braden01 Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 About 3 weeks ago my younger daughter seemed to be being bitten at night, yet we could find any sign of flying insects etc and it seems the wrong time of year for mozzies etc. Then my elder daughter also seemed to be getting bitten. My husband and I think we've had the odd one too. The bites are very red, raised and often in a line or cluster. All over body but more often on legs than anywhere else. We've tried stripping all beds and doing super-hoovering but still happening. We spent a few days at my mums and they got no new spots but did when we got home so I've got a pest control coming in tomorrow to have a look and give us their view. In the meantime, I've been searching online and have found a few references to picking up bedbugs from poultry. I wondered if anyone has any experience with this? (You can stop scratching now!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Never heard of this. It's not cat fleas, is it? I wasn't aware chickens could harbour bed bugs - but as I recall (The L Shaped Room and other films), bed bugs are big things, you'd notice them. Hope you can find out what it is, but I'd be surprised if it's connected with your hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braden01 Posted April 26, 2010 Author Share Posted April 26, 2010 Never heard of this. It's not cat fleas, is it? I wasn't aware chickens could harbour bed bugs - but as I recall (The L Shaped Room and other films), bed bugs are big things, you'd notice them. Hope you can find out what it is, but I'd be surprised if it's connected with your hens. We don't have any other pets. Info online a bit contradictory but seems that they can be hard to spot when infestation first starts. Apparently you can also pick up from public transport, 2nd hand furniture etc - they can live up to 18m without feeding!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 It isn't red mite is it? Humans can catch those from chickens - they hide during the day and come out to feed on you at night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Regardless of what you have I would advise using a household insecticidal such as RIP Fleas which kills fleas, bed bugs and red mite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 I'd diatom my bed if that happened!!! Sorry not very helpful. I had little bites behind my left knee - but realised they were any bites from gardening the beds at my father in laws old house. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braden01 Posted April 27, 2010 Author Share Posted April 27, 2010 We had the pest control guy in today. He said that the bites sounded typical of bed bugs but could find no evidence at all in or around any of our beds. I'll read up on red mites and see if that could be the answer - do you know any evidence on kids '/ in house I should look for? Thanks for all your suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 It sounds like it could be red mite - when I had a problem with them I got bitten all the time They are tiny, little silver grey roundish bugs, when they feed they go red Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Hi Braden, no experience of this at all, just wanted to wish you luck in getting it all sorted out. Did the pest control/ environmental health person make any constructive suggestions ? Hope it's sorted soon A&Hxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Red mites in chicken housing are the same critter as bed bugs; they feed across species and are happy to come into your home, settle into the furnishing and feed off you. May I suggest that you check your chicken housing as that may be where they have come from (could also have been imported in a suitcase from an infested holiday destination), treat if necessary (I would treat it anyway - that NetTex Total Mite Kill is superb - then get the pest control person in to fumigate your home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verity F Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 These critters are AWFUL and tricky to get rid of once they're in the house! I would do as Claret says - treat the chicken house and get the house fumigated. Steam clean the carpets and the mattresses too. We had bedbugs which (we think) came in on boxes which had been shipped in a container by sea. It took us three years to get rid of them! They even managed to come along when we moved house. They lay mad numbers of eggs, which hatch when it starts getting warmer, so even if they seem to 'disappear' after summer, they'll be back. They bite at night in a similar pattern to fleas - a couple in a spot, behind knees, on stomach, top of thighs, knicker-line... and NOTHING itches quite like it. They will also hide away in very unlikely places, even in clothing hanging in the wardrobe which hasn't been worn for a while. I'm having a scratch-flashback here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
