My hens have black insects attached to their combs and wattles.

[Julie Rhodes Stanley]

My hens have black insects attached to their combs, wattles and eye lids, i have tried a spay from the vets but have problem with spraying as mustn't get it in their eyes, iv tried spraying it into a cup and then painting it on with a brush but loose a lot in evaporation, It did work but they came back about a week later. I have enclosed some photos in case some one has had the same problem and can tell me best way to get rid of them. By the way i am in Fuerteventura in the Canaries.

 

[MillersFarm]

The pictures are so i might be wrong but those look like scabs instead of bugs.. Is there maybe another hen or rooster picking on her?

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. The pictures are a bit out of focus, so difficult to tell if it is insects or scabs from pecking. It might be stick tight fleas. They may need to be removed manually with tweezers, and spray premises with permethrin 10% spray to get rid of hatching larvae. Some use a cotton swab with permethrin to coat area. Others have used SWAT, a horse product containing permethrin in an ointment for use around the eyes. Sevin may be used in some countries. Here is some reading:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg236

 

[Julie Rhodes Stanley]

MillersFarm, they are insects as ive pulled one off (with difficultly)and it moved also most of my chickens have them and its getting worse some have it behind their heads as well now.

 

[MillersFarm]

MillersFarm, they are insects as ive pulled one off (with difficultly)and it moved also most of my chickens have them and its getting worse some have it behind their heads as well now.

yikes! You might want to wipe out your coop and clean it as best as you can. How regularly do you clean your chicken coop?

 

[btguy]

permethrin everywhere. the bottle should have instructions for different solution strengths to make to treat the yard, the chicken coop and run, and the chickens themselves. i would probably use a cotton ball to treat the heads. by spraying everywhere the chickens might have access to you will kill the source they are getting reinfected from. be advised that this can get into wild birds and reinfect from there. i usually get chicken lice every fall for that reason. i generally remove all litter from the coop, treat, and then add fresh hay (any litter) and treat it with de.

 

[Julie Rhodes Stanley]

permethrin everywhere. the bottle should have instructions for different solution strengths to make to treat the yard, the chicken coop and run, and the chickens themselves. i would probably use a cotton ball to treat the heads. by spraying everywhere the chickens might have access to you will kill the source they are getting reinfected from. be advised that this can get into wild birds and reinfect from there. i usually get chicken lice every fall for that reason. i generally remove all litter from the coop, treat, and then add fresh hay (any litter) and treat it with de.

Hi btguy thank you the problem i have is that i dont know where i can get 'permethrin' here my vet doesnt have it and only sold me a spray that has 'propoxur' in. it worked but they are back again so i must have missed some the 1st time round.

 

[sbhkma]

Where are you located? They should have it at feed stores like Tractor Supply and Amazon carries several brands of 10% permethrin too.

 

[Eggcessive]

As said earlier, they look like stick tight fleas. Not sure that you saw my post (number 3 above.) Permethrin is good to use, carbaryl (Sevin dust or spray,) but they may need to be removed manually. The coop needs to be emptied, treated, and fresh badding applied.

 

[sbhkma]

Replace their "bedding" too