Question for Alaskans

[AlaskGirl]

I conveniently dismissed mites as a non-Alaska issue. I had a limpish Amaracauna (pure), but I figured it was not a good breed for our very cold weather. I have two lights in our insulated coop and all others are active and well. This bird was near death today so I brought her inside only to find tons of bugs on her. They look yellow and are quite big. There might have been another type of bug on her too, one that was a rich red color and skinnier than the yellow bugs. I am freaked out and I don't even want her in my house but I will do whatever I can to heal her if it's within my power...any advice?? I dusted her upper half with DE but I am waiting for her to improve before I dust her further. I syringed a tbsp of sugar water and she's sitting under a bright, warm light, inside a fluffified tote. Will do syringe more water shortly. Of course after I am done with her I will dust the coop. I'll also crush fresh garlic (everyday?). What else??

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Mites and lice are gross. They sell many products at farm stores like dusts and sprays that are used for treatment. Sevin dust works well. They have probably laid eggs on your chicken. These are called nits, if you put vaseline on the nits they cant hatch and fall off.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

I conveniently dismissed mites as a non-Alaska issue. I had a limpish Amaracauna (pure), but I figured it was not a good breed for our very cold weather. I have two lights in our insulated coop and all others are active and well. This bird was near death today so I brought her inside only to find tons of bugs on her. They look yellow and are quite big. There might have been another type of bug on her too, one that was a rich red color and skinnier than the yellow bugs. I am freaked out and I don't even want her in my house but I will do whatever I can to heal her if it's within my power...any advice?? I dusted her upper half with DE but I am waiting for her to improve before I dust her further. I syringed a tbsp of sugar water and she's sitting under a bright, warm light, inside a fluffified tote. Will do syringe more water shortly. Of course after I am done with her I will dust the coop. I'll also crush fresh garlic (everyday?). What else??

I imagine your bird loves it's 'fluffified' tote, and hopefully, so will most of the bugs. They can (and will) spread, so you're gonna wanna treat 'em much more effectively than you can w/ dimetomaceous earth and garlic.

Permethrum is a natural extract which should be effective, but may be difficult to come by. However, it's chemical counterpart, permethrin, is actually safer and more effective ... it's usually found w/in poultry and garden dust, which would be your best solution, and is available at most any farm/feed supply, or even many drug/grocery stores.

While you're at it, you should probably get a bottle of the concentrated form of permethrin (usually 10%) intended for use in sprayers, which is exactly what I suggest you do ...

You could also, tonight, give your bird a lukewarm bath, sudsing beneath her feathers well w/ murphy's oil soap, which will may effectively kill the lice/mites that are currently on her. Also, you'll wanna put your 'fluffifiers' into the washing machine on the hottest setting, and over-dry them.

Your coop(s) and flock(s) require treatment as well, as they will also be infested as well )-;~