this medicated powder. Because the life cycle of lice and mites is. approximately 2 weeks, treatments should be repeated every 2 weeks as needed. Carefully read all labels prior to treatment to make sure withdrawal times are followed for food-producing poultry. Severe lice or mite infestations can be treated initially with a kitten strength dose of a pyrethrin-based medicated spray on the birds to reduce the initial numbers. If problems persist, contact a veterinarian for treatment with such medications as Ivermectin�. Prevention is the best method of treatment. For poultry used in exhibition or for new poultry entering the flock, a minimum quarantine period of 2 weeks is recommended. During this time birds should be physically examined and treated if necessary.


Of course, you do not need to use the extermination methods suggested by OSU.

 

[Juise]

Still reading, Nova, but from what I am getting, not all lice do suck blood. However, I also read that the kind that make white or grey egg masses at the bases of feathers are blood suckers, which is what I am dealing with, so hopefully this should treat everything. Ergh. I can't wait to be done with this. At the very least, I will know that I took care of any mites they may have, which is what I am most worried about. Still haven't seen any for sure, but I also couldn't tell you for sure that I can tell the difference between chicken lice and mites.

I can't believe what difficulty I am having finding out how to deal with lice and mites on chickens. You can find information on every single treatment saying that it is the most horrible thing in the world and never do it. Then that same person will recommend using something that some else says is the most horrible thing in the world and never to use. And many of them have citations and references to studies and...

Can't wait to be done. For now.

 

[RIRJen]

Thank Nova!! Now after looking at those pictures I'm gonna have the heebie jeebies all night! LOL

 

[NovaAman]

HI OPA! YOU'VE BEEN MISSED!

 

[Juise]

Thanks, Nova! I saw those pictures, on that page or elsewhere, I don't know anymore. From those and am pretty dang sure the eggs I found are lice, but even looking at pictures of the bugs and then trying to look at them on the chickens... I don't know. I think they are lice. They could be mites. There could be both. They run in and out of view so fast, I don't flipping know, especially when they are supposed to be about the same size and can even be the same colour.

 

[NovaAman]

Juise, their is an orange product.. forget what it is called exactly now, but it is all natural AND it works... Some one on here said that they had tried it, but it is not available around here, and needs to be ordered.

Mr. Fluffers is the only one so far that has had an issue with mites... Leg mites. I am using... Shoot, I don't remember if it is Silly's recipe or Taps recipe... Heck, might even be tees... Oh geez. BUT, like you, I only want to treat the birds that it is showing up on. I used the permethrin dust in the coop as soon as I notice that I had a mite prob with Mr. Fluffers. None of the other girls have shown any lice or mite issues.

Sorry to gross you out Jen. HEHE

 

[NovaAman]

Found it! Orange Guard http://www.orangeguard.com/ or
http://insectrelief.com/

 

[uchytil]

Wow I'm up late! I have to take my Mom and Dad over to the Lake Express tomorrow so then can go to Milwaukee so Mom can visit her brother (who is getting on in life). Anyway, a good day coming up and I hope everyone finds it to be a great day indeed. For those pesky lice and such, Poultry Protector from TSC may help. I just clean the coop, make sure the run is clean dirt and sand nice and dusty). The birds roll around and voila - no more problems!

Take care all. See you sometime!