Chicken fleas!

[soloequestrian]

I didn't even know they were a thing! Just realised that the laying box hay was moving today, lifted it up and discovered it was alive with fleas! Has anyone dealt with this and what did you do? So far I've just emptied out all the old hay, sprayed the boxes with flea spray and put clean bedding in. The spray definitely worked - there were lots of dead fleas. The hens don't live in the same area so they won't be in there again until they lay in the morning - they have a big shed with perches for overnight. I assume some/all of them will have fleas on them? They're not tame so I'm not sure how I'll check that :-(

 

[Birker2020]

I didn't even know they were a thing! Just realised that the laying box hay was moving today, lifted it up and discovered it was alive with fleas! Has anyone dealt with this and what did you do? So far I've just emptied out all the old hay, sprayed the boxes with flea spray and put clean bedding in. The spray definitely worked - there were lots of dead fleas. The hens don't live in the same area so they won't be in there again until they lay in the morning - they have a big shed with perches for overnight. I assume some/all of them will have fleas on them? They're not tame so I'm not sure how I'll check that :-(

Are you dusting the hens in red mite powder regularly? We did ours every fortnight. This should kill the fleas too but you need to remove all the bedding, vac it out completely and spray in all the corners and crevices and treat the birds before letting them back in again. Lift their wings and dust under them and their under carriage.

 

[Burnttoast]

Louse powder might work? Mine are pretty flighty so I tend to do things that must be done in the evening when they've gone to bed. Companion chicken holder and good torch are helpful.

 

[marmalade76]

Are you sure they're fleas and not redmite?

 

[Clodagh]

How big are they? Red mite kill more chickens than foxes do, you will need to be vigilant. If they are red mite there will only be the odd one on the chicken, if lice or Northern Fowl mite they will mainly be on the chicken.
I’ve had chickens my whole life and never encountered flea infestations.

 

[irishdraft]

I've never heard or seen chickens with fleas & I used to have 50 odd chickens for about 10 years .Are you meaning red mite which are common and can be difficult to get rid of if they get a hold in the house x

 

[soloequestrian]

They are definitely flea shaped and brown rather than mite shaped and red. I've never treated any of them for anything and have had hens for about 10 years... can't imagine where they've come from either, last time I got a new hen was 2 years ago. I'll have a look at red mite powder. I dread having to try and handle them - last time I tried anything at roosting time they all woke up and went nuts.

 

[Nettle123]

Diatomous earth is your friend. I use newspaper in the nest boxes and and a good hand full on top. Lots of it on the perches and coop floor. Not had red mite or lice on the girls in 3 years on this routine. I buy it off ebay. Before that I was forever creosoting the pens inside and out.

 

[Widgeon]

How big are they? Red mite kill more chickens than foxes do, you will need to be vigilant. If they are red mite there will only be the odd one on the chicken, if lice or Northern Fowl mite they will mainly be on the chicken.
I’ve had chickens my whole life and never encountered flea infestations.

Ours have lice. Blooming horrible. They appeared in the winter and I've emptied and gutted the shed, permethrin-ed everything multiple times, diatomaceous earth on the hens daily....still can't get rid of them. Ivermectin seems like overkill but I'm considering it!

 

[HollyWoozle]

I'm a bit late to this party but permethrin, permethrin, permethrin! You can get stable louse powder with it in or some sprays, Nettex 'total mite kill' for example.

ETA: to use on the perches, nest box etc. Not the chickens!

 

[soloequestrian]

I emptied the nesting boxes and sprayed with the flea spray I had for our infestation of cat fleas a few years ago then put clean bedding in. I haven't seen any more fleas yet. Cautiously optimistic.

 

[Lacuna]

You can also get ivermectin spot ons for them (just make sure you don't eat the eggs for a week afterwards)