Mites? or something else?

[Suskm]

My girls have begun to shake their heads as though something was crawling on them. I've picked them up and checked them out and can't see anything under their wings or on the vent area. Today I was watching them and I see a small greyish insect fly into their feathers on the neck area but they are preening constantly all over. The other hens are catching these critters as they fly onto their pen mates. I can't really tell what it is. Any ideas? Sorry but I can't show you an image or give you any really good information.

 

[BunkyB]

Lots of head shaking and winged vermin. I would say a dousing of louse powder around the pen, in nesting boxes, etc. Although the hens preen a lot there is still a probability of mites. Check the neck feathers anyway. I am from Eastern Canada so your suppliers will have different products than us here.
I think others will be able to recommend something local to you or ask your feed supplier... Good luck, Steve

 

[Suskm]

I doused their coop, laying boxes and run area and the hens with DE and Poultry protector. We will see what tomorrow brings! I just had never seen anything like it before. Poor girls are distressed! I can't see anything on their skin or at the base of their feathers or vent area. Very bizarre! I did find that one of my girls had blood around the base of her comb. Oi!

 

[Pathfinders]

DE is not going to help an active infestation of anything. Don't know what "poultry protector" is. You need something like Sevin dust to treat the birds and their bedding and roosts.

Where are you located?

 

[Suskm]

I am in the Middle Ga area. Poultry Protector is an non toxic enzyme concentrate made by MannaPro that I use to treat for mites, fleas, lice and ticks.I spray it on their laying boxes, coops, and in the run area. I didn't see the insects today but my hens were still shaking theirs heads some. They are getting a bath in the protector tomorrow.

 

[Pathfinders]

Hmm. I've never heard of Poultry Protector. Let us know how it works on an active infestation. I still think you might have better luck with Sevin dust, but that's just me.

Be aware that if a hen is badly infested with mites, can actually die from them. Especially the smaller bantams. I appreciate you wanting to go a more natural route, I do (I am a lay homeopath and herbalist), but I also know that if mites are badly infesting your poultry housing, you might want to get aggressive at first with a more conventional approach, and then switch to a more natural approach as a preventative once you've gotten them knocked down.

The other thing you might consider doing is finding some "Dairy Spray" at your local feed store and using it as per the directions in your coop. It can knock down a severe infestation of a number of different kinds of mites. It is a permethrin spray that has a somewhat residual effect, and is very effective at reaching into cracks and crevices.

See this link for more info on the various types of mites that can infest poultry: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/MF2387.pdf

Note that Red Chicken Mites may not be seen on your birds during the day, but will attack your birds at night.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Suskm]

Thanks for your information! I am a bit of a novice. I have all large fowl hens and will look into the Sevin and Permethrin spray. I guess I'll have to throw their eggs away. How many days do you think will be sufficient.

 

[Pathfinders]

I am not sure you'll have to throw eggs away using either, but check the labels. If there is a "withdrawal time" listed for poultry use, then follow what's on the label.