Mites or no-see-um's with Meat Birds

[Dan the Chicken Man]

First time post...
I have 30 roasters that are about 6 weeks old. They have been outside for around 4 weeks. The past two days, when I have gone in to feed and water them, I have received multiple bites from a very small insect. Black fly season has passed and these are not mosquitoes. Any ideas? I imagine that these critters are not limiting their bloodsucking to me and are feasting on my birds too.
I also have 6 layer hens that have their own coop about 10 yards away. How can I prevent the insects from spreading to them?

Thanks!

 

[Judy]

Ordinarily I would think they are mites and/or lice, but I have not heard of them biting people. I have had them land on me but not bite. So I suspect what you are dealing with is fleas, as they certainly do bite people.

I'd get some poultry dust from the feed store or Adams flea and tick spray from the vet or WalMart and treat them all. The chemicals are permethrin/pyrethrins.

Do you have dogs or cats? Do you treat them for fleas? They could also be coming from rats/mice. Dawn dish detergent sprayed on the lawn will kill fleas on the lawn. Borax works well indoors and under the house.

You can see mites and lice if you look at the base of the feathers around the vent: tiny critters moving, and/or tiny clusters of eggs at the base of the feather or up the shaft.

Good luck!

 

[Sillystunt]

No see ums...ahhh are you in Florida? they are the worst , the only thing is skin so soft by avon( not sure if you can use that on chickens) recommended by park ranger

DE food grade might help...i was given this link by a BYC memeber. Better prices i believe it was 27 bucks for all that DE

www.custommilling.com

 

[Judy]

Ah, used to live in FL, forgot about no see ums, awful things.

Avon makes a bug repellent called skin so soft now; I just bought 4 cans. I used to use the body oil on a dog. I don't know that it's safe for chickens, either, but the stuff is so inoccuous, I'd certainly chance it.

 

[Sillystunt]

i never knew what they were until we went to Ruskin. OMG, i thought i was gonna die...lol

Skin so soft is the bomb! My aunt used to use it at the shore for those darn horse flies that bite, ouch!

 

[Dan the Chicken Man]

I'm up here in Vermont. The no-see-ums have been particularly nasty this year, especially when rooting around in the garden. My only guess is that they get stirred up in the coop when the chickens go nuts when it is time for dinner/breakfast. The bites swell up and itch very badly, not like a flea bite. It's our first year doing the meat birds, and I think that if we do it again, I will use a tractor and have fewer birds.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
You have no see ums in VERMONT??!!! OMG. I am in south GA and we rarely have them. Please don't tell me this!

 

[Imp]

Quote:
You have no see ums in VERMONT??!!! OMG. I am in south GA and we rarely have them. Please don't tell me this!

Had them in Alaska growing up. Not so much here in western Washington.

Imp- for some reason they didn't like imp blood