[Dizzycow]

Just discovered that the chickens have creepy crawlies. Small brown things. Anyone know what I should do? (My head is itching, hoping it's psychosomatic!

[fifixx]

Clean out the house, power wash if possible, spray with every red mite product you have and then when dry cover with a fine layer of Diactomous Earth (Diatom) which dessicates them - good!!

The Diatom can be rubbed all over the hens too. 

[Dizzycow]

Thanks a million, googling Diatom now!

[jaykay]

Then shower  I had a badly infested house and my hair was crawling when I came out - fortunately, they wash out quite easily 

[Dizzycow]

Gross. Maybe it's not my imagination! 

[jaykay]

Gross. Maybe it's not my imagination!

I know  I told myself I was imagining it and then I looked in the mirror....
Thereafter, when treating the house, I wore a shower cap 

[Dizzycow]

Ha! Brilliant idea! I have a lovely flowery one, just better make sure nobody catches me wearing it with my mucking out gear! 

[jaykay]

Chook couture 

[Rosemary]

Chook couture 

[fifixx]

I called my sister-in-law and told her that her kids must have given us all headlice - did all the chemists stuff - and then realised that it was Red Mite - still haven't admitted it!!

[Fleecewife]

I'm itching just reading all that      Might not be red mite which is usually in the housing not on the bird.  Could be northern mite or lice or fleas, in which case you need to treat the birds - the vet or agric store will have a selection.  Burn out the house too with a blow torch, in all the nooks and crannies - it's worth doing whatever the nasties are.

[BlueDaisy]

I was just about to say sounds like chicken louse rather than red mite, but best to be safe than sorry

[Dizzycow]

I've ordered the Diatom so when it arrives I will have a serious session with the houses, nest boxes and shed where the houses are. The chickens have several places where they dust bath, so I'm not sure whether to put the powder in there or to try to catch them all and do them individually - not keen on the idea of catching the cockerels! The Diatom details also said add it to their food and it deals with internal beasties. Sounds like a wondercure!

Still scratching away! 

[fifixx]

You definitely need to get some red mite spray / powder.  They have it in all the Ag stores - your choice to go with chemical or organic, but even though I am an organic farmer, the chicken house gets washed down with a chemical red mite wash as it seems the only way to get on top of the mites.

I did buy a smoke bomb last autumn - you light it in the house (no chooks obviously!) and it smokes all the beasties out -

[northfifeduckling]

I can take my boy out of the house at night and he's sweet as a lamb....put his head under your coat when dusting his backside 

It's probably lice but they are a different kind of what takes our children as a host! Diatom should work on both but you should prick out the feathers with the egg pouches and burn - not a nice job. The poor birds might benefit from a nappy rash cream on the sore and most likely bold areas around it!