The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: northfifeduckling on February 26, 2011, 10:01:22 am

Title: first infestation of the year
Post by: northfifeduckling on February 26, 2011, 10:01:22 am
our boy is troubled again , so he had spot on and a good dousing in DE last night. I didn't have my glasses on but my daughter thought they looked more like lice than mites, but hidden under the feathers all over his backside - I won't put on any grizzly pics this time  :o Horrid. I hope we were in time before he could spread them to the girls or on his visits to the duck house (which are discouraged!!) . It seems so early in the year to have started!  :chook: :&>
Title: Re: first infestation of the year
Post by: Buffy the eggs layer on February 26, 2011, 02:16:51 pm
It sounds like lice as the vent area is popular with them,

   I have one bird that occasionally suffers from them but they dont seem to affect the others. Plonking her bum in the DE seems to do the trick along with a handful under each wing. they dont seem to be influenced by the wether like red mite that go dormant in the cold months. I suppose if they live on the birds, then the birds are always warm whatever the weather. I keep a check on her though as sometimes you think you have got them and if you miss a couple themn they are soon back with avengence!

Buffy
Title: Re: first infestation of the year
Post by: shetlandpaul on February 26, 2011, 02:40:43 pm
yay spring is here. i found a goose version at christmas very strange shape.
Title: Re: first infestation of the year
Post by: plumseverywhere on February 26, 2011, 05:53:04 pm
I found lice on one of my hens in December (!) -icky, persistant things!! good shaking of powder and we are clear again and she is full of feathers but on the bright side, got to agree with shetland paul, it means spring is sprung really
Title: Re: first infestation of the year
Post by: shetlandpaul on February 26, 2011, 06:02:01 pm
its strange how most of the chickens don't seem to get hit hard with them but a few suffer a lot.
Title: Re: first infestation of the year
Post by: plumseverywhere on February 26, 2011, 06:32:09 pm
Hmmm, we've noticed the same with a few of the children at my daughters school  ;)