East Essex Smallholders Chitchat

Summary

An external parasite of chickens and turkeys, although very small can be seen by the naked eye.
The mite feeds by sucking blood from its host causing irritation.
Birds can be restless and lethargic when heavily infested.
Drop in egg production.
Loss of condition from depressed feed intake.
May cause anaemia and death in young birds.
Skin irritation to humans.

Full Details

The common red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, is an external parasite of chickens and turkeys. It feeds by sucking blood from its host. They tend to hide by day in crevices within the poultry house and come out at night to feed on the birds. Red mites appear pale grey in colour before they feed, then turn to bright red after feeding, however, they can be almost black in colour when full of blood. Red mites can be seen with the naked eye; being up to 0.7mm in size. If they crawl onto your skin they are irritating and move quite quickly.

Signs

Presence of grey/red mites up to 0.7mm, around vent of birds and in housing, particularly crevices.
Birds are often restless due to the irritation.
May cause anaemia and death in young birds.
Loss of condition.
Pale comb and wattles.
Drop in egg production.
Blood spots on eggs.
Staff/owner complaints of itching.

Treatment

There are several separate preparations available for successful treatment, both for the birds and for the housing. Some products work by breaking down the waxy cuticle of the mites exoskeleton (body), which is very resilient.

Where there is a particularly heavy burden the birds may become lethargic and would probably also benefit from some vitamins to get them through the stress of red mite in addition to the mite treatment.

Prevention

Thorough cleaning, fumigation and insecticide treatment between batches are essential to keep mites under control. Where there is a heavy infestation, regular repeat treatments may be necessary.

Good house design to eliminate cracks and crevices to reduce the places mites can hide also helps. Effective monitoring of mite numbers on a regular basis and implementation of control measures before birds are heavily infested improves control.

It must be realised that mites hide during the daylight hours and tend to generally come out at night, so unless you look closely or you have a particularly heavy infestation you may not know they are present. Treatment of birds after dark, although not easy, is the best option as this is when the mites are the most active.

Burning the bedding or moving it well away from the birds for composting are the best ways to reduce mite numbers. Straw bedding gives the mites a place to hide by crawling up the straw shaft; therefore the use of shavings is preferable, particularly when trying to eliminate them.

Following vet Susan McCann's recent presentation, here are some notes on some "common" problems that you may experience in keeping poultry.

don't forget - if in doubt - seek advice from the vet

USEFUL GENERAL INFORMATION

Chickens have been domesticated for 4000 years, originating from the Red Jungle Fowl, a small pheasant of Asia and produce about 20% of world animal protein.

In the UK, the Poultry Club protect breed standards for showing, in a similar way that the Kennel Club does with dogs.

Small holding flocks of less than 50 birds do not need to be registered with DEFRA, although reference to their Flock Health Plan - check website for details - is always useful.

Other useful websites include:

The Poultry Club

Animal Oricle

Animal Oricle includes a decision tree for poultry owners that gives guidance and indication of the severity of health problems and when it is time to seek veterinary advice.

Birds usually moult in late summer/early autumn and takes 3-4 weeks.

Medication:

WITHDRAWAL PERIODS

licensed medication = detailed in literature

unlicensed medication = eggs 7days, meat 28 days

It is imperative that RECORDS of drugs used, to which birds and what doses they are administered is kept. This is often referred to as a "Medicine Book”

Housing

The minimum space require per bird is 1 square foot (or 8 inches for Bantams).

A broad, smooth perch, with rounded edges approx 5cm wide, allow enough room for head clearance when positioning, is desirable.

Wood shavings is best for litter however straw is ok, although you do need to ensure it is not mouldy.

Solid flooring is best and house should be raised off the ground to discourage vermin and provide space for shelter and dust baths.

Remember to clean WEEKLY

Handling

A hen will disguise the fact that she is ill in order to maintain her place in the pecking order, so it is important to pick up each bird regularly to see if she has lost weight. Feathers can disguise the fact that a bird is very thin.

It is important to feel the pin bones either side of the vent

Sharp = thin

Can not feel = too fat

3 finger widths = in lay

Less than 2 = not in lay

Chicken Skeleton
Pin bones = pubis

Good method of picking up

· Slide an outstretched hand, palm up, fingers spread, under the bird

· Breast should rest on the outstretched palm

· Clamp legs between first and second and third and forth fingers

· Take the weight on your forearm and hold her close with her head pointing towards your armpit

· Do not squeeze too tightly as this may harm the breathing mechanism

· Do not hold by one leg as this can dislocate the hip

A fish landing net may be useful to help catch

· Nostrils should be dry

· Comb should be red (breed variations)

· Bright eyes

· Shiny feathers

· Check pin bones to body score (see above)

· Vent should be clean with no smell

· Bird should be aware and alert

Deformed birds

It is not a good idea to keep deformed birds as they often get picked on and cannot forage for food so may starve. They can also attract foxes as they are easy prey.

