Chicken fleas are small parasites whose habitat is bird plumage. It is on the body of birds, especially chickens, that such insects spend their life cycle, intensively breeding and feeding on the blood of their victims.
The consequences of the destructive activity of chicken fleas, resembling dark hanging growths, are the spread of various infections (plague, salmonella, brucellosis), decreased egg production, poor health and subsequent death of birds. If chicken
fleas are found on poultry
, how to get rid of these pests quickly and harmlessly, while maintaining the health of birds?
Description of Chicken Fleas
The avian parasite is characterized by a shiny brown body of about 1-2 mm in length. Unlike flat brothers living on cats and dogs, it has a high, slightly hunched and flattened lateral trunk, so it is almost impossible to crush such a pest. The durability of the body of chicken fleas is given by a strong chitinous cover, and nimbleness and agility are provided by strong and elongated hind legs, due to which harmful insects jump very high.
The optimum comfortable temperature for the existence of such parasites is 40-41 - an indicator corresponding to the body temperature of poultry. For this reason, the chicken flea never leaves its limits and accumulates in places where plumage is absent: there the skin of birds is the thinnest, just “too tough” to a small parasite.
Causes of Chicken Parasite Infections
Sources of the appearance of chicken fleas in poultry are quite large. Hens can become infected with parasites from wild birds: sparrows, tits, crows. If there is a poultry farm nearby, chicken fleas are able to easily migrate from there on their own. Pest eggs can be found in straw or hay, which is used as bedding in chicken coops.
Propagation Features
Despite the huge "devotion" to its owner, the female flea does not know how to reproduce on the body of a chicken. Every day, with the help of a certain group of muscles, she pushes a portion of eggs from her body over rather considerable distances.
The worm-shaped larvae emerging from them the next day begin to intensely feed on “pasture.” After several weeks, the larvae pupate. In an adult, reincarnation occurs at the same comfortable temperature of + 40 ° C, most often in a nest where the laying hen is located for prolonged incubation.
The danger of chicken fleas
Chicken fleas pose a huge danger to poultry and, actively multiplying at an increasing pace, are capable of simply “biting” it for a short period. The chicken suffers greatly, behaves uneasily, stops eating and drinking, and may die from exhaustion.
In addition, the bites of such parasites infect birds with helminths, which subsequently pass through the meat to humans. Therefore, it is urgent to take measures to eliminate dangerous parasites. If chicken fleas are found on a bird, how to get rid of these pests? What necessary measures should be applied? How to use a drug for chicken fleas?
How to determine the defeat of chicken fleas?
The presence of parasites in the chicken can be determined visually: insects often creep out to feed exposed skin near the eyes, beak, and legs. Fumbled in plumage, they greatly annoy the bird. The latter, trying to scratch irritated places, pecks out feathers for herself, and begins to rapidly lose weight. It is easier for birds kept on free pasture. Having the opportunity to leave a place to spend the night, on the walks they can clean their plumage in dust and anthills, therefore they are less likely to become infected with parasites such as chicken fleas.
How to get rid of folk remedies?
When getting rid of chicken fleas, well-proven folk methods have proven themselves well. In particular, the effect of tansy and wormwood, the smell of which quickly expels small parasites from the chicken coop, is effective. It is enough to just spread these plants in the corners of the room or hang around the perimeter.
Pleases with a positive result the effect of wormwood-tansy decoction, poured with boiling water in a ratio of 1 to 3 and infused for 12 hours. It is recommended to treat the chicken coop with all its contents with saving liquid: walls, floors, corners, feeders, perches.
At the time, not so distant chicken coops were sprayed with dust, the use of which in small quantities not only eliminated parasites, but also prevented their appearance in the future. The most proven measure is ash baths.
Chickens bathe in them with pleasure, simultaneously getting rid of annoying fleas.
How to remove chicken fleas in the chicken coop?
Of the chemicals, Beaphar Drops have proven themselves well. Made on a natural basis, they are designed to remove fleas in dogs. Such a transparent means of oily consistency can successfully save hens: carefully rub into the skin, preventing it from entering the bird’s mouth and eyes. The period of protective action is 3 weeks. Then the processing can be repeated.
Hartz Drops are also designed to get rid of fleas in cats and dogs, but can help treat affected poultry. The contents of the tube should be applied to the back of the head and rub well. The insecticide will quickly spread through the subcutaneous vessels and paralyze the activity of a small pest. The effect occurs 24 hours after treatment. It is not recommended to apply this tool to chickens due to its high toxicity. A wide range of drops against chicken fleas allows you to choose any of them: Bars, Frotline, Stronghold, Advantage, Dana. With strict observance of the instructions in the process of applying these drugs, the result will delight literally right away.
Anti-cloud processing is recommended not only for chickens, but also for the premises where they live. For this procedure, any insecticidal agents used in the fight against cockroaches, fleas, cockroaches in the premises are suitable: Tetrix, Get, Tsifoks, Karbofos, Kukaracha.
Against chicken fleas - the drug "Butox"
In industrial chicken coops, where the population numbers tens and hundreds of chickens, the Butox preparation is effective, the key advantage of which is the ability to easily prepare insecticidal solution in significant quantities. The contents of the ampoules, whose capacity is 1 ml, must be diluted with 4 liters of water and applied to the back of the chicken's head, rubbing it thoroughly.
In the blood subcutaneous vessels, the Butox drug from chicken fleas will quickly spread throughout the body and will not leave the parasites the slightest chance of survival. Also, it is recommended to process chicken coops with this tool, from which all the bird must first be removed.
Effective Deltamethrin powder
In the fight against dangerous small parasites, many farmers use such a remedy for chicken fleas as Deltamethrin powder. The drug must be sprayed onto the bird's plumage (avoiding contact with the respiratory tract), and then rubbed thoroughly into the skin. If there is a special spray, powder processing can be carried out in large houses. After treatment, it is recommended that the chicken coop be kept for several days without cleaning to ensure that all flea larvae die. It is not always possible to get rid of such dangerous pests as chicken fleas on the first try. Therefore, sometimes after 2-3 weeks it is necessary to repeat the treatment, giving time to the surviving pupae to transform into adult fleas. At the pupal stage, pests are less susceptible to insecticides.
Before returning the chickens, wet cleaning should be carried out, the walls should be whitened with bleach and slaked lime and the house should be thoroughly ventilated, the litter should be removed, and the litter should be changed in cages. It is impossible to carry out the treatment simply by spraying the agent: each bird should undergo individual treatment, which must be carried out with a respirator and gloves.