The problem with a mysterious mite

CONTRIBUTED BY DR. CHARLES BACON

The Northern Fowl Mite: I have read and have talked over this past year about the problem with a mysterious mite that infect the Kings, and in some instances kill an adult bird. From the descriptions presented to me during these events, and what I have read, I believe this is the action of the Northern Fowl Mite. Some king breeders have made some written comments on the problem but I do not recall an identity of the suspect agent. The Northern Fowl Mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) is an 8-legged white, grayish, black or deep red tiny mite that consists of many stages of development ranging from pearly white eggs, to larva (a non-feeding 6 legged translucent whitish variant), a nymph (another 8-legged organism like the adult whose color ranges from grayish to deep red, depending upon the amount of blood is has consumed. The time from egg to adult is only 7 days. Both the adult and nymphs do the most damage, and they differ from the usual chicken mite in being always present on the bird, even during the day. The usual chicken mite hides during the day and get on the birds at night. Further, the Northern Fowl Mite can only survive off the host for a limited number of days, perhaps as long as 3 weeks. The usual chicken mite can survive several months without a bird and without feeding. On pigeons and other birds the Northern Fowl Mite is found in large numbers and congregate at the vent, tail, back and neck. In pigeons they are found in large numbers at the vent and between the legs. The eggs are laid in the fluff of feathers, especially vent feather fluff, which when viewed appear at it a fungus (mycelium) is attached to the feather at the shaft enters the bird’s flesh. The eggs as at first white then vary from white to gray and also appear blackish, and in such numbers (well over 5,000) that the lower half of each feather shaft appear fuzzy and can be mistaken for fungi. Within a period of 8-10 weeks, some 20,000 mites can be found on birds and at this level of infestation the bird is considerably weakened. As a result of such server infestations the birds suffer from severe anemia and finally death. Death may occur either from blood loss or from an impaired immune system. Other side effects are weight loss, a peculiar feeding habit (feed picking is hampered), pale eye cere, black scabs on the skin, which may enlarge into a very large area of the abdomen, reduce egg laying in flocks, and heavy infection prevents the ability of cocks to mate. Caution: these mites can and do infect humans producing severe skin irritations.

The recommended control ranges from garlic oil to chemical pesticides. My favorite is permectin, which is absolutely harmless to the bird but immediately kills mites or insects as well and remains as a residual kill for at least 4 weeks. There have been other recommendations using a mixture of pesticides which I know should work. I believe the reaction from some for such harsh treatment is due to an assumption that the feather-egg combination is still observed and some believe this material is not dead, but the data says they are dead. It takes time for these eggs/larvae to detach and fall off the birds. However, you always run the risk of re-infestations for these, as they and the regular chicken mite can crawl off and re-infest the bird, especially with some pesticide that do not have a residual kill as permectin. Hope this helps.

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