External parasites of poultry and how to deal with them. Parasites in chickens: what are they, how to treat

Warm weather is ideal for the spread of ticks and lice. If just the thought of lice and tick bites makes you itch and shiver, then imagine how much your birds suffer from these pests, some of which can be fatal to the animal. Some of the treatments are not approved for use in poultry production. Specialized drugs can be purchased through special agricultural networks or veterinary pharmacies.

Gamasid blood-sucking (red chicken) mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) (1 mm in length, turns red when sucking blood)

Figure 1: Red Mite - Dermanyssus gallinae (Northern Bird Mite is similar in appearance). The usual size is about 1 mm.

Treatment

Northern bird mite (Ornithonyssus sylvarum)

The northern bird mite is similar in size and color to the red mite, but life cycle carries out directly on the bird, causing anemia and death. Crested breeds are especially susceptible to infection, and if you use pyrethrins, carefully treat the ear canal area, a favorite location for this mite. Affected birds look dirty, the feathers are dull with dark spots, and the bird is in a depressed state.

Treatment

There are no special preparations to combat northern bird mites. Use drugs from the pyrethrin group. Re-infection can occur at any time, but some drugs in this group, for example, eprinectin, protect the bird for about 4 weeks (the incubation period is 7 days).

Chicken louse(Menopon gallinae)

Figure 2: Chicken louse - Menopon gallinae - about 2 mm in size.

Treatment

Dust preparations of the pyrethrin group.

Scabies mite (foot scabies) (Cnemidocoptes mutans)

Figure 3: scabies mite: top: normal view, bottom: scabies mite affected part of the leg.

Feather mite (Cnemidocoptes gallinae)

The feather eater eats feathers and down around the head and neck of chickens, but feather plucking by the bird itself also causes baldness in this area. Conventional flea powders are not effective against this type of tick. You can apply Fipronil by spraying it first on the fabric and then treating the feathers. If fipronil is sprayed directly onto birds, it can cause hypothermia.

Mice chew feathers when roosting birds, leaving ragged surfaces of tails, wings and feathers all over the body.

Figure 4: Treatment of poultry with the drug

Helminths (worms)

Syngamosis of birds

Nematodes live in the bird's trachea, and when the helminth lays eggs, the bird begins to cough, the eggs are expelled from the body and infect the surrounding bird. Symptoms: cough, difficulty breathing.

Capillary

These tiny worms (Figure 7), also known as hair worms, live in the intestines. They quickly depress the health of the bird and can cause death if measures are not taken in time.

Heteracidosis

This worm (Figure 7) lives in the cecum (the part of the large intestine where the fermentation process occurs). Causes serious intestinal disease, leading to histomonosis (see below).

Figure 5: Intestine affected by roundworms

Also known as roundworms(Figures 5 and 7), live in the small intestine. IN large quantities in the intestines lead to the death of the bird.

Trichostrongyles

They live in the intestines and are one of the reasons for weight loss.

Figure 6: Worm eggs: a) gastric worm, b) trichostrongyles, c) heteracids, d) roundworms, e) nematodes, f) capillaria

Solitaires

They live in the intestines, are one of the reasons for weight loss, and lead to death.

Stomach worms

Figure 7: On a large plate: roundworms, top left: heteracids, top right: capillaries

Diagnosis and treatment

Coccidia

Histomoniasis

Histomoniasis is caused by protozoa (single-celled organisms), affects the liver of turkeys, pheasants, quails, peacocks and guinea fowl, manifests itself as diarrhea, feces are bright yellow color; The disease is also called “black head”. The intermediate host of these protozoa is heterakis - an intestinal worm present in chickens, here it is necessary to follow old saying: Never keep turkeys and chickens together. If chickens are regularly treated, the incidence of “black head” is reduced. Treatment must begin immediately as soon as yellow droppings are detected, since with this disease the bird dies within a few days. Previously, treatment was carried out with the drug dimetridazole, but since it was banned in the EU, the health of turkeys and pheasants was at risk, since the only drug available (not the most effective replacement) is metronidazole. You can use specially developed Pigeon preparations.

