External parasites

24.1.8 External parasites

Lice, mites, ticks, and fleas are common external parasites of chickens. Lice and mites bite and damage the skin. Mites, ticks, and fleas suck the blood and cause anemia (thin blood) and poor egg production. Certain external parasites can carry other diseases, such as fowl pox and spirochetosis.

Mite Flea Louse Tick Symptoms:

 Lice cause scaly, damaged skin and are often visible to the human eye.

 Fleas can burrow in the skin and cause ulcers  Mosquitoes can suck the blood of birds and cause poor egg production, or even death. Mosquitoes also carry several viral diseases such as Fowl Pox.

Fleas on the wattle and comb  Ticks attack at night and suck blood resulting in anemia and poor egg production. Often red spots can be seen where the ticks have fed. Ticks can also carry a disease called “spirochetosis.”

Treatment:

Dust with powder insecticides such as malathion five percent (5%) or Coumaphos five percent (5%) according to label instructions. Dusting should be repeated according to the label instructions (usually every 4 weeks).

For leg mites, the legs can be dipped in kerosene. However, care must be taken not to let the kerosene touch the feathers or skin.

Warning: Insecticides can be poisonous if used improperly. Liquid malathion 57% should first be mixed with water according to instructions (usually 30 cc in four liters of water) as it is too strong to apply directly.