Please help - stick tight flea I think???

[wingsofglory]

Its so strange a problem for a chicken - they see everything and are obsessive about picking little spots in case it might be a tasty bug!!! I've seen them cleaning each other's faces meticulously. The one being cleaned holds stock still and closes her eyes and waits until the one cleaning is finished and walks away.

 

[picanins]

WOW!!! I have just found this thread I started over a year and 1/2 ago!!!!! Just in case anyone digs this out of the archives looking for a cure stick-tight fleas, I wanted to let everyone know that the long term treatment of Sevin has been PERFECT. After that treatment back in Jan/Feb 2011 we have not had one more incident with stick-tight fleas and have never had to re-treat the birds. Just in case anyone else has this problem - a thorough 'dousing' of the birds and the coop will completely eraedicate these pesky little blighters.

As a side note these RIR's are still going strong (looking a bit scraggly at the mo coz they're molting) but we did not loose one bird. Amazing hey?!!

 

[vmdanielsen]

WOW!!! I have just found this thread I started over a year and 1/2 ago!!!!! Just in case anyone digs this out of the archives looking for a cure stick-tight fleas, I wanted to let everyone know that the long term treatment of Sevin has been PERFECT. After that treatment back in Jan/Feb 2011 we have not had one more incident with stick-tight fleas and have never had to re-treat the birds. Just in case anyone else has this problem - a thorough 'dousing' of the birds and the coop will completely eraedicate these pesky little blighters.

As a side note these RIR's are still going strong (looking a bit scraggly at the mo coz they're molting) but we did not loose one bird. Amazing hey?!!

Yay!!!!

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Tried Sevin when this started. I'm still fighting it. Used Permethrin that worked for a while and they came back with a vengeance. Also tried Frontline, Advantage and Eprinex pour on. None worked for long. I am at my wits end. I was hoping the rainy season would end this but it didn't. If only I could get it to rain in the barn.

 

[picanins]

Tried Sevin when this started.  I'm still fighting it.  Used Permethrin that worked for a while and they came back with a vengeance. Also tried Frontline, Advantage and Eprinex pour on.  None worked for long.  I am at my wits end.  I was hoping the rainy season would end this but it didn't.  If only I could get it to rain in the barn. 

Oh my WORD!!!! I feel for you. This is a horrible infestation to have!!

Do you know how yours started? Has it always been an issue?

Even though our birds were heavily infested ( boy it was bad) and gave it to our guineas, there was not enough time for the fleas to breed in the sand (thank the Lord). I don't know if this is possible, but I'd probably treat the birds with Sevin ALL OVER then move them to a non-infested area (maybe a make-shift pen or some tractors :/ depending on how many birds you have) and then clean out the coop - bleach it and then sprinkle dust all over it, then dig up the 'run' area and pour Sevin all over the place. Dig and Sevin and dig and Sevin the entire 'run' area. I would retreat the birds every couple days until they all fall off and then move the tractors and treat the ground and the birds again. Does that make sense?

Ohhhh I'm so sorry you're battling this. We completely eliminated the problem an haven't had to treat our birds since. I reeeeeeeeeeally hope you find a solution

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I have heard what started it was the two year drought that we had been going through. This type of tick ( yes it really is a tick. The only reason they classified it as a flea because it can jump 2 ft.) They hate water and are unable to breed if the sand is too wet. I'm hoping the heavy rainy season will help put a stop to this. I have already flooded two stalls in the barn. I guess I'll have to do all eight of them and also the 12 x 48 foot isle in the center. I have noticed the groups that go out and free range don't have as many as the ones I have been keeping in their stalls and runs. I was keeping these segregated for breeding purposes but the last few days have been letting them out as well. I am on my fourth bottle of Permethrin 10% and sprayed on a regular schedule and they still came back. I have 100 plus chickens at present time so treating a bird on an individual basis is not practical.

 

[heaherheather]

I am dealing with the exact same bug!!!!!!! My poor poor chickins have the same thing in there little heads I am using and reusing DE every 10 days and plan on doing that for aleast the next 30 -45 days. I wanted to let you know that I dunked my chickin heads in a 5 gal bucket and they were fine......... a little on the confused side on what just happen to them but they were just fine!!!!!!! I also put them in a pin that was about 3 feet off the ground until I treated there pin....... it was a pain in the you know what but I figured it might help keep the bugs off until I could KILL each and every little one......The bugs look like fleas but stick to you like ticks and once I relized they were not only getting on my chickins but dogs my cats and then my children.......I flipped out!!!!!!!!! Not to scare you but I have been fighting and fighting these super bugs for about a year know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It seems like once you think there gone all of sudden they are back agin!!!!!!! I dont think I I have ever gottin completly rid of them but the DE, the flea dip and switching out the bedding along with bleaching it every couple pf weeks keep them under control!!!!! I am excited for the day I relize OH I havent seen a "Stick Tight" in awhile!!!!!! Good luck and if you come acrost anything that works I havent mentioned please please let me know at [email protected] GOOD LUCK TO YA!!!!!!!!

 

[snowflake]

sounds terrible, you could try Ivermectin 4cc in a gallon of water or a couple drops on the back of the neck. I spray liquid 7 in my coop all cracks,walls, and perches. make a dust bath in a large tub or box with peat moss,sand,DE,wood ash and 7, they love to dust bath and it helps get rid of bugs.
I have not dealt with that lovely bug, thankfully! Mi. freeze I hope will keep them away....I am surprised the permethrin didn't work though so many people around here have good luck with that.

I hope you can get rid of them soon

 

[FenikT]

For info on stick-tight FLEAS (not ticks) and other less common pests on poultry, click on http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0019.html

 

[tntpeeps]

Hello, from South Texas!!! Man,we have a horrible flea infestation in our chicken coop....and we think that mice/rats are also contributing to the spreading of the fleas...how do we get rid of the mice/rats with out the chikens getting into the poison?? we tried live traps...they just laughed at us...we have 2 cats that stay outside, but they cant get them all...we live out in the country and keep the feed in sealed freezers....HELP!!!