[countrygirlatheart]

Help!  Lifted one of the eggs out from the nest box this morning and thought - how odd - how did those little seeds end up on an egg in the nest box - only to find that when I lifted the egg up those 'little seeds' were live wee beasties - eek   They were blackish (like the tiny wee seeds you get on some bagels!) ... so presumably not red mite (which I understand wouldn't be so easy to see).  Have looked up my book which says that lice are light brown so its not that ... and they don't look like fleas.  What are they ?   There are two next boxes and the two eggs in the next box next door were clear.

Any advice welcome

[doganjo]

I know this is a stupid thing to say but you should have taken a photo.  If they are there again tomorrow post a photo.  They wouldn't be wood beasties would they?  This'll scare ya!
http://www.kendall-bioresearch.co.uk/bugindx.htm

[countrygirlatheart]

blimey - now I'm itchy all over!

found something in a magazine last night and the description of northern fowl mite sounded similar

off surfing to find out more tonight

thanks for the link

[shetlandpaul]

how big are your beasties. clean steam or spray. check your chucks round there vents and under wings and if its northern mite you will find it. lice are the commonest nasty but you can also get a bedbug type of creature in wild birds nests so thats always a possible. powder the chucks and keep cleaning and powdering every two weeks and you should clear whatever it is. if that does not work there are other things to be done but the drugs get stronger and should be avoided if possible.

[countrygirlatheart]

thanks shetlandpaul

what powder do you recommend?

[doganjo]

Fullers Earth (Diatomacous is the 'in' name for it)

[shetlandpaul]

the red mite ones. mainly organic based ones but i will then go up to stronger stuff if it does not clear soon. and as a last resort spot ons but as they have a couple of weeks not eating the egg i avoid if possible. they spot ons are not licenced for birds but they are effective.

[Cluckinggoodpoultry]

Flowers of sulphur, ideal for scaly leg mite in vaseline so should do the same trick you can buy it in powder for, gets rid of fleas on dogs too....

We put tobacco in with the shavings and bedding and never have a problem with lice, might be something in that too 

[dixie]

Red mite only go red once they fed off the birds! they are tiny and greyish to begin with, look early in the morning you will see them more easily, once full of blood!

[shetlandpaul]

ive just done a de licing of a hundred chucks yuck i hate the things.

[countrygirlatheart]

a while since my last post on this one.....  the update is ..... it turned out to be red mite which multiplied rapidly.   

Various tactics have been used including the Barrier Hygiene powder, squashing any clusters that appeared with rubber gloves on (yeuch - but strangely satisfying!), clearing out and burning bedding, power washing the house (with the chooks out - ha ha) and squashing any of the little blighters as they came out to avoid the water.

Think its under control now tho i'm told they probably cant be got rid of completely

[Bodger]

I'd suggest four drops of Ivomectin pour on for each bird. Then anything having a nibble on your chickens will snuff it. It will also sort out worms in your chickens. There will be a withdrawl period with regard eating your chickens eggs, which I think is a week.

[harry]

next time you paint the shed use genuine cresote, it kills everthing

[squeek2211]

spray the whole lot with Ficam w!