[Laurieston]

Dear Poultry People.

Can anyone help me, and my sick chick!

Over the last couple of daysI have noticed that my chicks have got swollen faces and looked more closely.  They seem to have ticks on their faces.  I have carefully pulled one or two out to check, and they certainly look like ticks.  Having never seen Northern Mites etc, I am not sure if I could be mistaken, but I don't know.  Does anyone have any experience of this? 

For information they are mostly Wellsummers, with a bit of cross in a couple, they are 6 months old and haven't started to lay yet (although we did find one full sized egg in the garden yesterday - strange no pullet eggs found and none in nest boxes).  Today two have swollen eyes, almost closed, and did not get off perch for most of morning.  These two have mostly hidden in a bush all day, but have at times wandered about and pecked at food.  The others are also off colour.  They normally totally free-range.

We live in Germany and have, in the summer, picked up a few ticks ourselves, and our cat has his share too. 

Any ideas would be very gratefully received as we're feeling miserable , and I suspect they are too.  Cure and prevention ideas...

Thanks in advance.

[shetlandpaul]

get some spor on or simular it should kill them off.

[Laurieston]

Thanks for the tip. Only - what is spor?

[gavo]

HE MEANS SPOT ON

[shetlandpaul]

yes sorry. 0.2-0.4 ml should kill them off. no eggs for two weeks thou. if they are ticks should they not drop off after there feed.

[Minigris]

The spot on you can use is Strongholds.....also against worms( If they have them )Don't know if you are allowed to use that in the UK

[doganjo]

Minigris - just noticed your signature - apologies for highjacking the thread - what is - 1 Irish shepherd?

[Minigris]

He is a mix between a German shepherd and a Irish wolfdog, so a friend of mine called  him a Irish wolfdog.

[HappyHippy]

The head of a wolfhound and the paws of a german shepherd 
He's a beauty