stubble fields and feather/ harvest mites.......

[Shysmum]

We rode round some newly cut straw fields yesterday (with permission of course ), and when I saw Shy this morning, he was rubbing his mane and tail madly, and scratching his feathers on anything he could get hold of. Must be some sort of mite that has taken a fancy to him.

had to give him some piriton as he was in quite a lot of distress. Also pig oiled him up before he went out.

So if your cob starts scratching, that may be what is happening.

 

[Archangel]

Tell me about it! I started scratching about 3 weeks ago with the dammed chiggers. We get it every year for about a 6 weeks when the harvest is ripe. Arrrrrgh drives me mad. I cover myself in jungle strength insect repellent. Dog and cat are OK but we are on benadryl!

Hope Shy gets some relief soon. Maybe you could put insect repellent on his legs and the end of his tail if you go the next time and then hose his legs and tail off when you get back.

I hate the dammed chiggers.

 

[Shysmum]

Hopefully the pig oil will stop the damned things getting to his skin, and he went out with repellant on him. Are they the mini black wriggly things you are talking about ?