daisymay Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 (edited) Hi I let my girls out this morning and kept the new ones back to have a good look at them in daylight (too flighty to catch when out) and noticed a black spider looking thing crawling about near one of their crest. I picked it off and squashed it and it was full of blood. I've had a look on the internet but there aren't many pictures of things (apart from lice and scaly red skin, scaly legs) for me to compare. The descriptions make me wonder if it s northern fowl mite.... I have been worried that they had something as their tail feathers looked really greasy, which according to my chicken book can be a symptom of lice/mites. I dusted all 5 of my girls on Tuesday night with red mite powder as that's all I have and wanted to cover them all in case. I always totally douse the eglu/roosting bars/nesting box with diatom and have been putting extra in with the new girls about. I also put lots of diatom in the dustbath as well. Will the red mite powder do the trick if it is northern fowl mite. Is there something I can get that is better than the powder...I've read on the health faqs about the iver.. something drops and wondered if I need something like that..... Am panicking a bit. Can't believe the new ones might've infected my others, plus don't know how best to deal with it.... Edited June 6, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisymay Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 Hi The black spider looking thing was about 3mm long so not sure if that is bigger than a mite... forgot to put that in the post initially Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 (edited) It won't be a louse as they don't suck blood, but chew dead skin and chomp on feathers. It could be a mite if some sort. You have read about Ivermectin which is not licenced for poultry in the UK. The one you want is Ivomec Eprinex. You will need a prescription from your vet. I use Xeno 200 which is an Ivermectin product, again not licensed for poultry in the UK, but available online without prescription. There is an egg withdrawal period of one week after the completion of the treatment. Edited June 6, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 3mm is very big -- Northern mite is smaller than that, just like a tiny dot. They form clouds in the air, and there are usually masses of them together. There's a picture and information on here. As you will see, 20,000 mites per bird is fairly normal, and 200,000 possible. They are absolutely minute. You say it was like a spider. Did it have eight legs or six? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisymay Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 I can't remember how many legs it had. they were sticking straight out from the body...could've been 6 or 8...will see if the carcass is still on the eglu! The smallest it would've been is 2mm so still sounds too big from your description/pictures you sent gallina. was very dark coloured/black... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucknette Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Dont worry. It sounds like you are doing everything right and the spider thing might have been just that a squishy spider. It might have just innocently crawled onto your girl. I mean, some spiders we see now we dont recognise like one my son found the other day. We all thought it must be poisonous You have dusted and cleaned quite recently so you could just keep your eye one them and see what transpires. Nothing we hope Nette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisymay Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 Just been to do my thorough weekly clean of eglu and had good look around. There were a couple more spider looking things on the outside of the eglu. They are definitely 2-3mm long and have 6 legs. They are long and thin and black - similar to a earwig in a funny kind of way but without the head and tail bits (hope that makes sense). There were however also lots of little tiny back dots on the outside of the eglu - pin head size. I thought these were just dust off the trees but on closer inspection they were moving around. There were only a couple on the inside of it but as I said it is white with diatom powder where I covered everywhere so probably not the nicest place to be if you are a creepy crawly. There are a few little crevices in the eglu edge (almost like bubbles when it was moulded) and there were some in there as well. Have washed the whole thing down and left it open as am going to my local farm shop to see what they can sell me to kill these nasties! Have just spoken to my vet and they won't sell me the ivermec without taking all the chickens in and paying a £25 fee plus medication cost. Said I am not prepared to do that so vet said can't help. Is it sounding like a northern mite plus something else do you think....so upset. I spend more time sorting out my chickens and trying to keep them well (plus have bought nearly every health product to make sure are ok) and can't believe this is happening. Have only been in the chicken business for coming up to 5 weeks..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucknette Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Daisymay that spidery thing sounds like something I found in my bathroom last year. We are surrounded by trees here and I reckon thats where they come from. Your discription was spot on. You have done everything right so just enjoy them. I know its quite daunting when you first get them and want everything right for them. Im sure if you look at them they are doing everything they should be doing. Do they look happy, feeding and drinking well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 It sounds as though you have everything under control if the mites are not surviving inside the Eglu. Don't panic. Do you have the Eglu under a tree where there is a bird's nest? I rather stupidly put my Eglu right under a bluetits' nesting box (which happened to be full of red mite). But the mite problem inside the Eglu was easy to deal with, as I caught them early. Keep inspecting the ends of the roosting bars, the only place in the Eglu they like to be. Rub Diatom into the ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisymay Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 Thank you for all your advice. Hadn't even considered the under the tree possibility as when I lifted them out of the eglu the spidery thing was on there....fairly likely though as the eglu is right under the trees and all sorts of birds in there all the time...feel better about that thought! Have been to the farm shop and they don't have anything for disinfecting against mites etc. Went to another vet and although helpful said I have to take the chickens in plus will charge £28.50 to see them!!! Am going to dust them all tonight again and get some animal house disinfectant/mite spray from pets at home as a short term measure. Vet said that red mite is rife at the moment as the damp/warm conditions are perfect for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisymay Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 just spoken to a farmer who will sell me some ivermectin if i buy some eggs. said not allowed to sell the ivermectin but will throw some in if get the eggs!!! on my way!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nature Chick Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Sounds like a tick to me - are you familiar with the wonderful world of ticks? if so I am sure you would have recognised it as such - these could come from birds nests. Just a thought....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hils78 Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I was going to say a tick too... Have a look over your birds to see if there any attatched to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Totally agree this soounds like a tick.. have about 6 tiny legs all at front ( some are really mouth parts though.. the tick drops on animal when under bushes etc sucks some blood and then falls off when full Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jess Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Oh my gosh I absolutely HATE ticks, one the size of a conker was attatched to my dog once after going through a field of sheep oh my word !!!! Remembering it is so traumatic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEB Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 My eglu is under a tree and has lots of bugs on that sound exactly as you describe. They appear to mainly be on the outside though , not inside. I had thought nothing of it, assuming they are just garden bugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I get a fair few on dog and horses.. the easiest way to remove it a special tick tool that grips it so you can twist it... this makes the mouth release grip and let go.. you must never pull it as this can leave behind "parts" which can lead to nasy infection. You can use tweezers but be careful not to squeeze and force dirty blood back in http://www.petvetcare.co.uk/cgi-bin/ca001963.pl Another safe method it to cover it in vaseline as it then suffocates.. or an old way is to use a cigerette butt.. but this works better in larger animals that keep still.. not chicken I would have thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Have to say, I thought "tick" too . Good luck with the ivo-whatsit (what a nice farmer - you get eggs to keep you going during your egg-withdrawal too!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
