Small holes in pigeon feathers? Mites? Lice?

[Kalyka]

Today I looked at several feathers that were spread out on the ground of my pigeons' run. The feathers have small holes about 1 centimeters from the shaft (rachis?) of the feather. The holes are about 2 centimeters away from each other, but it varied.

We found out after we got the pigeons that our chickens have lice. But it's really strange, because only certain ones have lice. Hmm.

The pigeons have two day old babies, so I would prefer not to use anything strong if these are lice, at least until the babies are a few weeks old. We have a small amount of food grade diatomaceous earth on hand. We might also have some Sevin dust...?
Also seen some small red mites crawling around, not sure if they are spider mites or red mites. But aren't red mites supposed to hide in cracks and feed only at night? These seem to be going all over the place, not seeming to care whether it's day or night. I've sprinkled some diatomaceous earth around, but there isn't much left.

Here are some pictures.

 

[laughingdog]

The feather lice are harmless except feeding n creating more dust n dander, which could be bad for their breathing. Some lice n mites can drain parents n young dray, n northern foul mites seem worst, as they make my birds extreamly agitated and can make them abandon nests n mites eat away squeakers to death. northern foul mites will get all over you eggs even etc. your feather lice are no trouble n to allow your birds to bath sand dust water etc n they can rid selves of them.

 

[loftkeeper]

lice mites need to be controled they cause alot of distress to birds if you plan on showing your birds they will be at the bottom of the class i would start by useing adams flea and tick for dogs or bronco spray for horses spray under each wing and the vent will take care of birds lice then find a loft spray and spray loft permectin is a good one. and by all means do the same with your chickens ivomectin for cattle is a good choice too a eye dropper and a couple drops down each birds mouth includeing the chickens this will also worm the birds

 

[Kalyka]

Okay. Thank you both. Right now I have a shallow bathing tub for them, and they have access to good dust bathing spots, but with their previous owner they didn't, and I haven't seen them take a dust bathe yet, though they take a daily water bath. I checked the pigeons for bugs and I didn't see any, though I'll try to treat them for bugs. I use DE on my chickens, can I use it on the pigeons, since they have much more sensitive noses? I do not plan on showing the birds. Since the pigeons have young babies is it safe to have them swallow the medicine especially since it won't do any good because it will go right into the babies, and is it safe for young squabs? Sorry, run on sentences.

Have you ever seen anything like this in the your pigeon's feathers? Is it caused by mites/lice?

 

[laughingdog]

Featherlice that makes holes in feathers, never bothered my pigeons, except some ratty feathers. northern foul mites have made bantams abandon nests.

 

[Kalyka]

Okay, but do they make large, random holes or are they in a straight line like these? I haven't seen any lice on them, and they are the ones with the holes. The chickens are the ones I've seen the lice on, but their feathers look normal. Is it possible that these pigeons's feathers normally look like this? They are rollers, if this is any help.

 

[loftkeeper]

use the spray it is safe for both young and adults dont spray young D E is not safe for humans to breath dust baths just spread lice and mites bath water with 1 table spoon of bleach per gallon is what i use i let the birds bath then remove the bath pan your chickens need to be treated they usually are the carriers of lice and mites the ivomec is a good wormer and helps with external parasites