Pests may be a problem for chickens. Chicken, ducks, quail, and other poultry may be infested with mites and lice. It’s critical to be able to identify between parasites and, if required, cure them.
Lice
Lice are ectoparasites that are wingless and straw coloured. They live their entire lives on the backs of animals. If the bird is contaminated, nits, or louse eggs, can be found adhering to the feathers. Lice can be found all over the bird’s body, but notably around the vent.
Mites
When you first look at mites, they appear to be minute moving dots. They are arachnids with no wings. They have eight legs and do not have a preference for any particular host. They have the ability to parasitize a wide range of animal species. In general, mites are more active in the winter than in the summer.
In poultry, there are three forms of mites that are highly frequent. The chicken mite, commonly known as the Dermanyssus gallinae, only feeds on chickens at night. During the day, they are more likely to be located away from the bird, on housing equipment or bedding. Chicken mites range in colour from red to black. Because these mites feed on blood at night, you’ll have to check your birds at night to determine whether they’ve become hosts to these pesky bugs.
The northern fowl mite, or Ornithonyssus sylviarum, is the second most common mite discovered in poultry. During the day and night, this mite feeds on blood. The colour of this mite ranges from red to black. Check the skin of your chicken during the day to see whether there are dried blood traces on the skin, especially the vent. If there are, the bird may be contaminated. Northern fowl mites may be a pain in the neck if you pick up eggs or birds and they creep on your skin. This is just another sign that your bird is infected with this sort of mite.
Scaly leg mites are the third kind of mite. Because this mite is small and cannot be seen with the human eye, its symptoms are exactly what the name implies. The skin on the bird’s legs is fragile and dry. You may feel a granular material on their scales if you touch them. You’ll see bigger lumps and a crusty look as the mite advances.
Parasite-infected birds lay fewer eggs than parasite-free birds. The easiest way to avoid lice and mites is to prevent them. Many treatments are available from Purely Poultry to cure these parasites.
There are a variety of products available to treat chickens. As a therapeutic or prophylactic action, dusts and sprays are available. Check to see if the dusts and sprays are designed particularly for poultry. The items should be applied to the bird immediately. Make sure the vent region, the neck, and the underside of the wings are all covered. It’s a good idea to apply the goods to the bedding and nesting locations as a prophylactic measure.