Stickfast Fleas please help

[heygrizzy]

I need some advice with stickfast fleas, nothing I seem to do gets rid of them and I'm so stressed out. I got my chickens just over a month ago I've been finding the fleas on them a few times a week. We pull them off with tweezers but I absolutely hate stressing the chickens out and having to get so close to their little eyes.

I clean their coop weekly and have been treating it with Maldison once a week. I’ve been using DE and a permethrin spray and they just keep coming back. From my understanding the fleas attach at night so I've just been treating their coop. Should I be treating their whole run? I want to avoid using the chemicals where they scratch and forage but I just don't know what else to do.

There are doves that come into the run and mice that were going into coop. We filled any small holes with expanding foam and have started closing the door of the coop during the day. Can’t do much about the doves.

Someone suggested sulphur powder and we used that last night while cleaning the coop and sprinkled it in the run, but this morning I found four fleas on one of the girls. I’m at my wits end and I hate thinking that they’re in pain.

 

[nuthatched]

Stick tight fleas don't hurt, just itch a little. Smother them with some Vaseline and try some fly repellent from the horse area at the feed store.

 

[heygrizzy]

Stick tight fleas don't hurt, just itch a little. Smother them with some Vaseline and try some fly repellent from the horse area at the feed store.

Thank you for your reply. I’ve read that they can cause anaemia and kill the chickens eventually, that’s why I’m so worried. I’ll get some vaseline. Have you had any luck removing them completely from your run?

 

[nuthatched]

Thank you for your reply. I’ve read that they can cause anaemia and kill the chickens eventually, that’s why I’m so worried. I’ll get some vaseline. Have you had any luck removing them completely from your run?

They'll never go away, unfortunately. Unless your hen is coated with them, they're just a minor irritation.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I need some advice with stickfast fleas, nothing I seem to do gets rid of them and I'm so stressed out. I got my chickens just over a month ago I've been finding the fleas on them a few times a week. We pull them off with tweezers but I absolutely hate stressing the chickens out and having to get so close to their little eyes.

I clean their coop weekly and have been treating it with Maldison once a week. I’ve been using DE and a permethrin spray and they just keep coming back. From my understanding the fleas attach at night so I've just been treating their coop. Should I be treating their whole run? I want to avoid using the chemicals where they scratch and forage but I just don't know what else to do.

There are doves that come into the run and mice that were going into coop. We filled any small holes with expanding foam and have started closing the door of the coop during the day. Can’t do much about the doves.

Someone suggested sulphur powder and we used that last night while cleaning the coop and sprinkled it in the run, but this morning I found four fleas on one of the girls. I’m at my wits end and I hate thinking that they’re in pain.

I'd try the Permethrin again to see if you can get the fleas to loosen up.
Spraying the coop is a good idea. Perhaps the perimeter of the run too.
Is there a way to put up netting or fencing to keep the wild Doves out?
Try to catch the mice and eliminate them too. Rodents are a challenge, so just keep working at it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...tight-fleas-in-poultry-with-permethrin.74325/

Thank you for your reply. I’ve read that they can cause anaemia and kill the chickens eventually, that’s why I’m so worried. I’ll get some vaseline. Have you had any luck removing them completely from your run?

IF, IF the infestation is heavy, the fleas can cause issues. Since you've been trying to keep them under control, it's less likely they will cause any lasting health problems.
If your birds seem to be weak or not feeling well, I'd give them poultry vitamins a couple of times a week along with a bit of extra protein like egg, fish or meat (beef liver).

The last of this post, I do have a bit more info on fleas. This is somewhat a worst case scenario. External (and internal) parasites do need to be addressed to help keep birds healthy.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/i-need-loads-of-help-uri.1645725/post-28149562

"""Five live 30-week-old laying chickens were presented to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) in Gonzales for necropsy. Birds were weak, lethargic, and depressed.

The flock had a history of severe production drop starting approximately four weeks following housing in the laying facility at 22 weeks of age. Clinical signs included coughing, droopiness, loss of vitality, shriveled combs, and weight loss.....
Upon necropsy evaluation, it was noted the birds had varying degrees of breast muscle atrophy. There were large numbers of small dark fleas attached to the skin of the comb, wattles, and face (Figures 1, 2, 3). Birds also had large numbers of lice under the feathers of the back and legs (Figure 4). Birds were relatively pale and the blood was watery in appearance indicative of anemia.
.....Clinical signs and evaluation led to the determination of a sticktight fleas (Echidnophaga gallinacea) and body lice (Menacanthus stramineus) infestation."""
https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/case-studies...ce-discovered-in-30-week-old-laying-chickens/


More info about Sticktight Fleas
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG236

Some reading about Poultry Diseases
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PS044

 

[heygrizzy]

I'd try the Permethrin again to see if you can get the fleas to loosen up.
Spraying the coop is a good idea. Perhaps the perimeter of the run too.
Is there a way to put up netting or fencing to keep the wild Doves out?
Try to catch the mice and eliminate them too. Rodents are a challenge, so just keep working at it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...tight-fleas-in-poultry-with-permethrin.74325/

IF, IF the infestation is heavy, the fleas can cause issues. Since you've been trying to keep them under control, it's less likely they will cause any lasting health problems.
If your birds seem to be weak or not feeling well, I'd give them poultry vitamins a couple of times a week along with a bit of extra protein like egg, fish or meat (beef liver).

The last of this post, I do have a bit more info on fleas. This is somewhat a worst case scenario. External (and internal) parasites do need to be addressed to help keep birds healthy.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/i-need-loads-of-help-uri.1645725/post-28149562

Thank you so much for your thorough response. We’ll keep plugging away with the treatments and hopefully keep the numbers down.