[Oliveview]

One of the ´new´ hens, a White leghorn (I believe) died this morning.   They had been suffering from some form of nasty crawling insect- brown, the size of a thunder bug, about the size of the comma here,,,,,,
The RHR hens were clear for some reason, just the white hens alive and crawling.  I bought the frontline spray and treated them 2 nights ago.  Last night when I checked the hens there was no sign of creepy crawlies on them.  I went down to check the hens last night and to see if they were treating Colin friendly (they were sitting almost beside him on the roost )  One of the white hens sneezed.  I´m ´hoping´ that it is the sneezy hen that has died.  The others are full of life, rushing all over the place and one just chased Colin down the garden (so much for cuddling up close last night)
I try to check the hens every few days for creepy crawlies and up until Monday they had seemed to be ok.  I was  shocked at how many insects there were onthe white hens. 
Is there any reason why the white hens should be so badly affected and the RHR hens not?  The feathers on the white hens are much softer than the RHR hens
Pamela

[Sue33]

hi Pamela, so sorry to hear one of your hens has died, it does happen unfortunately and it's really frustrating when you're not 100% sure what they've died of.  Just a thought but maybe you could see more of the bugs on your white hen simply because she's white, they might be harder to spot on the darker girls.    Hopefully all your other girls will be fine, just keep an eye on them, sounds as though they're full of beans 

[newChickenMummy]

No advice but sorry to hear about the death of one of your girls 

[Roughlee Handled]

So are these

Northern Mite or Red Mite?

Are there clumps of them mites under the wings?

If you squash them do you get a blood squash mark?

[Oliveview]

They are really tiny things- no sign of big blood sucker ones, and no sign of clusters under the wings either.
Pamela

[Roughlee Handled]

Have you read through this topic
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=5250.0

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Pamela, tiny tiny ones does sound like red mite!  But don't know what other bugs you would get over there.  Maybe spanish tiny bugs are something else.

sorry to hear about your new girl.  Hope the others are okay and no more sneezing!

[Oliveview]

Just been to put the hens away- all ok and close up to Colin.  Turkey babies have put themselves away tonight too.
Pamela

[GrannieAnnie]

lucky Colin!!!   

[Oliveview]

They still chase him during the day though.  He can jump over the wire into the rose bit at the side of the hen garden-  they can´t get him there.  His long legs are handy for leaping over wire.
All the other hens are alive and well this morning.
Pamela

[Roughlee Handled]

..................
All the other hens are alive and well this morning.
Pamela

What about the creepy crawlies on the white chickens? Have they disappeared?

[Oliveview]

No creepie crawlies on the white hens today- I think it was just bad timing that  I sprayed 2 nights before the hen died.
Hopefully now the white hens will go back to laying eggs- they had not long started then ´went off´ not surprising, they must have been very uncomfortable
Pamela