Pest

[Minefalls]

Hi Everyone,
Wonder if I could get some help on Pest. I live in New England, it's been very rainy here about 2-3 months ago I notice my chickens (4 of them) were losing feathers underneath and though they were moulting but it's continuing, they havn't got them back yet. Then today I notice while cleaning the coop small black bugs that fly. They look like nats to me, not fleas though. Now I am wondering if this is why their feathers are not coming back? I picked up the one chicken that lets me

and notice one on her.
Also it's been so rainy the run is just dirt now, they do free range but days I'm gone they are in the run for protection. Any ideas what I can put down in the run.
Thanks for any help, my poor girls I would like to get them back to normal again. They are acting fine, eating and drinking well.
Laura

 

[cjeanean]

I don't think mites fly, so I don't know what the heck else it could be. Do you know what parasitic pests you may have in your area???

 

[Minefalls]

Well, we call them nats, also called Gnats, they are almost like a fruit fly but a tad bigger and black. I could not find a picture by googling it. So far what I read they are in the fly family. Now I am wondering if they picked them up in the yard and brought them back to the coup. I did a white glove cleaning in the coop in the spring. Do you think maybe DE would work?
Thanks

 

[cjeanean]

hmmmm....I don't know how they could pick it up, that's the problem. They're in the fly family? DE may help, but it's used more as a preventative than anything else. Can you try to get a pic of these things? I would check around the hen's vents, since most skin parasites tend to stay around the vent.

This is what I posted on another thread. I've used TT oil on myself to repel ticks and fleas, and it seems to work pretty well.

DE, from what I've read, is more of a preventative than a treatment. Tea Tree oil is also a preventative, but I've also read people using it to treat. You need a bottle of tea tree oil and a spray bottle. Mix about 2 capfuls or so of TT oil into a spray bottle of water, shake well, and start spraying. I've also heard of people mixing oregano oil in with it, too. You have to keep shaking the bottle as you spray, since it's oil and doesn't dilute in water. Spray around their vents and under their wings. The bugs can't stand how potent that stuff is, and I actually think it *may* be toxic to them if they bite skin that is coated in it. I'm not sure, don't quote me on that. You can also spray it on the litter. Maybe it's something about the smell, cause that stuff is really strong!

If you confirm that your chickens have some sort of mites or lice or whatever you may want to get a commecial treatment for them, treat them and the bedding, then use the DE and TT oil/oregano oil as a preventative. Post pics of the bug if you can!!!

 

[cjeanean]

Here are 2 links to poultry parasites, one is for common and the other is for uncommon. None of the bugs listed seem to fit your description. Is it really hot over there??? The bugs may be irritating the skin on your chickens causing them to pluck their feathers out. I dunno, just a stab in the dark!!!

Common:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

Less common:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0019.html

 

[Minefalls]

Ok, I will try to post a picture this afternoon or in the morning.

You hit it on the head, it seems like their feathers are being pluck out, From the vent all the way underneath them , also now starting on top. The skin has been a little red, like an irriation was happening. I looked around the vent and didn't see anything crawling around there. I saw the black bug on it's back, the same that's in the coop.

It's been hot 90's with tons of rain, so a lot of moisture.

Something is definetly going on though, can I get TT oil locally?

 

[Minefalls]

Ok so they just opened up a Tractor supply store two towns from me. I talked with a gentleman there that owns chickens himself.

He said, the bugs I mentioned wouldn't cause harm to the chickens. He thinks what I am seeing is; it's their age, they are a year old and will moult 3 times this year, plus the weather has been really strange for them a lot of rain, very moist & warm, and also they can rub on the perch.

I checked their skin again and don't see mites at all. He said he didn't think the will get their feathers fully back until it startes to get cold again.

Does this sound right?