# Tick on chicken's eyelid!!!



## TheKeeper777 (Mar 30, 2016)

Ok so today I was having a daily cuddle with my favourite hen BB. She started to close her eyes and go to sleep like she normally does! But I realised a tiny grey bug on her eyelid! I tried pulling it out but I can't! This (I don't think) is not a stick fast flea! I can't get her head still enough to get it out! How do I kill the flea?


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## TheKeeper777 (Mar 30, 2016)

I mean how to I kill the tick


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Not being able to see it for myself or exactly where it is I'd give Ivermectin pour on a try. It goes on the same way topical flea/tick treatment goes on dogs. It won't be immediate but will kill it in a few days. 

There is a less expensive generic brand in most feed stores now. For a large fowl you want to put on 1/2 cc.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Hey, Keeper, I'm sorry, I just saw this . I'm going to derfer to Robins answer. I've never encountered this. You could try holding her upside down. She will be still (er) that way then maybe you could get hold of the tick with tweezers. Pls be sure to dispose of the tick down the toilet and wash your hands good, if you do get hold of the tick.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Have someone hold her upside down.Grab the tick and put a hot match head as close to the head of the tick as possible.It should release it's hold on the chicken and the whole tick will come off.Hold her upside down bc you can get her to hold still that way.Pick her up,grab her legs and hold on as you flip her and hold on to her,she will quit flapping and just hang there so you can perform minor surgery.Good luck and keep us posted


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

If you can, dab nail polish on it to suffocate it. Or permethrin . This will suffocate them.


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## TheKeeper777 (Mar 30, 2016)

Ok here is a picture! Are you sure these methods are safe so close to her eye?






Hope you can see it!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Get a pair of tweezers, put it as close to the ticks head as you can and yank it out. Then apply neosporin to it.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I think I would still try having someone hold her upside down then hold her head still and grab the tick with tweezers. She may actually scratch it off herself.


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

If you do hold upside down, be sure that her crop has no fluid in it. Holding them upside down while there's fluid in he crop could be very dangerous.


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## TheKeeper777 (Mar 30, 2016)

How do I hold her upside down?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

By her legs or in a "football" hold like you would a newborn. It will be easier if you have someone else hold her while you get the tick off or visa versa.


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

TheKeeper777 said:


> How do I hold her upside down?


Read this:
http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyar...e-to-hold-my-rooster-upside-down-by-H101.aspx


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

And this:
http://www.poultryclub.org/poultry/handling-and-welfare-guidelines/


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

It's easiest to snugly wrap a chicken in a towel. Be sure to tie the feet together, but not too tight. Then go after the tick with tweezers. In the below pics I was prepping a Black Star to pop a marble size knot above her eye to release the fluid where she had been pecked real hard....kinda like water on the knee. I had to run the syringe needle up through her third eyelid inside the eye to pierce the membrane to release the liquid. It was successful and the swelling went down immediately.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

That looks like a much easier way to hold her than just grabbing her legs! Thx for sharing!!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Thanks Patti. Wrapping a towel around a chicken is less stressful for the bird and they are immobilized, freeing up both your hands to do whatever is required. I also do it for inspecting ear canals for ear problems, bumblefoot surgery and so on. I love clothes pins, they come in handy when you dont have someone to help you.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I knew I was hanging on to clothes pins for another reason, because I don't have a clothes line anymore!


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Dawg,you should've been a veterinarian.I still say use a match head.to get the tick to release.You don't want to put chemicals near the eye or pull on it bc you might tear the eyelid.A hot match head will cause the tick to let go.If you lived near me,I'd do it for you.How close to Ohio are you?


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## TheKeeper777 (Mar 30, 2016)

chickenqueen said:


> Dawg,you should've been a veterinarian.I still say use a match head.to get the tick to release.You don't want to put chemicals near the eye or pull on it bc you might tear the eyelid.A hot match head will cause the tick to let go.If you lived near me,I'd do it for you.How close to Ohio are you?


3783 miles! I live in the UK


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

chickenqueen said:


> Dawg,you should've been a veterinarian.I still say use a match head.to get the tick to release.You don't want to put chemicals near the eye or pull on it bc you might tear the eyelid.A hot match head will cause the tick to let go.If you lived near me,I'd do it for you.How close to Ohio are you?


I've used hot match head on ticks before. Sometimes they back out and sometimes they dont. Seed ticks are impossible to use a hot match head on, they are simply too small.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Yeah but you can't use chemicals near the eye and the tissue it's stuck on is thin and would tear as you pull off the tick


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## TheKeeper777 (Mar 30, 2016)

The tick if finally out!


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

That's great, Keeper!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

chickenqueen said:


> Yeah but you can't use chemicals near the eye and the tissue it's stuck on is thin and would tear as you pull off the tick


I agree that chemicals would be a no no. I've pulled ticks off some very sensitive areas many times. Not once was a piece of tissue removed. A little blood, yes. A dab of neosporin takes care of it. 
What CAN happen is that the ticks head can break off while still buried in the skin. Then the head has to be removed or an infection will occur requiring a course of antibiotics.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

TheKeeper777 said:


> The tick if finally out!


Good news!


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

That's great!I know I'm thinking of getting some guinea keets.They are excellent at eating fleas and ticks.


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