Missing wing feathers on my silkie. Mites or Lice?

[NewchickieLTJ]

I don’t love DE cause I think there are better more healthy ways to get rid of lice/mites. DE gets into chickens respiratory system. Not good with a chick around either.
I think it depends on how badly you want to know if she and the other hen have bugs. If you want to know, I’d agree with Wyorp Rock, check at night by picking her up.

What product do you use? I have a natural spray on order...Pure Planet poultry spray.

 

[Kathy Golla]

Regular pyrethrin spray. Most people use the concentrate and mix it in a garden sprayer or spray bottle. You can get it at farm stores or feed stores.
Search the threads for Pyrethrin, you will find a ton of info about mixing it and how to apply. Lice/mites are one of top ten most common probs I think.
I suspect the product you state is probably pyrethrin.
Don’t spray where cats and bees can get hit by the overspray, it kills them.

 

[Kathy Golla]

Newchickie note the warning about cats and bees, in post above. Wanted to make sure u didn’t miss that.

 

[aart]

Do you think it would be ok to just peak around the coop to look for mites with a flashlight at night, so I don’t have to disturb her?

You really should fully examine her....and all your birds on occasion...especially because she's new to the flock.

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

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).

 

[Kathy Golla]

No that poultry spray is clove oil, not going to work. Look for pyrethrin.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ivestock-and-premise-spray-32-oz?cm_vc=-10005

This is a concentrate, 32 oz is prob too much. They carry an 8 oz too. 1tsp of the concentrate makes a quart.
I buy the big one cause it’s a good premise spray too, cuts down on the flies around the coop during the summer.

 

[aart]

No that poultry spray is clove oil, not going to work. Look for pyrethrin.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ivestock-and-premise-spray-32-oz?cm_vc=-10005

Just wanted to note that permethrin is the synthetic form of pyrethrin....that can be confusing.
Definitely want something with pyrethrin or permethrin,
as the DE, essential oils, herbs and spices will not kill an infestation nor even deter one much if at all.

 

[Kathy Golla]

Just wanted to note that permethrin is the synthetic form of pyrethrin....that can be confusing.
Definitely want something with pyrethrin or permethrin,
as the DE, essential oils, herbs and spices will not kill an infestation nor even deter one much if at all.

Thanks @aart , I used the wrong term .

 

[NewchickieLTJ]

No that poultry spray is clove oil, not going to work. Look for pyrethrin.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ivestock-and-premise-spray-32-oz?cm_vc=-10005

This is a concentrate, 32 oz is prob too much. They carry an 8 oz too. 1tsp of the concentrate makes a quart.
I buy the big one cause it’s a good premise spray too, cuts down on the flies around the coop during the summer.

Yeah, I didn’t think that spray would be heavy duty enough to actually treat anything.

It could be rooster damage.
Depluming mites usually aren’t totally localized to the wing feathers, is there feather loss else where?
But the overpreening and over dust bathing sounds like depluming mites. You won’t be able to see those.

I don’t think there’s feather loss other places...I’ve only noticed this wing feather. The dust baths were excessive for a couple days. We also have this big shrub that she was wanting to sit under. There’s wild birds in that shrub, and maybe even mice. We tried to get all the mice out of the yard with bait stations before getting chickens, but nature...I just wouldn’t be surprised at all if she picked something up in her adventures. She loves foraging around the yard, but I can see now why people keep them in runs to keep things like this from happening. I’ll have to be on the lookout for mites etc if she’s going to be wild haha. We also have chiggers in our yard. I didn’t think they would bother the chickens, but I’ve researched more now and they actually can...that may be it.

 

[aart]

Thanks @aart , I used the wrong term .

Nope, there are two terms.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yeah, I didn’t think that spray would be heavy duty enough to actually treat anything.

I don’t think there’s feather loss other places...I’ve only noticed this wing feather. The dust baths were excessive for a couple days. We also have this big shrub that she was wanting to sit under. There’s wild birds in that shrub, and maybe even mice. We tried to get all the mice out of the yard with bait stations before getting chickens, but nature...I just wouldn’t be surprised at all if she picked something up in her adventures. She loves foraging around the yard, but I can see now why people keep them in runs to keep things like this from happening. I’ll have to be on the lookout for mites etc if she’s going to be wild haha. We also have chiggers in our yard. I didn’t think they would bother the chickens, but I’ve researched more now and they actually can...that may be it.

She may have been enjoying her "freedom" you never know. I would still gather her up tonight and examine her closely, treat if necessary and put her back. If she's broody and sitting with your other hen, you don't want an infestation to take hold. A broody is not generally going to groom/dust bath like normal and mites/lice can really take a tole on a sitting hen.