Pest

[Minefalls]

Hi
I hope to get some help, I have 4 chickens and they are itchy loss feathers and now I am seeing some white bumps on one chicken below her eyes (maybe some type of egg?) I think it's some type of fleas. I cleaned the coop and really only saw a few small black flying insects that does fly.
I am in New England so was hoping the cold weather would help kill them but they seem pretty bad. Is there something broad spectum I can treat them with?
Thanks

 

[LynneP]

You can dust them with a mixture of food-grade diatomacoues earth (DE) and Dri-Kill or Sevin. Pay special attention under the wings and over the vents. Add DE to your bedding, after changing it, and dust the roosts and next boxes.

You can also hang a 'no-pest strip', which is a wax rectangle in a hanger. The active ingredient is pyrethins. I'd do both. The no-pest strips are available at most hardware stores, tack shops, feed stores and co-ops under brand names like Black Flag, Vapona, TSC, Home Hardware...

It's important to rid your coop and birds of pests immediately and with cold weather coming, the warmth of your chickens is an attractant to them. Please check the threads below for additonal information!

 

[Minefalls]

Hi Lynn,
Thanks for your reply, I just checked one of the girls as she is a little broody right now and saw small clear bugs not red or black. I have some DE so dusted her but the others will have to wait until roost time they are hard to catch.
I dusted inside the coop/roost/nesting box.
Do you think it best I get seven along with the DE because all I have now is the DE.
Is it better to just remove all bedding and replace? I just did this not too long ago, cleaned the whole coop and put down new savings, so it's very fresh.
I am worried too if they don't have feathers they can't keep warm.

 

[LynneP]

You can certainly add DE to the bedding since it's so fresh ( use 5% by weight as a rough guide. If you can offer sand in a box for them to dust bathe, even indoors, mix some DE in there and they'll treat themselves.

Since catching them is difficult, try to get one of the pyrethin strips asap- they are SO good. It sounds like lice, so the faster you can offer relief, the better!

 

[cmom]

I use DE where they dust, in their nests, their litter, run, and all over their coop. I don't care if any gets in their food as I use Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE). I have no pest problems with my birds.

 

[Minefalls]

I dusted them tonight and added it to the whole coop and run then to areas they dust bath in the yard. It's so frustrating as I clean the whole coop like every 3 months, power wash the roost, plus pick up daily in the coop. Geez.
When should I dust them again? Do you think the DE is enough?

I saw where I can get Poultry dust locally should I add that too? I think it to be a bad case but this is new too me. Feathers gone underneath, under wings and some patchy spots here and there on neck.

I will pick the strips up in the morning too. Do you hang them like in a corner from the celling?

Maybe some of that electrolight stuff for their water to help during this time too?

For a maintence after this how often do you add DE to coop etc.
I just feel terrible for them, poor girls.