# sticktight fleas



## happybleats

For the last four years we have been battling what we called seed ticks...when I say battling I mean a huge fight. 
We have lived here for four years with no issue..then year five we began seeing these little pest..its wasnt too bad unless the kid goats got under the barn..then we were picking "seed ticks" off for an hour..we blocked on the barn and hoped for the best...we have used everything from DE to Python dust..NOTHING WORKED until this year using the big guns..lightly diluted Pymectin..We wanted to keep it as chemical free as we could..but our chickens are covered, our turkeys and ducks are covered..our dogs, and cats/kittnes and even the goats get a few..expecially the babies..in doing a search on treating parasites in chickens (where we dont have to toss the eggs) I saw this article on stick tight fleas...after reading about them I googled to get a picture of them BINGO we didnt have seed ticks..we have sticktight fleas and they are running our birds to the ground...with 50+ chickens we are lucky to get 6 eggs!!! YAh...not good..so in searching parasite issues I stumbled onto this info and a very helpful article on getting rid of them...a lot cheaper than Pymectin too...7 Dust. Really...thats it?? I have used everything under the sun..but 7 dust!! we are to catch all chickens...(will be along day) with a Q tip treat the infested areas with a flea spray and cover with vasoline..then using 7 dust..dust every inch of their clean pen and dusting area..repeat every 10-14 days ...we have gained a bit of lead way using the pymectin, but 7 dust is way cheaper and Im so desperate to rid our farm of these pest...but Im so excited I found what they were, now that I understand how they behave...we will win..and hopefully our girls will once again begin laying...( no worries..we are still sending a fecal to our vet to check for parasites ) covering all our bases : ) Healthy animals is always our goal.
you can google sticktight fleas for pics...here is a link that shows an infested chicken and tels how she rid herself of the pest 
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/a-cure-for-stick-tight-fleas


----------



## nancy d

That sounds bad, I have never heard of seed ticks & am I thankful!
Glad you found 7 Dust to rid the buggars.


----------



## NyGoatMom

Those look awful! I am glad I Python dust twice a year, lice or not! Maybe that's why I have been lucky! Gonna do a closer check tomorrow...those are creepy!


----------



## happybleats

they are a huge bother!! we live in a very sandy area..we have our work cut out for us but seems we are beginning to see the light at the other end...its pretty bad when you do a tick check on our kids when they come in from playing lol


----------



## Texaslass

Eeeeewwwwwwwwwww!!!!  Anything tick-related give me the creeps big time!
I hope we NEVER get those; I am so sorry for you!


----------



## ksalvagno

Wow, that sounds awful. I hope the 7 dust works.


----------



## happybleats

me too lol..we think we got them brought in on a few chickens my husband purchased...its as far as we can figure out when we began seeing them...we are determined to kill every last one


----------



## NyGoatMom

Man, I would be too....how irritating for the poor animals! Right now we are battling those pesky biting flies....I hate those things with a passion! I was using the acv/water but I broke and bought the permethrin spray....I couldn't stand watching them stomp constantly! I also bought some disposable traps...next year I'm stocking up on fly strips and fly attractant traps, so hopefully I won't have to spray.


----------



## NubianFan

We get seed ticks here about this time of year but I have never heard of sticktight fleas, they really sound worse than seed ticks. And for those of you that don't know what seed ticks are they are just baby ticks that have just hatched out. What makes them so annoying is that they hatch out and climb up weeds and sit and when you walk by they all jump on you, so you will look down and have hundreds running up your legs. They can bite just lie a grown up tick and they are hard to see individually because they are so tiny. If you can notice them when they first jump on you and get them off that is good. Once they get on you it is next to impossible to see all the little buggers and pick each individual off. Especially on animals where they can hide in fur. 
ewww though, good luck with these HappyBleats!


----------



## teejae

We get them here too!!  They came on some chooks( Aussie slang for chickens) we were given,poor things were covered in them.In desperation I went into the chooks cage at night while they were sleeping and put 1 drop of Cydectin pour on for cattle an the back of their necks,results happy chooks and we call them stick fast fleas,all gone  it worked well and havnt had any since and the fact we have had 3 summers of floods to wash all the fleas away,Teejae


----------



## happybleats

hummmm??? Might give that a try lol..might be hard with 50+ chickens plus ducks and turkeys..but we arenot afraid of hard work..expecially with good end results 

I would love happy Chooks too


----------



## Karen

Hey, just a thought - would you want to ask (or for me to ask) for recommendations from a chicken-knowledgeable vet? I am the cohost for Country Joe's Chicken Show, and this Monday we're having Dr. Ron Kean - the chicken vet answer guy - on the show.