Hexamitosis

Trichomoniasis

Trichomonas, other protozoa, cause lesions oral cavity in chickens, turkeys and pheasants. Whitish or light yellow cheese-like deposits appear in the bird's mouth, crop, and esophagus. The arrival of a new batch of poultry at the enterprise must always be monitored for the presence of this disease. Treatment with special drugs, for example, nystatin, should be carried out on the entire population, and not on an individual.

Impact on economic indicators

Translation by Rudenko Tatyana

The poultry farmer should place branches of plants such as tansy, wormwood, wild rosemary or wild rosemary in the chicken coop. Since they have a pungent odor, they repel blood-sucking pests from chickens and help remove them. This way the chicken coop is protected for a long time.

Furnace ash is also good helpers in the fight against lice. The entire chicken coop is sprinkled with it. Experienced specialists in the field of poultry farming recommend placing a large container of ash indoors with birds. So, the bird will take baths on its own.

Another great one folk remedy against ticks is the use of waste machine oil mixed with creolin. The poultry farmer should treat the chickens’ perches and legs with this “medicine”. After treatment, be sure to disinfect the entire area of the chicken coop.

To get rid of fleas and ticks, poultry farmers use medications that are intended for pets such as cats or dogs. You can buy them at any pet store. The best way is to purchase drops that need to be rubbed into the skin of the bird. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that you should not buy medications containing chlorine as a base. It can accumulate in the muscle tissue of chickens, which will adversely affect the quality of their meat.

“Perol-A”, “Bars”, “Frontline” are well-proven drugs. Here you should also pay attention to the fact that you need to follow a strictly prescribed dosage. Otherwise, the bird may be harmed. Pyrethrum is also good - powder against harmful insects. It is completely harmless to laying hens and humans.

This drug can be purchased at both medical and veterinary pharmacies. If it is not available, Ecofleece or seven percent Sevin powder will work great. “Ecofleece” must be sprayed on chickens that are affected by fleas or ticks. And sprinkle Pyrethrum or Sevin on the feathers of laying hens. So, no more than fifteen grams of powder should be used per bird.

Some poultry farm owners also use proven old chemical methods, for example, treating a chicken coop with dust. Great care must be taken here as this substance is toxic. If you overuse it, the chickens may die. It is also necessary to work carefully with chlorophos and karbofos.

The drug Butox is widely used in large enterprises and large farms. This product is sold as an aqueous solution that is applied to chicken feathers. Deltamethrin powder has a similar effect. These drugs should never be inhaled when treating a chicken coop.

Some poultry farmers fumigate the premises with sulfur to combat fleas and ticks. This method is considered highly effective, but there is no clear opinion on whether to use sulfur or not. Therefore, amateur poultry farmers often pay attention to purchased checkers.

Treating chicken coops with checkers

Since washing and spraying the chicken coop are not the most effective methods of fighting fleas, a sulfur bomb is often used to fumigate chicken coops. The mist, consisting of a-cypermethrin and sulfur, easily penetrates hard to reach places chicken coop. This method destroys fungus, mold, fleas and other harmful organisms. This method It’s not complicated, you can start fumigating immediately after reading the instructions. Naturally, there should be no laying hens in the room during processing.

Feed, drinking bowls, tools, etc. are also removed. The poultry farmer must evenly place the checkers over the area of the chicken coop and set it on fire. 2-3 hours are enough for fleas and other harmful insects to stop bothering the household. After the procedure, the room needs to be well ventilated, and then the birds can be released.

Video “Smoke bombs and their use”

In order to learn more about the action and composition of a particular checker against fleas, ticks and other harmful insects, we suggest watching the following video.

Chicken lice and fleas not only cause itching and irritation, but also lead to exhaustion and sometimes even death in birds.

The worst thing is that they are carriers of infections. At such a moment, many owners are tormented by the question: “If chickens have fleas and lice, how to fight them?” You will find out the answers to this question in our article.
What is the danger of lice and fleas?

