Parsley Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 I have had a poorly chook with heavy breathing and a cough who is now on Baytril (injection yesterday and now being syringed twice daily). Whilst syringing this morning, I noticed shiny black beads on her face and also on my other bantam splash orpington. My other two are Araucanas and less inclined to be caught but imagine they have them as well as there is some head shaking going on. They also have dark skin so harder to spot. I have searched the internet and these are "stick fast" or "stick on" fleas (latin name above). I have never heard of them! Has anyone any experience of the or am I just the lucky one!! Apparently you can suffocate them with a smear of olive oil but I would like a treatment that is a little more long lasting to break the cycle if possible and easier to administer as the fleas are also in the smaller head feathers. I have only just noticed these and have had my chooks since mid June and have checked them regularly. They are very obvious on the Orpingtons. I have just started putting straw in the nest box as they are coming up POL and wondered if I have unwittingly introduced them? They can also live on cats and dogs and as I have one of each am obviously keen to do anything to blitz the beggars. Am itching as I type! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 how strange! I wonder if the johnsons anti mite spray might help, it kills virtually everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Ooo er. Never heard of them before but I agree that the Johnsons anti-mite* should sort it. It seems to kill everything! I think I would then use some Ivermectin* drops a week later just to be safe. Let us know what you do and how you get on. *Not licensed for use on poultry in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Just been doing some reading up on these little critters and apparently the eggs from the fleas fall to the ground and when the egg hatches out the little grub buries itself into the soil and when it's ready it comes back out as an adult flea. I then read that someone dabbed the fleas with a dog flea shampoo and by the next day the fleas had all fallen off so they then filled a watering can with the shampoo and water and watered the soil. They have never had a problem since. Sounds like a good idea anyway If any fleas are stuck around their eyes then use oil on those as the dog shampoo could sting their eyes. Also *Ivermectin and *anti-mite should do the trick too. *Not licensed for use on poultry in the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsley Posted September 11, 2009 Author Share Posted September 11, 2009 Well, I've just smeared olive oil all over the heads of the Orpingtons - they are now oven ready!! I cannot catch the Araucanas so will have to fish them out of the Eglu tonight and smear them - that will be fun.....not! This problem seems to be bigger in Australia and America and that is where I have found most of the info. The fleas stick on (like ticks on dogs and cats) with their heads to feed. The larvae need earth to bury into to grow and them pop up looking for a host....and so it goes on. I have read that this happens at night and so with the Eglu they should not be able to bury into the ground which should break the cycle. Wild birds can be carriers. I am fitting my extention and am going to stop the girls freeranging for a while so that they cannot pick up what is in the ground and I can treat the ground they are using easier. If the worst comes to the worst, I will move the Eglu up onto the patio for a while so there is no soil at all. Where would I get the Ivermectin drops xScrunchee? I have read that Ivomec is effective which sound similar. I'm not sure I like pioneering new chicken crawlies! It makes it harder that Spice is on Baytril and I do not want to overload her as she is a poorly girl. But, it could be that these things are making her weaker. The Eglu is stripped and in the sun drying and is regularly sprayed and diatomed but it still makes you feel you have neglected them in some way. PS I'm still itching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Personnally I wouldn't do Spice at the moment, give her a bit of a break in the middle at pep her up with some bokashi and yoghurt or some avipro.... I would put the other stuff on the back of their necks I think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Where would I get the Ivermectin drops xScrunchee? I have read that Ivomec is effective which sound similar. I get the Ivermectin drops from Ebay and they are around £25. Some people say that they are too strong however in my opinion it makes no difference if you use 4 drops of the stronger one or 8 drops of the weaker one. They still get the exact same amount Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 How is the battle with the stick fast fleas going? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsley Posted September 13, 2009 Author Share Posted September 13, 2009 Unfortunately I had a bad day yesterday as I had Spice pts. She went down hill very rapidly overnight and I knew it was the right thing to do. The vet said that she only had a few hours left and it was probably a virus that she could not shake off - the risk of free ranging and wild birds. She was only 22 weeks old, I had her for 13 of those weeks and she was my favourite girl. Sugar, her sister, was very disturbed by her disappearance and my two Araucanas, Bubble and Squeak, kept going to where she had last been sitting in the sun and calling for her - broke my heart! None of them would go to bed last night! They had a strange set up in that Spice was not head chook but took in the role of mother hen although they are all of a same age. Consequently, I have left them be for a while to settle down but looking this morning from a distance it looks like it will have to be more olive oil today for Sugar although only a few black specks on her and that could be dirt! The Araucanas seem clear and it could be the hair do is not convenient for the fleas to stick on - when my dog has picked up a tick it has always been on parts with least hair (including his "bits" poor thing!). It is a little strange only seeing three girls wrecking my garden and messing on my patio chairs. I'll update on the stick fasts and effectiveness of olive oil over the next few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 So sorry to hear about Spice . She was so young . I hope you manage to beat the nasty critters . I'm itching just reading about them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 Aah, so sorry to hear about Spice What a shame!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 Very sorry to hear about Spice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsley Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 Well it looks like I have won the battle of the stick fast flea, I now have to ensure that I have won the war! Sugar is clear so the olive oil seemed to work and she also has a lovely moisturised face so extra bonus! They are now confined to barracks as I am worming so that should minimise reinfection. I intend to pick up some flea shampoo to water the ground where the Eglu is moved daily and also under the hedges where the wild birds roost. I don't think I have a major infestation as I literally only saw it on the Orps the middle of last week and as they hand feed and like a chest tickle I would definately have noticed before. I am very paranoid following the loss of Spice, the sensible side of me says listen to the vet and it was a virus she unfortunately picked up that antibiotics could not treat. The other side of me is beating me up with what if I had done this, that and the other etc. I'm sure that a lot of you know what I mean! Thank you for the kind messages, the girls would not go to bed without "help" again last night but are now preoccupied with trying to escape their "prison". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 I am sorry to read this a hear of Spice. Google "Neem oil", I think you will be interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