----------



## happybleats

> Hey, just a thought - would you want to ask (or for me to ask) for recommendations from a chicken-knowledgeable vet? I am the cohost for Country Joe's Chicken Show, and this Monday we're having Dr. Ron Kean - the chicken vet answer guy - on the show.


Sure..ask away...any help would be greatly appriciated ... like I said we have over 50 chicken and only 6 eggs?? Evenour ducks are getting lazy, we feed them well, (chicken layer grumbles and Fodder) they are free range , eat tons of grazz hoppers, and graze..parasites or thise stick tight fleas are theonly thing I can think of keeping them from laying..Hubbies read to have a town wide BBQ lol


----------



## NubianFan

Is it really hot there? Chickens will take a break from laying if it gets extremely hot and pick back up when it cools off,


----------



## happybleats

its been a bit warm...not sure hot enough to stop laying all together....humidity has been high making it feel worse..we had a few 100+ days but mostly under 100..


----------



## aceofspades

You can use Bayer tree and shrub. 
Not Bayer flea spray. 
Use Bayer tree and shrub. 
Dilute it 50/50 water and spray every thing the yard the trees the coop the barn. 
You can even spray it right on the animals 
We took a squirt bottle and spray the chickens while they Roost at night. 

We tried the 7dust and manny other options noting worked except the Bayer tree and shrub.

We had to use it once a week for about 3 weeks. 
Good luck


----------



## happybleats

Thanks Ill look that up...we have been using Pymectin..which is starting to give some releif..but man it cost a ton!!! And we dont dilute as much as it recommends because it wasnt worked that weak. Our poor chickens..lol we locked them in the coop and soaked them and the building lol...where the fleas were stuck they are bald ..


----------



## aceofspades

The Vaseline is a very old trick it will help the keep the fleas off there face but is only temporary 
The Bayer tree and shrub. Worked for us I was told by an old timer in our are that he takes a buck and dunked the chickens in face and all


----------



## NyGoatMom

If your ducks are free range...maybe they are hiding eggs?


----------



## NyGoatMom

Oh, and mine lay horribly when it is above 80~ and humidity plays a role as well. 
Those sticktight fleas are probably another reason, they don't lay well under stress.


----------



## happybleats

yes..we had to pen our ducks up because they were going across the road into a nieghbors pasture...we would never find those eggs lol..but even now in a pen they are not laying..I do not likepenning any of them up..I enjoy watching them chase bugs and lve free..but we had 8 chicken illed in two weeks on the road because the field trucks flying by..my kids even put up a fence to keep them from going in the road but the little brats follow the fence toteh large panels an go right though..in 8 years we haveneverhad a problem with them going inth eroad..but grasshoppers are easy to see there and that is our theory lol...hopfull we can figure a way to keep everyone in where they belong..free ranging..until them we need to keep them safe..
Yes..Stress will prevent laying..so either the heat, fleas, parasites or all are prevenint laying..we can deal with the fleas,, parasites and offer shade, frozen fruit and ice bottles for cooling them down..but if they dont start laying..we will eat them!!! lol..maybe I need to have talk with them..."hey ladies,,this is the deal..put out or in thepot you go lol"


----------



## NubianFan

you solved the age old riddle of why did the chicken cross the road, to get to the grasshoppers that they can see more easily of course!


----------



## happybleats

> you solved the age old riddle of why did the chicken cross the road, to get to the grasshoppers that they can see more easily of course!


lol....:rofl:


----------



## NyGoatMom

Did ya see the movie "Chicken Run"? Get out your clipboard....LOL


----------



## happybleats

lol


----------



## Karen

happybleats said:


> Sure..ask away...any help would be greatly appriciated ... like I said we have over 50 chicken and only 6 eggs?? Evenour ducks are getting lazy, we feed them well, (chicken layer grumbles and Fodder) they are free range , eat tons of grazz hoppers, and graze..parasites or thise stick tight fleas are theonly thing I can think of keeping them from laying..Hubbies read to have a town wide BBQ lol


He said, given what I described to him, that the 7 dust would be what he'd recommend as well, he was surprised the Pymectin wasn't more effective, but I can email you when the audio file is up so you can hear for yourself, okay?


----------



## happybleats

Thanks : ) !!!

[email protected]


----------

