Author Topic: Northern (?) mite (Read 3228 times)

Heather B · « **on:** February 20, 2015, 09:01:35 pm »

Absolutely gutted - my blue Silkie Cockerel has what I think is northern mite - white clusters/ball shaped things near his vent which I believe to be the egg cases. I could only, in the fading light clean his botty and apply lice powder. Tomorrow I will have to check another silkie hen and clean coop (luckily they are separate to my other hens).

I have read that these egg cases needs to be removed - any ideas how this can be done effectively? My husband's face was a picture when I indicated he would have to help me remove lice eggs from a chicken's bottom! I suspect also I will have to re-treat him (the cockerel)! on a few more occasions with powder after removal.

Any suggestions would be greatly received.

HesterF · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2015, 10:22:05 pm »

I've just had exactly the same thing & feel rubbish I hadn't noticed them before. I saw them on a hen that I'd put a saddle on because she was losing feathers on her back - now think it was probably because of the lice/mites - and she'd managed to break the saddle. When I took it off, I noticed clusters of eggs on the saddle itself and checking her, she had loads on her. I think they're actually lice rather than mites. I've used a spot-on that we had for the cats and rabbits on all the chickens in that coop. I'll bin the eggs for a couple of weeks. And when it's not pouring down the entire day, I'll clean the coop and spray that with an insecticide too.

H

Heather B · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2015, 09:11:56 am »

Hi Hester, thanks for reply. Yes I think they are lice too. I have doused his partner silkie today and cleaned out this morning (whilst sunny)! as a matter of course. I am worried about cutting them out in case I cut a quill rather than a feather but must remove them before they hatch and infect everyone, OMG nightmare. Its hard to grab him during the day so later I will try and remove some, perhaps try and soften them with some olive oil (?) and spray with something or other. Worried about using Frontline/spot on but it seems a few are doing this. I don't think it is going to be a quick job! Its really hard in the winter to keep on top of these things especially when confronted with wind, rain and snow (today)!

chrismahon · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2015, 09:19:18 am »

They are lice Hester, if you have clusters of eggs stuck to the base of the feathers. It's not necessary to remove them if you treat with Johnson's flea spray (not licensed for chickens and contains Pyrethrum). Just a few pump sprays in the general area will do it and check a week later as occasionally you need to re-treat. The lice move through the area and die on contact. The eggs hatch and the youngsters die as well. The feathers are replaced at the moult.

Put 5-10% potash in their soil bath and that keeps them at bay.

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2015, 10:11:11 am »

Get some neem oil put it in a tub of hot water and give him a bath. Some of the egg clusters will come off in the warm water and the neem does something to stop them reproducing.

Heather B · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2015, 03:34:17 pm »

Brilliant thank you. Will try both. Was reluctant to use the spray but will do. My Orpington also has some and she is bit of a nightmare to pick up and check as she is so heavy.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2015, 06:17:47 pm »

If one has lice assume they all have lice and treat accrdingly.

HesterF · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2015, 09:22:17 pm »

Mine are all Orps so I guess I'm just used to handling them but I don't find them that hard to pick-up - the bigger problem is just the huge amounts of fluff you have to plough through to find skin! At least they're generally pretty docile (I've brought one inside to give her a break from the treading and she's happily wandering round the kitchen for a couple of days - if I could litter train her, I'd love to keep her inside!).

farmvet · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2015, 11:29:33 pm »

Your vet may well prescribe ivomectin under the prescribing cascade for you.

Heather B · « **Reply #9 on:** February 22, 2015, 09:22:40 am »

To be honest, yes I am going to pop into the vet tomorrow and ask - still slightly dubious about the flea spray given that cat owners have described foaming at the mouth of cats when they have licked it! I have diatomed the area of lice eggs for now and will check him again tonight. Have ordered the neem oil as well. I may well get the invermectin if they have it (?). Have treated all girls yesterday and made a note that I need to be more regular with this as to be honest I haven't done it for a few months. I always insisted on help but i have discovered a way of doing it myself and this actually creates less stress, for all of us and them!

chrismahon · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2015, 06:12:52 am »

I have never had any problems with the Johnsons dog flea spray in the 8 years we've used it HeatherB- of corse we are careful to use a minimal amount. I think we are still on the original bottle. Certainly the most effective method and doesn't carry the 28 day egg withdrawal of Ivermectin, which doesn't work particularly well anyway from what I have previously.

Heather B · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2015, 04:08:08 pm »

Thanks Chris, got Xeno 450 today from the vet which contains Invermectin which I will try on Cocky. But I also got some Effipro spray which is a cat and dog flea spray which I will use on my black Orpington and then see which one works the best. Of course, I should be treating all if lice suspected as Marches Farmer suggested. Am going to look out for the Johnsons spray as I couldn't get hold of that locally.

Clansman · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2015, 04:17:42 pm »

Quote from: Heather B on February 20, 2015, 09:01:35 pm

Absolutely gutted - my blue Silkie Cockerel has what I think is northern mite - white clusters/ball shaped things near his vent which I believe to be the egg cases.

Don't worry about it Heather, most birds that live outside get these now and again.

I use ant powder, just a quick dust round the birds and their coop every month or so.

its cheap although it contains Pyrethrum which is toxic to cats.

Kills all the beasties though

HesterF · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2015, 09:25:29 pm »

I've just done mine with the Johnsons today too - trimmed all the fluffy bottoms for breeding too so it was easy to squirt them all a couple of times too. The spot on seems to have cleared the adult lice, still a few egg clusters around so hopefully the spray will put pay to them.