Symptoms and Treatments of Chicken Parasites: Lice, Ticks, Mites and Fleas

The proliferation of parasites in a chicken flock can result in unthriftiness, general depression, and death of any or all birds. It is important to recognise the symptoms and to act swiftly, before secondary disease decimates the entire flock.

Causes of Chicken Pest Infestation

• Overcrowding. Birds kept in overcrowded conditions are far more prone to parasitic infection and disease than those kept in less close proximity.
  
• Poor sanitation. Like any pets, chcikens must be kept in hygienic conditions. Houses and yards should be kept clean of old manure and waste food, and floors must be kept dry.
• Infestation from outside sources. The most common source of parasites is new birds brought in from other places. It is important to quarantine new birds for a few weeks before introducing them to the main flock.

Common Chiken Parasites and How to Get Rid of Them

Lice Menopon gallinae appear as small, creamy brown insects that proliferate on the body of the bird. They congregate mostly towards the bird's butt end to lay their eggs (chalky white blobs stuck to the base of the feathers). Lice are transmitted by direct contact with infested birds. While it is believed that lice do not actually bite the birds, but rather eat dead skin and feather debris, the irritation they cause makes the birds pick at themselves, causing sores and general depression. Lice are easy to destroy, with a quick dip of the birds in a malathion bath and liberal use of a sulphur-based insecticide dust.

Red mites Dermanyssus gallinae are more sneaky and much more dangerous. They only come out in the dark hours to feed on the blood of chickens. Often left undetected, they can breed at such a rate that within weeks, there can be literally millions in your fowl shed. Mites will also bite you, your kids and pets, and can hide in bedding, under carpets and in wall joints.

Mites are mostly spread at night by rats and mice, or wild birds. Left unchecked they can cause chronic anaemia and death. Mites are harder to eradicate. First, you have to find them in the shed. Look for white powdery dust on the perches, at wall joints and under feeders, nestboxes and water containers. Tiny brownish-red blobs of mite feces (the colour of dried blood) may be apparent also. Take a look in the shed at night using a flashlight. Mites will appear as tiny blackish-red dots that will crawl away from the light (the baby ones look pale grey).

Eradication is a two stage process. First, you need to protect the birds from the insects at night and second, the bugs have to be killed in their hideaways. A malathion bath is the best thing to protect the birds. Remove all nests, food containers and waterers from the shed, clean out the old litter and preferably burn it. Scrape any manure off perches and floors as mites love to hide under it. Liberally paint kerosene on all perches, floors and along cracks and wall joints. While malathion sprays can be used, they do not kill the eggs.

Another way to treat small sheds is to clean as before, hang feed bags over the wire netting and use one or two "flea bomb" insecticides. Make sure your birds are safely outside and that you do not go into the shed until it is safe. While the "bombs" are working, you may find swarms of bugs trying to escape by crawling out of the walls. These are easily contained by systematically misting them with a fine malathion spray. Follow up with the kerosene painting. Repeat this procedure 3 more times at 5-day intervals to make sure all hatchlings are killed.

Fowl Ticks Argas persicus are blood sucking critters that can cause paralysis and death if allowed to remain unchecked. They may carry a dangerous disease called spirochaete or tick fever. They have a similar life cycle to mites and should be treated in the same way.

Scaly-Leg Mites Cnemidocoptes mutans live under the scales of chickens' legs. Left untreated, they cause the scales to lift and eventually the legs become crusty and grey substance. In severe cases, lameness and loss of toes may occur. These mites are transmitted by contact and seem to be picked up from infested ground. To successfully eradicate these beasties, a prolonged treatment is required.

Wash the bird's feet and legs in hot soapy water to soften the skin and scales. Using a nail brush, scrub away the dead scales, but do not scrub so hard that the legs bleed. Dry the legs. Make up a mixture of one part methylated spirits, one part olive oil, half a part of kerosene and half a part of an aromatic oil (eucalyptus or camphor). Shake the mixture in a bottle to blend the ingredients and paint onto the dried legs, making sure the mixture gets under the scales. Repeat nightly for at least a week. The aromatic oil acts as a fumigant which helps keep bugs off the birds at night.

Clean the shed floors and use a malathion spray. It may help to sprinkle sulphur based insecticide powder about also. Once the mites are killed, providing the legs were not allowed to become too bad, they should return to normal at the next moult. Unfortunately, scaly-leg mites like to return so be vigilant.

Fleas Ceratophyllus gallinae are similar to mites, in that they infest the birds but breed in the soil or litter of your fowl shed. They can be treated in the same manner as red mites.

Unlike normal fleas, Stick-Fast Fleas Echidnophaga gallinae bury their entire heads into the host and spend days attached. They usually appear around the eyes and face as black "eyebrows". Smear a light coating of an oily substance over these insects and they suffocate very quickly. Olive oil and baby oil are useful, as they do not irritate the birds' eyes. Treat the shed floors as for mites and ticks. Like mites, all fleas will infest your home if left unchecked and will feed on any warm-blooded animals.