Little bugs are small parasites that live in the feathers and down of birds, grinding off the feather cover. These parasites are popularly referred to as chicken lice. The damage is the same as that of lice. Litters do not drink the blood of birds, but prefer to eat feathers and underfeather down. Litters are parasites that also feed on dead skin flakes, and some drink droplets of blood that show up when the chicken scratches the skin.
Description of insects
Little-eaters are parasites that live under the feathers on the skin of a bird. Mature insects up to 2.5 mm in size, beige or amber in color, therefore, are clearly visible on the body of the bird.
The jaws are located on the inside of the head. Subspecies Amblyocera has highly developed mandibular palps, ropal antennae, articulated in 4-5 segments. Usually the antennas are located in the cavity. In insects of the subspecies Ischnocera, the palps are scanty, the antennae are filiform and grow along the edges of the head. The forehead is developed with a frontal bulge, with which the feather separates the hairs of down feathers when moving. Antennae are short. The eyes are closed and contain only 1-2 facets.
Little-eaters are ectoparasites of birds (Little-eaters and Pere-eaters). There are 2550 species in the world, 400 in Russia. This is a nimble insect. In females, the body is flat with a triangular head and strong mandibles (gnawingmouth apparatus), chewing both fluff and feather.
Breast distinctly divided. Prothorax (prothorax) freely moving. There are no wings, which is due to the parasitic mode of existence. The legs are strong, running in Amblyocera and in Ischnocera, adapted to attach to the plumage. Spurs on the shins for additional fastening on the feather hairs.
The integuments of the body are slender and flexible, which protects insects from being crushed by the beak of the nurse bird. The photo of the lice clearly demonstrates the structure of his body.
The conversion is partial. The complete evolution of the parasite takes place on the bird. Females lay their eggs in clusters, strengthening the clutch by secretion on the bird's plumage. The eggs are covered. A larva hatches from them, which after 18-20 days transforms into an adult adult insect.
Ectoparasite symptoms
Infection combines typical symptoms:
- The constant scratching of chickens, and the desire to pluck all the feathers.
- The presence of bald patches on the body.
- Small holes in the base of feathers that have come out from chickens.
- Loss of hunger and body weight.
- Delayed development of the younger generation of chickens.
- Decreased ability to lay eggs.
Routes of infection
Luzzy-eaters in chickens start from wild birds through compound feed or grain, they can be infected on a perch or in the mud in a paddock fence, in a nesting place. Chickens living inenclosed spaces where insects penetrate on a person's attire. Litters are parasites that cause the disease mallophagosis. The rapid transmission of the disease in the poultry house is facilitated by:
- Covered chicken coops with hot and humid atmosphere.
- Dirty flooring.
- Crowded chicken coop.
- Communication with wild birds and free walks on the street.
Danger of lice
Visible damage from parasites is a decrease in egg production of chickens. Insects weaken the body of the chicken and inhibit natural vital activity.
For exotic-colorful species of chickens, the presence of ectoparasites is annoying, destroying the splendor of plumage and the appearance of bald areas of the body. Feathers become faded and lifeless. Exposed skin becomes the center of infection with microbes. Wounds appear on the skin, dust is eaten into them, and bacteria that cause contagious diseases are introduced.
Little parrots
Fluffy eaters attack parrots living in cages, and if the sanitary rules for keeping birds are not observed. In a budgerigar, feathers eaten by parasites appear to be streaked with holes, like on a sewing machine. The biocycle of insect formation is 21-28 days. Parasites live on feathers for a couple of months, eating feathers and epithelial tissues.
When infected, the bird is alarmed, itches, shakes itself off every minute, does not sleep and does not eat. The feathers are dull and stick out randomly. Bald patches of skin covered with ulcers appear on the head, under the wings, on the abdomen. Due to the small body weight of the parrot, it is difficult to deal withectoparasites, the bird does not tolerate biocidal chemicals well and dies if overdosed.
How to remove parasites
It's hard to get rid of parasites. Insect control takes from 30 days to six months. Having started treatment without delay, it is easy to overcome pereed. Nowadays, they fight parasites with two methods: chemical and folk.
Chemical remedies for lice
Etching with chemical compounds promptly affects perood. The poison acts on the nerve cells of insects and provokes death. These poisons do not affect the he alth of the chicken.
The following remedies are popular:
- "Bars". The drug is prescribed for cats and dogs, but it is also effectively used to eradicate parasites on chickens. The composition of the chemical includes the perithroid permethrin, which exterminates many varieties of ectoparasites. The chicken head is smeared with the composition.
- "Nude". An aerosol product for the elimination of lice in humans, but is also used on birds. Irrigate bird feathers. The tool is expensive, therefore, it is used with a small number of chickens in the compound.
- "Butox". The drug acts on all kinds of ectoparasites. The substance from the ampoule is dissolved in a liquid and sprayed onto bird feathers. The poultry house is also disinfected with Butox by diluting 1 ml of the chemical into 1 liter of liquid.
- "Frontline". The chemical is in the form of an aerosol, sprinkled on the plumage of chickens. Mature insects die from the composition. To consolidate the achieved result, after 1 week, another treatment of chickens is done.
- "Stronghold". The drug is smeared on the scruffbirds.
- "Insectol". Aerosol for spraying on plumage. The composition is sprayed under the wings and tail.
- "Arpalit". Aerosol of biocidal action. Protects birds from secondary infection by insects.
Folk remedies
In addition to insecticidal compounds, folk methods of treatment help against lice:
- Kerosene is mixed with water, vinegar and birds are bathed.
- Dilute ammonia, kerosene and benzene. Parasites scatter only from one flavor of the mixture.
- Mixture of ash and sand. Birds, floundering in the mixture, shake off insects.
- Powder the plumage of chickens with powder from the ground root of white hellebore and a branch of leafless barnyard. The powder is toxic and should be used with care.
- In the chicken coop, grass is laid on the floor: chamomile, tansy, wild rosemary, wormwood. The feathers of chickens are washed daily with an infusion of these herbs. This is the most effective remedy against lice in chickens and young animals. Herbs are used to prevent illness, not for severe infections.
Infection prevention
To prevent infection, they heat the house, monitor the cleanliness of the room, often change the bedding, limit contact with free birds, periodically arrange for birds to bathe in a mixture of sand and ash, examine the feather cover of birds, monitor the slightest change in the behavior of pets.
If you follow the rules for keeping birds, be able to recognize the signs and immediately treat the disease, then the appearancethere is no danger of overeating in the backyard and the birds will be he althy and beautiful.
