Chook n Boo Mum Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 Maybe this is a daft question, but what do they look like? This morning, whilst having a furtle in Snowdrop's feathers - as I do on each of them most times I pick them up! I saw what looked like small pin-head sized creamy/pink (chook skin coloured) bugs near her skin on her feathers. At least I think I did - when I dug again, I couldn't find anything! I put her down & went straight inside to get the container of DE & gave her as thorough a dousing as I could manage, with one hand and a squirming hen and a large almost full container of DE powder to juggle! I also put a good dose in the dust bath and nest box, which she had access to all day as I've been out most of it walking dogs etc. I shook some over each of the other chooks too, although I have found no signs on either of the others - and none since on Snowdrop either. I can't find my chook books as my DD borrowed them to do a mini-project at school & hasn't given them back since, and I can't find any lice pics on here - maybe I'm looking in the wrong places? She's not showing any signs of being unwell or unhappy, I just want to do the best for her. Should I disinfect the Eglu too? I pressure washed it last weekend & either tea tree wash it or pressure wash it every weekend. Am now feeling like a novice again - thought I was getting to grips with being a chook mum quite well! Any help appreciated, Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 I had lice (well, Molly rather than me ) recently and found this thread helpful. The eggs I found on Molly weren't as numerous as in the photo but they were unmistakable . I snipped all the offending feathers off and sprayed with Johnsons Anti Mite Spray (2 day egg withdrawal ) but it worked immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 Have a look at the feathers around the vent....there may be clusters of eggs "cemented" to the feathers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted September 18, 2008 Author Share Posted September 18, 2008 She really wasn't happy at being poked & prodded & ultimately turned upside down so I could powder her belly, but I couldn't see anything that looked like eggs around her vent. To be honest I didn't see any more than the first few which I couldn't find again. Part of her distress was explained when I came out a few minutes later with a handful of grapes & she scuttled out of the nestbox....! Just wondering, they can obviously be transferred from chook to chook, but can they move onto us or the dogs? I am of course itching just thinking about them, as I do everytime I check the children & find visitors Will try & find some lice spray tomorrow; although I don't like the idea of spraying anything on them, I dislike the idea of creepycrawlies even less! Thank you ladies, for your advice, I have since looked harder & found those yukky pics myself!! One day I hope to be half as knowledgeable as you....!! Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 I think I'm right in saying (help, Egluntine!) that lice don't transfer to humans but red mite do? When we had lice it was only Molly that had the eggs, Milly had nothing at all and Maisie only had a couple of beasties. I sprayed them all anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 That's right ANH, lice are host specific, but red mite are not too fussy who they bite! Wild Mum - it does sound like you spotted some louse eggs on her feathers, hopefully you caught them early. Worth keep checking her over the next few days in case any hatch. If they are persistent yu may need to try some stronger stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 That sounds the same as I found on one of my chooks about a month ago and I thought it was lice. I sprayed them with the Johnsons spray that ANH mentioned and all was dead within 24hrs. The eggs were scrambled and fed back to the chooks - they thought all their birthdays had come at once! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Northern mite (the black ones) transfer to humans. It is horrible, and they drop off you everywhere you go. I caught them from looking after someone else's hens. Red mite won't bother you much, because they don't live on their host. Only worry if you get the red ones in your bedposts, as they come out at night to feed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Here's a picture of northern fowl mites - they are quite different from red mites or lice Ivomec Eprinex will zap any of these very successfully **this product is not licensed for use on poultry in the UK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