Feeding:

Points to consider:

Throwing food around the garden or yard can attract wild birds and rodents that can potentially introduce disease and parasites.
Whole grain wheat is better than maize. Chickens like the maize very much and can gorge on it making them fat which can cause fatty liver and then death, however it is good to use for bribery at bedtime!
Balanced feed, correct for the age of the bird and from a reputable source, always check it is in date.
GRIT this is essential for the gizzard to function properly in grinding the food. Oyster shell or limestone are good sources and are good for shell formation.
It is illegal to feed scraps and leftovers from the table, but you all know this!
Rhubarb is TOXIC if chickens eat it as are laburnum, laurel, nightshade and daffodil bulbs
If in doubt about giving your chooks something - don't!

Water

Clear and clean
Flowing, as chickens like flowing water.
Putting it in a dark coloured container can decrease the growth of algae

Security

Always ensure the birds are kept in a fox proof yard/compound preferably with an overhang

Eggs

Addition of light through the winter months will keep them laying when the days are shorter

Incubation times:

Chickens 21 days
Pheasant 24-28 days
Turkey 28 days
Guinea Fowl 28 days
Quail 17 days

If you take on old battery hens, beware as they are prone to EGG PERITONITIS (internal laying) often caused by stress and this is untreatable.

Egg eating is a vice often caused by boredom or poor nest boxes or if the shell is soft. Soft shells are caused by insufficient provision of grit.

“Egg bound” is caused by calcium imbalance and can be brought on by poor diet and stressors such as cold, overcrowding, poor ventilation and bullying by other birds. The egg must be removed carefully avoiding any breakages as this will cause internal poisoning. KY Jelly is useful in injecting around the "stuck" egg to ease it out of the vent. This is best done by a vet.

EXTERNAL PARASITES

Lice: Menopon Gallinae

Flat, yellow and fast moving, approximately 2mmin size
Usually found around the vent and under the wings
More common in Autumn and Winter
Eggs look like sugar granules clumped and attached to the base of the feathers
Not life threatening but can cause irritation

Treatment

Pyrethrum based “louse Powder”
Ivermectin will also work but it’s not licensed

Mites: Dermanyssus Gallinae

Red mite, 1mm long
Lives in the hut/environment during the day and sucks blood at night causing anaemia (pale comb)
Can live for 6 months without feeding so second hand huts are a good source of infection

Treatment

Need to treat the hen house, use a blowtorch to scorch the crevices,
spray with licensed permethrin preparation or dust the house with pyrethrum flea/louse powder.
Remove all material/soft coverings with plastic or bitumen sprayed replacements as the mites need dark places and crevices to breed in.
No specific licensed product, dust baths will help, environmental control should be enough as this is where the mites spend most of their time!
Avoid buying second hand hen huts!

Scaly Leg Mite: Cnemidocoptes Mutans

Do not usually see the mite itself, more the effect on the bird which is intense irritation as it burrows under the scales of the leg producing at first,
a whitish film then mounds of pale yellow debris firmly attached to the leg.
There is often a musty smell on the legs.
Can affect the face too

Treatment

Dunk legs weekly, three times, in a wide mouthed jar of surgical spirit or put a thick layer of petroleum jelly on the legs. This cuts off the air supply to the mites.
Scales and feathers are moulted once a year so it is often self limiting after the crusts have fallen off.
DO NOT be tempted to pick the crusts off as the skin underneath is raw and tender, badly affected birds may take up to a year to look normal again as the scales re-grow.
DO NOT use old fashioned remedies such as diesel or creosote to coat the legs as these are highly toxic to hens
Panomec (Ivermectin) and frontline spray are unlicensed products but can be effective upon veterinary advice regarding dose and application, if other measures do not work.

INTERNAL PARASITES

More of a problem in outdoor birds as earthworms, insects and wild birds act as transport hosts or carriers of eggs and larvae. Stress and high stocking density can play a major role too.

Rotation of living/exercise areas regularly will keep environmental contamination low.

Treating with “FLUBINVET” (fenbendazole) 10gms to 8kg of feed for 7 days is highly advisable especially if the same area of ground is used for housing each year.

