- May 6, 2016
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These things are more like a tick then a flea I recently had the horror of this infestation with my little flock of 12 hens. Seems the older hens had the worst of it.
I am going to share what I did because I was reading about treatments and how difficult and time consuming it was to get rid of these things that I almost had my flock destroyed!
Since I initially thought I had a mite infestation so I spent the $$$ and bought Elector PSP. I bought the 8 ounce container for about $200. Super concentrated. I initially was spraying the birds but this was a waste as it was taking forever to get this stuff down to the skin, ruffling feathers and spraying, it was dripping off faster then soaking in. I decided to mix up 2.5 gallons in a 5 gallon bucket and started dipping. Being sure to get under all the feathers, soaking them good. Then we would lift them out and with our hands "squeegee" as much back in the bucket as possible. We made sure to get their faces and heads because I still wasn't sure what those little brownish/red clusters were on the waddles, combs and around the eyes. I tried scraping them off and they were stuck on like super glue!
I then started doing more reading and discovered that these were sticktight fleas/poultry fleas and immediately thought I was doomed! After the dipping and the birds drying off (my broody hen required a blow dryer because she was so pissed she just stood there and refused to groom) they looked better.
The next morning, over half of those little buggers were gone and in just a couple of days the birds are clean as a whistle.
This stuff doesn't list this pest as one it covers but I can attest it works great, you don't have to wear gloves or withdraw eggs and you can spray down the pens and places they dust bathe to eradicate them from the ground.
It recommends retreating in 14 days if needed and I am prepared to do that. This was way easier, less toxic and so far very successful in cleaning up the parasite issues on my hens.
It was well worth the money spent and we have plenty more of the stuff to retreat!
I am going to share what I did because I was reading about treatments and how difficult and time consuming it was to get rid of these things that I almost had my flock destroyed!
Since I initially thought I had a mite infestation so I spent the $$$ and bought Elector PSP. I bought the 8 ounce container for about $200. Super concentrated. I initially was spraying the birds but this was a waste as it was taking forever to get this stuff down to the skin, ruffling feathers and spraying, it was dripping off faster then soaking in. I decided to mix up 2.5 gallons in a 5 gallon bucket and started dipping. Being sure to get under all the feathers, soaking them good. Then we would lift them out and with our hands "squeegee" as much back in the bucket as possible. We made sure to get their faces and heads because I still wasn't sure what those little brownish/red clusters were on the waddles, combs and around the eyes. I tried scraping them off and they were stuck on like super glue!
I then started doing more reading and discovered that these were sticktight fleas/poultry fleas and immediately thought I was doomed! After the dipping and the birds drying off (my broody hen required a blow dryer because she was so pissed she just stood there and refused to groom) they looked better.
The next morning, over half of those little buggers were gone and in just a couple of days the birds are clean as a whistle.
This stuff doesn't list this pest as one it covers but I can attest it works great, you don't have to wear gloves or withdraw eggs and you can spray down the pens and places they dust bathe to eradicate them from the ground.
It recommends retreating in 14 days if needed and I am prepared to do that. This was way easier, less toxic and so far very successful in cleaning up the parasite issues on my hens.
It was well worth the money spent and we have plenty more of the stuff to retreat!
