Mites wont leave!!

[threehorses]

Quote:
Can't hurt. Mineral oil would work, too - it's often used as a show dressing for birds.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

it is very important to treat the living quarters of the chickens to clean out the boards of lice and mites
here is some infor mation on different kinds of lice and mites

Effects of Lice and Mites on fowl or Animals

The basic effects of lice on their hosts (birds and or animals) are
the irratations they cause the bird. The birds become
restless and do not feed or sleep well. They may
injure themselves and damage their feathers by pecking
or scratching areas irratated by the lice. Weight and
egg production may drop off.

All lice infecting poultry and turkeys are the sucking
and chewing type. Mites may be confused with lice. The
mites suck the blood. In general each species of lice
is confined to a particular kind of poultry, although
some may pass from one kind to another when birds are
closely associated. Chicken usually are infested with
one or more of seven different species, Turkeys have
three common species.

All lice live continuously on feathered hosts and soon die if removed. The eggs are attached to the feathers. Young lice resemble adults except in color and size. They differ in preferred locations on the host, and these preferences have given rise to the common names applied to various species.

The incubation period of lice eggs is 4-7 days, and development of the lice from hatching to the adult stage requires 17-21 days. Mating takes place on
the fowl, and egg laying begins 2-3 days after lice
mature. The number of eggs range from 50 to 300 per
female louse.

HEAD LICE

These stay mainly on the head and neck of the bird in
the down. Usually at the base of the feathers, near
the skin in the down, or at the top and back of the
head and beneath the bill. It is not sucking the
blood, but the cause is the irratation in the young
chickens or turkeys. Causing weakness even death. They
hatch in 4-5 days from pearly white eggs attached to
the down or at the basis of the head. They are
translucent lice resembling adults when hatched

BODY LICE

This louse stays on the skin rather than on the
feathers. It chooses parts of the body that is not
densly feathered. Such as below the vent.Maybe found
on the breast, under the wings, even on the head, and
other parts of the body. When the feathers are parted,
straw colored body lice may be seen running rapidly on
the skin in search of cover. Eggs are deposited in
clusters near the base of the small feathers,
particularily below the vent, or in young folws,
frequently on the head or throat. Eggs hatch in about
a week, and lice reach maturity in 17-20 days.

THE SHAFT LOUSE

looks like the body louse. it rests on the body
feather shafts of chickens where it may be seen
running rapidly towards the body when feathers are
parted.Even many as a dozen lice may be scurrying down
a feather shaft. Since the shaft louse feeds on parts
of the feathers it is found in limited number on
turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, that are kept in close
association with chickens. it doesn't infest young
birds until they become well feathered.

OTHER KINDS OF CHICKEN LICE

(1 wing lice, like head lice, it is sluggish usually
seen in between the barbules of the wing and the tail
feathers or in the neck hackles and back feathers

(2 Fluff louse is on the fluff of the body feathers.
It is small and broad, yellow and sluggish, staying
mostly in the fluff.

(3 The large chicken louse is robust, dark, smokey,
gray species and is seldom found in poultry flocks.

(4 The brown chicken louse lives in the southeast. It
is large and reddish brown.

MITES

Poultry mites some are blood suckers, some burrow in
the skin and live in or on the feathers. Others occur
in the lungs, liver and other internal organs. They
cause retarded growth, reduced egg production, lowered
vitality, damaged plumage, even death. They are a
constant irratation & loss of blood.

COMMON CHICKEN MITE

it is a blood sucker, in large numbers will cause
anemia. Egg production is reduced. This mite feeds at
night, usually remains hidden in the cracks and
crevices of the building during the day. It attacks
birds at night while on the roost. In heavy
infestations mites will remain on the bird in day
time. A day after feeding the female lays eggs in
cracks and crevicous of the building. The eggs hatch
and the mites develop into adults in a week. During
cold weather the cycle is slowed down. The poultry
house remains infested 4-5 months after vacated.Mites
feed on wild birds and thus cause infestations in
penned up birds. Spray or dust your buildings to
control them.

NORTHERN FOWL MITE

This mite is a serious pest to chickens. Lower egg
production and health to bird. As well as scaby skin
condition. This mite remains on the bird & does more
damage than common chicken mite. It is present in
large numbers on the birds in the day. it prefers the
feathers below the vent and around the tail, but will
be in all parts of the body. Females lay their eggs on
feathers where the young mites complete their
development without leaving the bird. This requires
you spray the bird and dust the bird. Thus killing the
mites.

DEPLUMING MITES

this mite causes severe irratation by burrowing into
the skin near the base of the feathers and frequently
causes feathers to be pulled out or broken. The mite
is barely visible to the eye, and can be found in the
follicles at the base of the feathers. Mites crawl
around the birds at times, spreading from bird to
bird.

SCALEY LEG MITES

This mite is one of the itch mites. lives under the
scales on the feet and legs. It also may attach to the
comb and wattles. it causes a thickening of scales on
the feet and legs. it spends its entire life cycle on
the birds and spreads mainly by direct contact.

CHIGGERS, RED BUGS OR HARVET MITES

these pests attack chickens, turkeys and humans.
Normally small mites feed off wild birds and animals,
snakes, lizards. Only the larvea of chiggers attack
poultry or animals. Adult mites feed on plants. Larvae
usually attach to the wings, breasts and necks of
poultry. They inject a poisonous substance that sets
up local irratation and itching. After a few days, the
larvae become engorged and drop off.Injury to grown
fowl may not be apparent or noticed untill the bird is
dressed, reducing carcass value. Young birds may
become droopy refuse to eat and die. Turkeys are more
effected than chickens.

TREATMENT

the treatment for the lice and mites is one of
spraying and or dusting.

