Please Help With Bugs! Eww!!!

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Ok, so first a bit of background. I only have one chicken, a rooster. He came to us by accident. My brother sent him home to my mom as a joke, because she said she wanted "fresh chicken". Well, when he arrived, she thought he was just "too pretty" to eat. So, being the good daughter, I built a box and bought an old dog run to keep him in so mom's "pretty chicken" wouldn't end up on the dinner plate. I didn't want this chicken... at first. Now that we've had him for almost a year, I couldn't imagine NOT having him. He's like a dog, he follows me around, comes when called, and even sits on my lap on the swing, or in the car if the door is open. Here's a pic:

Anyways, I had noticed him preening alot latley, so I went to the feed store and bought some poultry protector. Knowing my mom feeds wild birds and my chicken eats among the birds ( he is free-range from dawn till dusk) I figured he had some kind of mites, carried by the birds. So I sprayed him down, cleaned his box, and he seemed fine. Until today. I was sitting with him on the swing and I just happened to get a wild hare and was checking his feather. All seemed fine 'till I looked around his vent. His skin was beet red and there were little white (I think, I kinda freaked out) bugs, lots of them, crawling around.

I took these pictures after I soaked him with poultry protector. He has been standing on the dog house preening ever since I soaked him. He has since pulled out the rump feathers, but as far as I can tell the bugs have not moved to any other place on his body, as I soaked him all over, not just his rump. Now I am afraid I went overboard with the poultry protector, as I drenched him, but I panicked! He seems dry now, and he's crowing and ate and seems happy, but I hope I didn't poison him accidentaly. Also, what powder do you reccomend to sprinkle on his bedding? And please, no lectures on how it's better to have more than one chicken.. I know this. But I need a place to live and am not allowed any more chickens! Thanks ahead of time for your help, I'm trying to be a good chicken mom!

 

[lovemychix]

I used that poultry protector too and I still had bugs. Use sevin dust on him. They make a poultry dusting powder if you can find it. Since you just have the one give him a warm bath and scrub him well with dog flea and tick shampoo. Good luck. They just get bugs.

 

[lovemychix]

Oh... and use a old pantyhose or knee high to put the dust in and then just rub him down good.

 

[mypicklebird]

Poultry protector spray appears to be an enzyme based cleaner. It is not an insecticide. If you want to serious kill the mites or lice, and not just try washing way the ones that are not holding on tightly enough- get pyrethrin based poultry dust or sevin dust which is carbaryl. Those are insecticides and will kill poultry lice, which is what your description sounds like. Powder under wings and around the vent. Repeat in 2 weeks. Check him monthly and retreat as you see them.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Thanks for your help! I'm hoping the poultry protector will hold him 'till Sunday, I'm working 12 hour shifts till then. From everything I've read, your help, and the pics I've googled, I've decided it's lice. Upon further investigation I noticed egg masses just below his vent (which I thought was dried poop until I looked further) Sunday morning when I get off work I'm going to burn the old bedding in his box and clean it- then dust him with seven powder. Thank you all for your help! *Seems like alot of work for ONE chicken, but he's worth it!*

 

[Jenski]

I just use ProZap Poultry Dust, which contains pyrethrins instead of Carbaryl. I rub into the feathers around the vent and under each wing.

His skin sure looks irritated, though; I wonder if that's all that is going on. What does he eat? Is his general health good?

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

He is free-range so he spends alot of time under the birdfeeders (which is where he picked up the bugs, I'm sure!) I feed him the chicken feed from Orschlen's, but he rather prefers the cracked corn and birdfood from the feeders, plus the "snacks" that my mom was feeding him when she was well (usually wax worms and diced bologna) He is very active and of good bodyweight, so I hope thats all it is! I was thinking his skin was real irritated too, but is's just the skin in that area, the skin on his neck and under his wings is normal color. Also, alot of his feathers below his vent are broken off- I'm sure from all the itches and irritation. I just wanted to thank everyone again for all your help- who knew a chicken could become such a valued member of the family! He's just so darn loveable! Anyhow, wish me luck... sorry I'm such a bother, I'm just an over-concerned roo mommy I guess!

 

[Windwhistlefarm]

How timely! Had the dog not caught the Rooster, I would not have known-MITES! Am off to find poultry Sevin....but, I have 30 6 and 7 week old pullets he shares abode with. Can I use same strength of p. Sevin on all of them? It has rained here for 4 days and 3 more to come...how do I strip down, disinfect, etc. while keeping small chicks in coop? Rooster free ranges.

 

[lovemychix]

Where you at in Iowa?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Iowa Roo Mom
Here's a pretty good site on mites and lice. The photo of lice eggs should confirm your diagnosis.

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


Windwhistlefarm
You can use the Sevin on all of them. If it is lice or mites you need to treat all of them, then retreat in 10 to 14 days to get the next cycle after the eggs hatch.