Polish/ crested breeds and bugs

[nixchix]

hello. this is my first post!
I have about 120 chickens. 3 of them are Polish and all 3 of them have small white bugs which I do not know if they mites or lice. I have noticed that only they have bugs and all the other girls are free and clean of any bugs- all sorts of breeds.

do polish get mites/ lice more than other breeds?
I keep my girls (and few boys) chemical free- all pesticide free.
I am going to try DE in the dust baths. Besides giving the a water bath that has been suggested on this forum, any thing else?

thanks!
nick
nixchix.wordpress.com

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Hmm, you can try reading this here. I've never dealt with it but they have crests, which is a great place for pests to hide. Just scroll through.

http://polishchooks.com/chooks_problems.html

(Bare in mind that this site is the Australian Polish breeder's club. Some of the products listed may or may not be found in the U.S.)

Edited to add: Oh! And how could I forget?

!

 

[threehorses]

If they're long, they're crest lice. Polish are prone to them. If they're small and circular, they're mites.

In either case, dust the birds thoroughly with PERMETHRIN dust. This dust is commonly sold as "poultry dust" or "mite dust" at feed stores, TSC, etc. (Call before you head out to the store... make sure they tell you it's permethrin, not sevin or another dust).

You'll want to treat the crests thoroughly, but you will cover the eyes/nostrils of the bird while doing so with a gloved hand. This usually requires a helper. Make sure you really ruffle the dust in good. The dust the entire body, paying careful attention under the wings, around the vent, and at the back of the neck.

DE incidentally is a control method but will not treat an infestation. THis is an infestation. I personally would not water bathe them.

Some people also use Adams flea and tick spray on the crest section and dust the rest of the bird. This method is highly effective for lice. Again, cover the nares and eyes of the bird with your hand to shielf them from the spray.