Now the best spray is Adams Flea off mist for dogs and
cats. When doing this besure and hold your finger over
the vents of both the male and females. Not allowing
any spray to be taken in the vent. It will cause a
temorarily sterile bird.

Also can use the Sevin 5% from the lawn and garden
area of walmart and kmart. And use liberally in the
bottom of cleaned out nest box and then replace
bedding. Also put liberally on the cleaned floor and
replace bedding. Sevin can be dusted on the bird and
also when scaley leg mites come along on the bird.

Take and use vaseline or olive oil or mineral oil or
camphophneque and smoother the mite and heal the
sores, but then take after the oil or vaseline or
camphophneque is used and dip the whole leg and foot
in seven dust. Do this for at least three times a week
for two weeks and then twice a week for two more weeks
should have the legs healed.

If you can't get the old damaged scales off take and
use warm water with tbsp dish soap, and soak the whole
leg and foot for a few minuites and see if then the
scales can be rubbed off with a soft paper towel.

Then take and use some bag balm utter ointment or noxema and coat the whole leg and foot. Put in a 4x4 cage and keep up from the bedding and so that the bird can't rub off the medicated salve. Do this a couple times in first week and should have old scales off and new ones will grow back with the medicated salve or oil.

Now the other good prevention is to clean the whole
building and then spread seven 5% dust all over and
also can add some Diatomaseous Earth to the floor
after the seven about 1/2 inch of each, now put the
bedding back on as deep as you want it.Generally 5-6
inches deep.

The birds will scratch the seven and DE up as they scratch and keep their building clean of mites.This should last for the whole brooding time in the summer in a good size shed. Always cleaning out the excess manure and wet spots from the waterers. Replace dry bedding as needed.

Also you must then take some (A new car oil 1 qt and
mix with 1/2 qt kerosene (B or 1 qt new car oil with
1/2 qt linseed oil, (C or just 1 qt new car oil and
1/2 qt mineral oil and with a wide paint brush. Paint
all the whole roost poles and all the cracks and
crevices in the wall boasrds. This is where the mites
and lice live. I would do this twice a year for
prevention.

Also severl people use Ivomec wormer 1% water soluble
or 5% pour on and put on the bird. Injectable 1% is
used inside the bird in injection or in the water. And
5% pour on is used on the shoulder skin of the bird only. Not inside the birds mouth.

Directions for 5% ivomec with oil base put on shoulder
only not internally.
(1 1 drop small bantam such as female OE
(2 2 drops large bantam male like OE
(3 3 drops most bantams
(4 4 drops larger bantams and smaller commercial hens
(5 5 drops commercial large fowl and smaller large
fowl
(5 5 drops Large fowl chicken
(7 7 drops larger males of large fowl breeds of
Chickens.

(A 5% pour on type Ivomec Stays on the birds for at least
6 weeks. and is the reason it is only used on the out
side under the feathers on the shoulder of the
chickens. Slow release time.

(B 1% water soulable is injectable and can be used in
the water.
For more information go to the web site http://www.gkpet.com Also for instructions on this in a article by Anthony Kimbrough
on Worming. When there click on articles and Scroll
down to the article. Also one on epernex and ivomec by Nathalie Ross there.

Also use of Diatomaceous earth gotten from your local tractor supply, it is good for the animals and
fowl. This added to 2 lbs of soil and or sand 1-2 cups. This makes a good dusting box inside of the chicken coop especially in the winter.

In summer take a cup full of DE and put in a hole in the soil in several spots in the pens and they will dust in that mixture, Then you can take a cup and
add to the natural dusting holes of birds in the soil
around the chicken Pens at least twice a week. Mix and they dust and DE will Delouse at the same time.

The use of De ( use only food grade DE on fowl and animals) makes a ideal dusting box for the birds.
Put the dusting box in the chicken house and restock the DE weekly. May need
to add soil or sand also weekly.

Given at the rate of 2%DE to the amount of the feed
given each bird or animal per day it will prevent in
the birds, soft skinned worms as DE is passed thru the
gut the diatoms will knick the soft skinned worms and
they die of dehydration. Then when it is defecated in
the manure, the flies lite on it and the diatoms knick
the flies and they die also. Sprinkle on all manure
piles and compost piles and will keep the flies and
odors down.

Also you can use hydrated lime( pure white, bought in 50 lb bags at lumver yards, NOT CEMENT FINISHERS LIME MIXTURE) on the manure piles and compost piles for killing flie larva and mite and lice, which will be in the manure and straw or hay in the manura.Do not put where the birds will step in the Hydrated lime as it will burn their feet.

The agricultural limestone dolimite crushed is good for the pens of the chicken yards.Will not burn the birds feet. Take and clean pens and put 2 inches of sand or pea gravel on and then 3 inches of the dolimite crushed agricultrual limestone and it provides good drainage for the pens.

Then when the birds eat the ag limestone they are okay as it is calcium and can be utilized by adding 2
tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the water daily.
This helps the birds utilize the calcium better. Only
pure natural apple cider viengar is the one to use.
chemicl vinegar is no good. Has to have the "brown
mother" in the bottom of bottle

 

[onthespot]

Lot of GREAT info there, Thank you SO MUCH!!!

 

[Glenda Heywoodo]

Glenda Heywood posted this hep in keepinghe chicken hue and pen clean and sanitised
ALSO USE AGRICULTURAL LIME ON CLEAN FLOOR OF HEN HOUSE OR ANY UILDING TO DISINFECT FROM LICE.
you can by it by the bag at loes or any lumber yard. Then add the new liter and each time before litter is added put down
agricultural lime under new litter. aso sprinkle the agricultural lime in the pen area and chickens
wll scratch it down in soil nd it will cleanse the soil also.

Glenda L Heywood Cassville Missouri