Over time, they scratch the upper layers of the epidermis and tear out their own feathers.

Eggs laid during the hatching of fleas and lice are not recommended for consumption, since the chemicals that were used enter the yolk of the egg through the circulatory system. If a person is sensitive to such drugs, an allergic reaction may be caused.

There are several ways to get rid of lice and fleas: they can be divided into chemical means, physical effects and means based on the experience of poultry farmers. In order for the treatment to be successful, it is necessary to take into account the size of the chicken coop and the number of chickens. It is necessary to strictly follow the instructions and observe personal safety rules when carrying out processing.
Chemicals

If there are a lot of affected chickens and they are kept in a large room, good economical option there will be a base for the Butox solution (1 ml per 4 liters of water).

For a chicken coop, this means treatment with boiling water or steam, cleaning the room from remaining food, dirt, droppings and other things.

Fighting with folk methods
To treat chickens for fleas and lice, vinegar is used, sometimes with the addition of kerosene, for wiping. Another mixture is benzene, ammonia and kerosene, which has a strong odor that repels lice and fleas. It can be used on both chickens and the premises.

The smell from a wormwood broom is also unpleasant for little bloodsuckers and may prevent them from returning.
The best preventative measure is to keep the coop clean. If you regularly clean the garbage, change the litter and remove droppings, the larvae and eggs of lice and fleas will have nowhere to settle and will constantly be carried out along with the garbage.
Photo gallery

In domestic chickens, mites cause the following diseases:

If the bird has become inactive, experiences severe itching, egg production has decreased, young animals are not gaining weight well, the condition of the plumage has worsened, or bald spots have appeared on the body, it is most likely that the chickens are infected with mites.

Pay attention to the behavior of your feathered charges. If hens begin to clean their feathers more often, pluck feathers under their wings, in the cloaca area, and constantly take “sand” baths, this may also indicate an infection with feather mites and scabies mites.

Other symptoms of mites in chickens:

weakness, apathy;
wounds, scratches, sores on the body;
dry frequent cough, shortness of breath;
pallor of mucous membranes, comb, earrings;
lack of egg production in laying hens;
weight loss;
refusal to eat, increased thirst.

Upon closer examination, you can see small red or black spots, small grains, droplets of blood on the feathers, body of birds or on the walls of chicken coops and perches.

You can detect a tick by placing material from a nest, perch, or chicken coop on White list paper and examine it in bright light. It is best to collect material in the evening, at night.

Advice! If the chickens are reluctant to enter the chicken coop, set up new nesting places, and experience severe itching, these are clear signs that the bird is infected with red mites.

The red chicken mite feeds on blood, biting and damaging the skin. The bird experiences discomfort, itching, and shows anxiety. The condition of the feathers greatly deteriorates, the immune system weakens, and anemia develops, which can cause the death of infested birds.

Contributes to infection high humidity in poultry houses, lack of sand baths for hens, high density of birds in a limited space. It is worth noting that red chicken mites are dangerous to humans. They cause severe itching and allergies.

When day-old chicks are placed in poultry houses with mites, a high mortality rate is observed. The chicks die from exhaustion and anemia within 5–7 days.

Chicken mites that infect nails and bird feathers

In addition to the red chicken mite, feather mites and chicken acariform mites are a danger to domestic chickens, especially small chickens and young birds.

The feather mite in chickens lives on the feather shaft, in the hole, and feeds on circulating blood, which over time leads to the gradual destruction of the feather and deterioration of the plumage. If the infection is severe, chickens may be left with no feathers at all. Unfortunately, on this moment effective treatment against feather mites in chickens has not been developed.

Acariform mites in chickens provoke knemidocoptosis (leg scabies), to which roosters are more susceptible than hens. The disease is also known as calcareous foot. It develops slowly, so manifestations may not be noticed immediately.

