Chicken Lice
Chicken Lice And Other Harmful Parasites
If you plan on keeping chickens for food or eggs, you should beware of chicken lice and other parasites that can harm the chickens. These parasites can not only cause pain and discomfort but they can eventually kill the chickens. Secondary diseases can also develop and they can be equally as serious. It is important to recognize the signs of chicken lice and other harmful parasites and find out how to avoid them.
There are a few things you can do, before you purchase your chickens, to stop these types if infestations. This can take a little planning but it is well worth it. Figure out how many chickens you will be getting and make sure that they have an enclosure that is big enough for them to easily move around. Over crowding is one of the leading causes of chicken lice infestation. It may be a good idea to prepare more than a few enclosures for your chickens to keep them all comfortable. You should keep specific kinds of chickens together in one cage. For example, if you have a certain types of chickens that are egg layers, keep them separated from the chickens you will be using for food.
Always keep your enclosures clean. Unsanitary conditions are another way diseases and parasites can be spread. Use bedding for the bottom of the cage, if it becomes wet easily. You never want a wet chicken enclosure and you should avoid using cedar chips or any other kind of wood chip with a residue. The perfect option is hay. The chickens like to chew on hay and when it becomes dirty it can be easily removed. Hay is especially good for the winter months, when water can gather on the bottom of the cage. You should also add a hutch to the cage. Chickens are not comfortable sleeping on the ground because they fear predators. They are more comfortable if they have an elevated shelf or box to sleep in. This will also keep them up and away from the ground during the nighttime hours.
If you purchase new chickens after you already have a few in an enclosure, do not place them in the same cage. If a new chicken has chicken lice or any other parasite, it can spread it to the other chickens. Keep newer chickens together in their own enclosure and keep an eye on them for at least 2 weeks before placing them with the other chickens. Newer chickens are one of the most common ways diseases are spread to other chickens in the flock.
Always examine your chickens for signs of an infestation, especially if you notice a change in the bird’s habits. One of the first symptoms of chicken lice is scabbing or loss of hair on the birds. The chicken may also not be as active when it has chicken lice and it may even begin to pick at the feathers and skin. You may also be able to see the chicken lice on the rear end of the animal. They are a cream to brown color and they lay their eggs at the base of the chicken feathers. The chicken louse does not actually bite the bird but it does eat feather debris and dead skin cells. This causes a terrible itch for the bird. Luckily, there are medications that can be purchased from your local hatchery, that completely remove the chicken lice.
Make sure to always examine your chickens for parasites because they can usually be easily seen. But if you follow the steps for keeping your chickens clean and healthy, you probably will never have a problem with these annoying visitors.