MITES OR LICE? DONT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

[Hapigrl]

ok, I have been reading threads for an hour now and have some questions. We have 45 10 week old girls. Dark and light Brahmas, Buff Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, and Rhode Island Reds. This is our second time around with chicks, only starting last year with a dozen birds (Barred Rocks and Red pullets). Ok, last week we noticed that the dark Brahmas had broken feathers on the their backs and tails, some bloody. We figured the other girls were picking on them for some reason. I ordered saddles on Ebay, and we went out tonight to put them on. As we were doing this, we noticed one of the Brahmas picking at HERSELF! So then I freaked and thought omg bugs?!! Sure enough we actually saw a bug on her. I dont know the difference between lice and mites, can you see both of these bugs on a bird? I mean, is a mite big enough to actually see? And how do I determine which it is? Once I do is the treatment the same? If it is a bug, why only the Dark Brahmas? And if I have to use Seven, will it hurt them? Since the skin is getting bare I mean. I do not want to hurt my girls. Thanks so much guys. I am so thankful for this site and have learned so much in just a year.

 

[dawg53]

I recommend that you dust your birds with sevin dust. Then repeat dusting them again in 7-10 days. Dust inside their coop and nests, repeat again in 7-10 days.
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8162.pdf
http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html
http://birdmites.org/mites.html

 

[JesBarthel]

From what I've read, mites are a lot hard to see. Lice will be a light brown elongated bug that lays eggs on the feathers shafts. Sevin will kill both mites and lice. There's a product called Nu-Stock that is an ointment for animal woundcare, put that around their sore spots before using the Sevin, and they should be fine You'll want to dust them again in about a week to get any lice that hatched.

 

[Sumatra503]

The lice are larger and fatter. You'll see a about a 1/4" long tannish colored bug if it is lice. Lice are most common around the vent and under the wings and you'll see some egg cases at the base of the feathers.

Mites are tinnier like little black dots that are barely visible.

Dust each bird with sevin dust or Dietomatious Earth or even garlic powder to get the bugs under control. The dust will not harm the bare skin or raw patches. You can also treat them with a cattle pour on drench, a drop or two per bird or a small glob of horse wormer paste by mouth per bird, by small I mean about half the size of a pea.

Be sure you clean out the pens as well to get rid of the bird.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

They need to be dusted even with bare skin showing since mites can kill the chickens. Don't forget to retreat and treat the coop!!