If a bird is infected with leg scabies, the sick chicken has difficulty moving and becomes inactive. Dense gray growths are noticeable on the paws. The skin of the legs becomes lumpy. Pathological exudate accumulates under the scales. Over time, if treatment is not started, the scabies mite causes deformation of the limbs.

Treatment

Advice! If the mite lives on the legs of chickens, use a solution of Trichlorometaphos or a mixture of birch tar and kerosene in a 1:1 ratio.

Effective Methods for Cleaning a Chicken Coop

The main control method that will allow the removal of ticks from poultry is complex disinfection, decontamination of the poultry house, cages, and premises in which the poultry is kept. Treat with insecticidal-acaricidal solutions, special chemicals walls, floor, perches, ceiling, as well as equipment. Wash feeders and drinking bowls thoroughly. Replace the bedding.

For decarification you can use:

cyodrine 0.5%;
dicresol 0.25%;
karbofos;
chlorophos 1–2%;
trichlorometaphos 0.5–1%;
DDVF 0.25–0.5%;
neocidol 0.25–0.5%.

Important! If a bird is affected by red or Persian mites, the poultry houses are treated two to three times with an interval of 3–6 days.

Examine the chickens carefully. If there are wounds or scratches on the body, treat the affected areas with antiseptic solutions. Lesions can be lubricated vegetable oil, wound healing ointments, liniments.

In case of severe infestation, ticks will have to be removed in several approaches. Treatments are carried out at intervals of 5–10 days, depending on the product used.

Before use, carefully read the instructions for the drug. When choosing an insecticide-acaricide, be sure to consult a veterinarian. Some drugs are strictly forbidden to be used for treatments, since their active substances accumulate in eggs and meat.

To avoid infection of chickens with mites, it is very important to systematically treat poultry houses and cages at least once every 30–40 days. You can use disinfectants, used engine oil, and solarium. Cells are disinfected once a month.

Change the bedding in a timely manner, keep the feeders, drinkers, and perches clean. Disinfect equipment. Remove cobwebs as they may contain mites that can then be transferred to the bird.

The walking area should be dry. To protect from precipitation, build a canopy. Provide the bird with bowls of sand and ash.

Infected chickens lose their appetite and egg production, stop gaining and lose weight, their health worsens, and so on. These factors lead to a reduction in productivity and livestock numbers, and therefore to losses on the farm.

Down-eaters

Insects cause a disease called mallophagosis. Down flea eaters are often mistakenly called chicken lice, but they are not lice, since they do not feed on the blood of the donor bird, but on plumage and dead particles of the epidermis.

Routes of infection

The chicken coop becomes infected very quickly, literally within 24 hours.

The main symptom is the presence of characteristic holes in the basal part of the feathers, but in order to detect them, you must first suspect the disease.

As a rule, the behavior of the bird gives reasons to do this:

chickens become restless and often try to penetrate under the feather cover with their beak;
at a later date, alopecia occurs: the chicken simply goes bald;
the livestock is losing weight, the young animals are catastrophically lacking it;
egg production decreases.

To get rid of it, the bird is treated with veterinary drugs:

Dosage the product in accordance with the attached instructions.

Important! The drops have no effect on the larvae of the fluff eater, so the treatment must be repeated after 7-10 days to get rid of the young insects that hatched during this time.

Video: how to remove fluff eaters from chickens

Room treatment

To combat mallophagosis, it is not enough to limit yourself to treating the livestock; it is imperative to treat the premises infested with larvae. Disinfection is carried out using Karbofos. There are positive reviews about the Mashenka chalk.

Folk remedies

Modern poultry farmers also use the wisdom of generations, methods that were used by their ancestors, without a developed chemical industry.

Serious diseases carried by this bloodsucker:

borreliosis;
plague;
cholera;
ornithosis and others.

They can reach 0.7 millimeters in length, their body is flattened, red in color, which turns purple after the tick has drunk blood. They look like dark gray dots on a white sheet of paper.

Did you know? In the animal world, the tick is one of the most prolific creatures. The female of one of the species of this insect is capable of laying up to 20 thousand eggs during her short life!