Stickfast fleas are NO JOKE :(

[Ollieyamfer]

I need guidance from the awesome poultry people out there. I have an infestation of stickfast fleas. I have tried everything from Permethrin dips to Sevin dust and granules, and DE. I have even taken out the flame thrower and gone to town on the sandy soil and coop walls/ceiling. I even tried Ivermectin to no avail. This has been going on for a cpl months now. Even my poor cat now has to get daily checks because they get on her ears. I am in FL. I am desperate at this point. Anyone? Praying for a an effective solution

 

[Nym]

I had never heard of these. Eeek. I hope this helps!

Prevention and control​

• Providing an impervious, preferably concrete, floor in the poultry shed will effectively break the life cycle, since the female flea lays her eggs only at night while attached to the fowl and the larvae must pupate under 15 centimetres of soil.
• It is important that all birds roost at night in the shed over the impervious floor, so that there is a total break in the life cycle of the flea.
• Do not bring any infected birds or animals onto your property.
• The adult fleas may be controlled by smearing the infected parts of the birds with a non-burning greasy substance such as petroleum jelly (for example Vaseline).
• Birds can also be treated with a 0.5 per cent solution of maldison. Use a pump action spray bottle (similar to those used to clean windows) to administer the solution.
• Poultry dust containing 20 grams per kilogram maldison can be used.
• Clean out the fowl shed, removing all loose items of equipment and the litter. Clean up all debris in the yards and burn this rubbish and the litter.
• Then thoroughly spray the shed and run with a 3 per cent solution of maldison. Apply the spray in all cracks, crevices and corners of the shed and thoroughly spray all equipment as well. Also spray the run, especially around trees and posts.
• Spray again after 12 days as above, to kill freshly emerging adults.

Preparing the sprays​

Maldison products registered for use on poultry and poultry runs are available as formulations containing maldison at 500 grams per litre. These are available from your rural supplier or your veterinarian.

Sprays should be mixed and used according to label instructions.

Poultry dust containing maldison is also registered and available.

Withholding periods should be observed.

Stickfast fleas: control and eradication

 

[Ollieyamfer]

Oh yeah I have also tried the Vaseline trick. Just to practical to be doing it everyday. They aren't a fan of being handled. Oh yeah I read that same article, Maldison is called something else here in the US . Mathalion? I think. Either way I could not find where to buy it from. Not familiar with it either.

 

[Nym]

Oh yeah I have also tried the Vaseline trick. Just to practical to be doing it everyday. They aren't a fan of being handled. Oh yeah I read that same article, Maldison is called something else here in the US . Mathalion? I think. Either way I could not find where to buy it from. Not familiar with it either.

A rural supply store or a vet is where you get it.

 

[Ollieyamfer]

A rural supply store or a vet is where you get it.

Not in my area I guess. I couldn't find it. I'm gonna try the garlic crystals someone posted on the illness thread and see. Maybe using the Vaseline more often along w that and the flame thrower every 4 days maybe I have some success. Will see

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

Did you try to wash your chickens - carefully - with DISH SOAP in order to kill the fleas...?

I have killed fleas on stray kitten just by washing them with dish soap : the fleas die immediately on contact.

...You could try?

(Good luck.)

 

[Papaye]

the fleas die immediately on contact.

Only issue being the fact the fleas die so fast (with dish soap) you will have to remove them by hand, one by one...

Again : good luck!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

You said permethrin dips, but have you sprayed down your coop, run and lawn with permethrin? If you haven’t spray everything outdoors with permethrin and then again in 14 days spray everything once more. There are always more fleas in your environment than what you see on your animals.

 

[nuthatched]

DE and garlic won't do anything. Have you tried oral ivermectin for the birds?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I need guidance from the awesome poultry people out there. I have an infestation of stickfast fleas. I have tried everything from Permethrin dips to Sevin dust and granules, and DE. I have even taken out the flame thrower and gone to town on the sandy soil and coop walls/ceiling. I even tried Ivermectin to no avail. This has been going on for a cpl months now. Even my poor cat now has to get daily checks because they get on her ears. I am in FL. I am desperate at this point. Anyone? Praying for a an effective solution

Likely you will need to apply the Permethrin directly to the Sticktight fleas to kill them.

Spray your coop/housing with Permethrin.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...tight-fleas-in-poultry-with-permethrin.74325/