Chiggers also are known as red bugs, jiggers, harvest mites and by other common names. More than 700 species are known, but only three or four are important parasites in the United States. The adults usually are covered with dense, feathered hairs that give them a velvety appearance. They are often bright red with a […]
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Red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta, form tall, hardened mounds in clay-type soil in and around poultry operations. Imported fire ants can cause problems on poultry farms by attacking chickens and foraging on broken eggs. Fire ant stings cause blemishes that can reduce the quality of poultry. Their stings can cause medical problems or even
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Darkling Beetles The darkling beetle or lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus, is rapidly becoming more of a nuisance in poultry operations. Large populations of beetles sometimes migrate to nearby residential areas, especially after litter cleanout. Although the beetles can fly up to a mile, most crawl at night from litter disposed in fields neighboring homes. Beetles are often
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Fleas are occasionally found in the poultry house. They are usually first noticed in the litter, where a wide range of hosts are attached, including rats, mice, chickens and people. Bites annoying egg handlers occur primarily on the ankles and legs, causing a swollen itchy spot. The adult flea, an excellent jumper, passes through a
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This article on predators is an excerpt from the Small Flock Poultry Health Manual published by the Province of B.C. Ministry of Agriculture. The full manual can be accessed by clicking here. Poultry producers should be aware of the possibility of losses to predators. Owners of small flocks usually have more difficulty with predators than
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This article on common poultry mites is an excerpt from the Small Flock Poultry Health Manual published by the Province of B.C. Ministry of Agriculture. The full manual can be accessed by clicking here. Mites are very small (just visible without magnification) and may appear like moving dark specks. While common poultry mites are wingless
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This article on common poultry lice is an excerpt from the Small Flock Poultry Health Manual published by the Province of B.C. Ministry of Agriculture. The full manual can be accessed by clicking here. Lice are small (most between 1 to 6 mm in length), wingless, straw colored insects with a somewhat flattened appearance and
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What Are Black Flies? Black flies are tiny, blood-sucking flies in the insect family Simuliidae and are often called buffalo gnats or turkey gnats. Contrary to their name, black flies may be gray, tan, or even greenish. They usually breed in fast moving water of streams and rivers. They are tremendous pests of humans, domestic
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Have you ever been out in your bird pens (inside or outside) and notice something running quickly along a wall or fence-line? If you are like most folks who raise poultry, occasionally seeing a mouse or rat is not out of the question, however ignoring that situation can result in major rodent problems down the
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Birds—including those in your flock—come in many different and beautiful forms. And the appreciation of birds, whether they are laying eggs in your coop or migrating to South America—can take on many forms. Do you own a pair of binoculars? A birding magazine subscription? Perhaps a bird house or a bird identification guide? Many people
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