Poultry Parasites and How to Control Them: A Comprehensive Guide

Keeping backyard chickens is usually pretty straightforward. However, like any pet, they can pick up pesky parasites while they go about their daily chicken activities.

These uninvited visitors can bring about major health problems for your flock, resulting in decreased productivity and even death in some cases, but with regular health checks, this shouldn’t be the outcome.

Understanding the common types of poultry parasites and effective control measures is crucial for maintaining a healthy and thriving flock!

 

Common Poultry Parasites

 

External Parasites

 

Lice - Poultry lice are small, wingless insects that feed on the skin and feathers of birds.

They cause irritation, feather loss, and reduced egg production.

Usually, healthy birds will stop them from being a problem by dust bathing and preening. Due to this, they are normally found on unwell chickens.

 

They are visible to the naked eye and can be spotted moving around under and within the feathers - depending on how good your vision is, they look like white spots moving around in the feathers.

In some cases you will see clumps of eggs at the base of the feathers.

Ensure that your chickens have adequate space to dust bathe and these should not be a massive issue in most cases, but its part of our job as poultry keepers to make sure our chickens are comfortable and safe so make sure to keep an eye on them!

 

These are not the same as the head lice humans get so there’s no danger of you catching them from your hens!

 

Mites -  Tiny arachnids that can cause severe itching, skin damage, and anaemia. There are a few di

fferent types of mite that can potentially be feeding on your hens, such as the red mite, northern fowl mite, and scaly leg mite.

The most common of these is the red mite, scaly leg mite and northern fowl mite.

They are found both on the chicken and in cracks and crevices inside the coop or anywhere around where the chickens live. Keep reading below as we go into more depth with each type of mite.

 

Red mites are nocturnal so when your chickens are tucked up in their coop, the mites come out to feed on the bird’s blood. They favour the vent area so be sure to take a close look here if something looks a miss, which we will into further down the page.

Scaly leg mites are small parasitic mites that infest the legs and feet of chicken. They burrow under the scales on the legs and cause nasty irritation and discomfort for the bird. 

Some symptoms of the scaly leg mite include:

-Raised scales 

-Swelling

-Lameness

-Decreased activity

Treatment for Scaly Leg Mites - 

Wash the chickens legs in warm, soapy water to soften the skin and remove any dir and dry thoroughly. Smear vaseline or similar on the legs to suffocate the mites and reapply every few days.

 

 

 

Administer Ivermectin (link to blog post on invermectin) topically or orally.

There are also a range of poultry safe mite sprays and oils which can be rubbed on the area, for example mineral oil or neem oil)

Also ensure the coop is cleaned thoroughly and kept clean!

If your birds have mites, you might notice scabs near the vent area, eggs on feathers, and visible dark patches on a light-coloured bird, which could be mite droppings.

When you are looking for mites, we highly recommend wearing gloves as mites can and will bite humans. They won’t do any harm apart from causing you to itch… but still horrible!

 

Fleas - Poultry, like dogs and cats, can get fleas. The European Chicken Flea is the most common in Europe and the United States. These will attach

 themselves to the skin around the eyes, wattles, and comb of animals. This can cause discomfort and potentially lead to infection if severe.

They aren’t as common as fleas on dogs and cats, but still cause issues for your birds if they are unlucky enough to have them feeding on them!

 

Internal Parasites

 

Worms - Various types of worms, such as roundworms, tapeworms, and gapeworms, can infect the digestive tract of poultry, as well as the throat, leading to malnutrition, weight loss, and poor growth.

 

Roundworms can be found in the intestine, as well as the gizzard and oesophagus, they aren’t usually fatal but still can be unpleasant. Especially as they can be passed into the eggs! So its best to get them sorted.

Flubendazole is what we use to de-worm chickens, and it has a very very high success rate.

 

Gapeworms are nasty worms that latch onto the throat of a chicken. Affecting the breathing of the bird and causing wheezing and gasping.

 

They are spread by other chickens or can be picked up through slugs, snails and earthworms.

 

Again, Flubendazole is used to treat the gapeworm.

 

 

Chickens can get tapeworms too, albeit less common than the previously mentioned worms. Again, they are spread by slugs, snails and earthworms so free-ranging chickens are more at risk.

 

 

 

Signs of Parasitic Infestation

So let's go through some of the signs you can be looking out for that could indictate a parasitic infection in your chickens.

Scratching and pecking -  Birds may frequently scratch and peck at their bodies.

Feather loss -  Patchy or overall feather loss can indicate lice or mite infestations.

Reduced egg production - Parasites can stress the birds, leading to fewer eggs.

Weight loss and lethargy -  Internal parasites often cause weight loss and lethargy due to malnutrition.

Diarrhea -  Particularly in the case of coccidiosis, diarrhea is a common symptom.

 

 

Preventive Measures

Maintain a clean coop by regularly removing droppings and replacing bedding. Also disinfect your coop frequently with some poultry coop disinfectant.

 

Try not to let too many wild visitors near your flock of chickens as these can spread parasites. Also, when introducing new birds to your flock, be sure to quarantine them before putting them in with your other birds.

 

A healthy diet is also vital to strengthen immune systems to help fight off any parasites our illnesses!

 

We DO NOT recommend Diatomaceous earth as this can have a negative impact on poultry health and there are signs that it can be a carcinogenic! People have used this succefully but we believe that dust baths should be sufficient in repelling mites and lice from your poultry.

 

 

 

Monitoring and Regular Health Checks

 

Regular health checks are vital in catching infestations early. Observe your flock daily for signs of distress, and schedule periodic veterinary check-ups. Keep detailed records of any treatments administered and the health status of your birds.

 

Conclusion

 

Managing poultry parasites requires a combination of good husbandry practices, preventive measures, and timely treatments. By staying vigilant and proactive, you can keep your flock healthy and productive. Remember, a healthy flock not only ensures better productivity but also contributes to the overall well-being of your poultry farming operation.

 

For more detailed advice tailored to your specific situation, consult with a veterinarian who specialises in poultry or give us an email at info@primarypoultry.com