[Big Jen]

Just brought a little dutch hen into the kitchen to show someone and there were mites all over her comb

I cant believe this, I am so fussy and paranoid about mites.
All my birds are treated with Ivermectin drops, pens are cleaned regularly with Poultrysheild, and perches and bedding dusted with Diatom. The pen that this hen was in was cleaned yesterday.
I always inspect the pens when I spray with poutrysheild to see if anything crawls out and I have seen nothing?
Dont understand what I have done wrong, not had a mite on me either?
BJ

[Foxy]

Dont worry probably a recent thing - but it is an awful feeling. I found a few lice eggs on a banty buff -I was mortified!! bathed her -scrubbed the house frontlined every single bird.....now am checking every blooming five minutes!!!!

The thing is it does happen -catching it early I believe is the key. Dont beat yourself up about it though

[Big Jen]

Thanks for your kind words Foxy. I am gutted, thought I wouldnt get them and had done enough.
Really dont know what action to take. What would you suggest?
BJ

[Foxy]

Well the weather has warmed up a bit -could have been brought in by new birds maybe had eggs?) wild birds perhaps or even other people!
When I found the eggs, I then found the lice-not many but I had missed them on my first inspection. I used Frontline spray and they disappeared. Used it again a week later just to check. The spray is different to the frontline drops though. Spray just on the skins surface and drops just beneath. I think with me TBH I had gotten complacent with the really cold weather.
Dont worry BJ just pop on a hairshirt for a week or two you will feel much better!!!

[too many girls]

don't worry you'll get rid of them soon, i bet your reaction wasn't as bad as mine when years ago my son Sam complained of a itchy head, i had a look, saw the lice crawling in his hair and ran up the street screaming, a neighbour came and deloused him before i would come back in the house................if i find anything on my animals i'm not to bothered, but my son ...........................

[Big Jen]

Thanks for the replies. I just feel terrible that my babies are sitting in their pens now probably being bitten
And I feel cheated that I have spent a lot of money on prevention and they still have them
Cant really do much either till the wkend because at work. I have ordered some Frontline spray and a barrel of creasote but wont be able to do all the pens at the same time as they need to dry before I can put them back in.

BJ