4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Groovychook]

I was giving Phyllis a bath yesterday because her bum was a bit mucky and when drying her, noticed some pale brown specks on her feather shafts near her vent. I've looked at the link to the photo that Claret has posted up but they didn't look like that- they were much paler and were stationary. I'm thinking that they might be eggs? I'd already been checking bottoms regularly for lice/ mites but haven't noticed any creepy crawlies...

 

I've been looking on line for the recommended treatment and was just wondering if this looks like a good deal? http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1502

 

If it sounds like she has got lice, should I bathe them all and treat them with the spray? Not all the girls are as compliant as Phyllis for bathing!! Also, would it do any harm if some of the girls are sprayed even if I can't see any lice?

 

At the moment, I'm putting red mite powder & diatom in their dustbath- should I get some louse powder & stick that in too?

 

Sorry, lots of questions but I haven't had any dealings with lice or mites since I've had the girls!!

 

Just thought I should edit to say that there were only very small numbers of specks.

[ClaireG]

It does sound like it could well be eggs. Sorry, can't help re the Xeno as not used it on mine. I used Johnsons anti mite spray * Not licenced for use on poultry* you have an egg withdrawl of 3 days. Lice powder isn't needed if you already have red mite powder. I would treat all your girls if i was you. You can also apply the powder directly to the birds, under wings and around the vent are places where the creepies like most. I'd also use some powder and/or diatom in their bedding.

[Groovychook]

Thanks Claire, that's a much more affordable option!

 

I cleaned out the cube yesterday and puffed red mite powder everywhere, including the nest box but that was before I'd discovered the 'eggs'. I'm hoping that will be sufficient until next week although I didn't use poultry shield- just ecover.

 

I'll go & see if my local supplier has the mite spray... do you think I'll need to bathe all the girls before using it or should the spray on its own be sufficient?

[ClaireG]

The spray on its own should be ok.

[The Dogmother]

Check here for photos and advice

[Groovychook]

Yes, that's the thread I'd been looking at but wasn't sure what it was that I'd spotted on my girl as they didn't look like anything in the photo's. It sounds like they were lice eggs though, so have ordered some Johnsons anti mite spray & poultry shield and will treat them just to be on the safe side!

[The Dogmother]

Lice eggs are white and are glued to the base of the feathers, rather like headlice nits.

 

If you have an infestation, then it's best to spray twice a week apart to zap the eggs that hatch too.

[Groovychook]

I'm confused now!

 

These were light brown in colour rather than white and not glued around the base of the feather, just up the feather shaft! Think I'll inspect her again... I'm now wondering if she might have eaten anything seedy that could have been undigested in her poo. They did look more seed like than egg like!

 

Thanks so much for your advice though...

[The Dogmother]

Ok, let's see. have you looked at the photos in the read I linked to - do they look like any of those?

 

Lice are mid-brown in colour and shiny, they scurry about on the skin at the base of the feathers, their eggs are white and glued to the base of the feathers.

 

Northern Fowl Mites (NFM) are grey and teeny-tiny, they move very fast around on the skin and are hard to spot. their eggs are like sticky fag-ash and stick all the way up the feather shaft, glueing the feathers together.

 

If you have lots of them, you will nee to treat the house and the birds twice, a week apart, then preventative treatments every couple of months.

[Groovychook]

Right, I've just done another bottom inspection and I can see a few dark specks around the base of the feathers around her vent. They do indeed look like the first photo but they're not moving around. I couldn't see anything like that yesterday but she did have a mucky bum & maybe I'd washed them away during her bath.

 

I have no idea what the light brown specks were...

 

They're definitely nothing like the photo of NFM.

 

It might be easier to examine her tomorrow when there'll be someone around to hold her whilst I look.

 

Sorry to be a pain!

[The Dogmother]

They are hard to see sometimes, so get someone else to hold her while you have a good look. I need my specs to see them properly

[sandyhas3chucks]

I looked today.. and though streuth big mites, but Hoippity hadn't shaken herself after her dust bath and with quite large bits of dirt. will be rechecking that they are (mites brfore) realy are gone.

how long and thorough are ypu lot with Johnsonsspray as clearly the instructions are for small birds!

I feel i might be under spraying!

[The Dogmother]

I spray under the wings and around the vent, taking care to get the spray on the skin under the feathers.

 

Repeat it after a week if you have lice/mites.

 

*this product is not licenced for use on poultry in the UK*)

[sandyhas3chucks]

cheers