Chicken Mites....Help!!

[G Schofield]

Hi can anyone tell me if chickens get mites other than the red mite??? Have a chicken who keeps laying soft shelled eggs, she is otherwise in good condition but have just noticed some crawlers around her neck. They are a pale brown colour. I have just been out to the local supplier and bought some Red Mite powder and am wondering if this will do the trick or do I need something else???? Any sugestions welcomed.

[RichmondHens]

These are lice, not mites. Have a look at the base of the feather below the vent/between legs - if you are seeing lice on her neck she will probably have plenty round the vent as they inhabit here first. You may also see nits (white eggs) cemented to the base of the feather. They need pulling off, feather and all if necessary. Give her a thorough powdering with louse powder - there is lots of info about this on other threads - you will need to do all your birds as they spread easily from bird to bird. Repeat powdering routine in 4 days to catch newly hatched lice and again in a week by which time they should all be gone. Then once every two weeks or so for prevention.

[G Schofield]

Chicken Lice

Thanks for that... Can I use the Barrier Red Mite Powder or do I need something else???

[Suechooks]

You need Louse powder for lice. Red mite powder just makes the bird less hospitable to red mite but the Louse powder will kill the lice if you do it as Richmond has said.

[RichmondHens]

Thanks for that... Can I use the Barrier Red Mite Powder or do I need something else???

I use the Barrier louse powder, which works just fine.

[G Schofield]

Thank you. I will get some louse powder tomorrow. Just finished picking egg clusters from back ends. Fortunately, only 2 out of 4 have clusters, have also cleaned and disinfectanted the eglu and put red mite powder on but will put on louse powder tomorrow.

Thanks for your help

[Birdie Wife]

Just remember, red mite powder goes on the house, louse powder goes on the hen, 'cos that where they live

For future reference, there's a third type of mite that lives on the hen - scaley leg mite - which is too small to see, but lives on the birds legs between the scales. You'll know if they have it because the leg scales start to get raised up with chalky deposits in between them. Plenty info on the forum about how to get rid

[G Schofield]

Have got louse powder and covered all 4. Ginger still laying soft shelled eggs and looking uncomfortable. Doesnt want to come out of the nest. She has been laying these on and off for a couple of weeks now. Ive tried oyster shell, worming, adding greens and grapeseed oil to water. Any other suggestions??? Would appreciate advise.

[Suechooks]

Soft shelled eggs sometimes are more difficult to lay which may be why she's looking uncomfortable. If she's straining and nothing happening you could try the warm bath. Just stand her in a bowl of warm water so her back end is in the water - if you press gently on her back she'll probably sink down into the water. They do seem to enjoy it and it facilitates the laying. Is she an ex-batt? If so this could be the prelude to the end of her laying as they just run out of steam. If she's a younger bird it could be because she's just having a blip. Try adding cod liver oil to the food rather than the water but only once or twice a week. You could also add some Poultry Spice or other tonic as the lice may have just pulled them down a bit.
Here's hoping it all works out well for you!

[Birdie Wife]

They can take some time to recover from the lice - check them after a week and see if the louse powder is having an effect. Many powders are more of a deterrent than a cure so be prepared to change to something more effective if need be.

Lice are horrible, they keep coming back too, especially in free range birds as they can pick them up from wild birds apparently. I empathise with you!

[RichmondHens]

I doubt the soft shells and lice are connected. If your hen is consistently laying soft shells there is likely to be another cause, but can't say for certain what this is, if you have covered other things like added calcium etc. Some people on here have had success with adding cod liver oil to the feed as it apparently helps absorption of the calcium so you could try that.

Make sure with the louse powder you rub it well into the skin, especially round the vent area and between the legs, otherwise the bird will just shake it off when she has a flap around.

[G Schofield]

Thanks everyone, advise much appreciated. I will give the cod liver oil a try. Cheers for now.......

[BUFFS]

i followed the cod liver oil advice the other week and now just put a thin dribble onto the pellets every third day,as this seems to stop softshells,tried longer spacing of the oil but found 3 days right for my girls...best of luck with it..