Best to treat before breeding and every 2 months if stocking density is high. Be careful though, as it is a powder and not all of it sticks to the pellets and it falls to the bottom of the feeder, so you need to mix it in or add vegetable oil to help it to stick.

A more common cause of diarrhoea or loose faeces is

COCCIDIOSIS:

Protozoal infection, single cell organism that multiplies in the gut cells
Not all species cause problems
Stress can exacerbate the problem ie cold, poor ventilation and overcrowding
Causes diarrhoea, sometimes with blood and mucus or just white watery.
Also stunting of growth in young birds.

Treatment

The eggs (oocysts) are very resistant in the environment and require specific disinfectants.
Medication added to feed includes “Baycox 2.5%” and unlicensed products
Vaccination is available “Paracox”
Less likely in free range birds
Pigeon product “Coxoid” can be used if the birds are not to be used for human consumption

HISTOMONOSIS

“Blackhead”, protozoal infection affects the liver of turkeys, pheasants, quail, peacocks and guinea fowl.
Causes yellow diarrhoea. Can cause a black comb hence name.
The protozoa needs an intermediate host, the chicken intestinal worm Heterakis in order to be infectious, so it is often seen when chickens are mixed with susceptible bird types.

Treatment

“Emtryl“(Dimetridazole) added to water, but no longer available in EU, so metronidazole is used but it is not as effective.
Treat chickens with “Flubinvet” if housed with turkeys

RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS

The most common problem in back yard poultry is MYCOPLASMA infections (“Roup” or “Common Cold”). It is becoming more common as stock are moved about and people become more aware.

It is very contagious and the incubation period can be as short as a few days.

It is more common in stressed and debilitated birds or those with other infections.

Signs include:

Foamy or swollen eyes
Sneezing and nasal discharge
Reduced egg production
Possibly swollen joints
Stained feathers as the bird wipes her nose

It is transferred from bird to bird in the air and can survive in snot/secretions for several days, therefore humans can transfer the infection too.

Treatment

Licensed treatment is available, antibiotics will not cure the problem but will reduce the incidence to a controllable level.
Products include “Tylan” (tylosin) oral and injectable, “Tiamulin” (tiamulin) oral prep only and Baytril (enroflxacin) oral and inject able but eggs should not be eaten during and for a week after treatment.
Prevention is better than a cure so preventative measures include:

Keep stressors to a minimum ie
Avoid overcrowding, ammonia and dust in the environment.
Feed a good quality diet and consider vitamin supplements
Quarantine new birds for 2-3 weeks and possibly treat prophylactically with antibiotics if from a dubious source or flock of known problem with respiratory disease.
Avoid buying birds from auctions
Disinfectant: Virkon (care as too concentrated can be toxic) and F10
Vaccination is available in Europe but not in the UK

Other illnesses and diseases include:

Fungal infections (Aspergillus) which can be caused buy mouldy hay, straw or vegetables.
Air Sack Leakage where air accumulates under the skin of the bird an she puffs up like a balloon, it often goes away itself but sometimes the skin needs to be cut or a temporary hole created in the skin.
Infectious Bronchitis is a virus that causes respiratory disease as well as reduced egg production and wrinkled or poor shaped eggs. It is more of a problem in commercial flocks and vaccination is available but infected birds are usually culled.
BIRD FLU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you are suspicious contact DEFRA IMMEDIATELY

A few other commonly seen problems include:

Chapped skin especially in severe weather: keep inside or apply petroleum jelly
Brest Blisters: often resolve themselves but antibiotics may be needed if they become infected
Ear infections: waxy exudates, cheesy and yellow, can be treated with dog ear preps (off licence!)
Bumblefoot: swelling of the pad of the foot caused by bacteria. A bruised foot may be more likely to get infected, antibiotics, poultices and surgery can be tried but in severe cases culling is the only option.
Spur overgrowth and broken nails can be clipped or files down as can be overgrown or mis-shaped beaks.
Overgrown spurs and claws can cause flank wounds especially in Turkeys or soft feathered breeds such as Buff Orpington. “Blue” (tetracycline) spray or Stockholm tar is good for superficial wounds to reduce infection
Vent pecking,
Feather pecking
Other vices are more common if the birds are overcrowded or stressed.

If you would like more information on any particular illness or have some symptoms that you are unsure about - post a comment and we will try to help.

alternatively, please don't hesitate to email

East Essex Smallholders

Editor

Chitchat