Mites or Lice- is there anything I can do?

[Duckpip]

I'm on vacation in Italy for a month, and my family who lives across the street has been keeping chickens in the backyard of my house. I feel really bad for them, their coop is terrible, but I can't really do anything about it since they don't belong to me. I've noticed that they've been scratching themselves a lot (they've also been sneezing, so hopefully they don't have a respiratory infection ), and have several other signs that they have mites/lice. I want to help them, but I'm only here for a month, and I'm not sure my family would be willing to continue to spray them when I leave (or if they would even be fine with me spraying them in the first place.) I don't even know where I can get bird safe lice spray in Italy, other than some obscure site and possibly amazon, but I don't know when it would come in. Anyone have any ideas on what I can do?

 

[1rooroo4u]

Get a bag of Diatomaceous Earth and dust the chickens with it, then sprinkle it all over the chicken yard. It will kill mites, lice, ticks, etc. and will make those birds much happier.

You can also sprinkle a very small amount in with their feed.

My chicken's usually get mite's in the spring time, and a good dusting with the Diatomaceous Earth takes care of the problem and no more itching scratching birds!

 

[Duckpip]

Get a bag of Diatomaceous Earth and dust the chickens with it, then sprinkle it all over the chicken yard. It will kill mites, lice, ticks, etc. and will make those birds much happier.

You can also sprinkle a very small amount in with their feed.

My chicken's usually get mite's in the spring time, and a good dusting with the Diatomaceous Earth takes care of the problem and no more itching scratching birds!

Thanks so much, I'll look into that! How many times do I have to dust them?

 

[1rooroo4u]

Thanks so much, I'll look into that! How many times do I have to dust them?

I dust mine twice, about 10 days apart.

If the birds have a chicken house, or anywhere else they go, dust there too, as well as where they nest.

Good luck to you.

 

[nuthatched]

Do they sell permethrine based products there?
DE is a respiratory irritant for you and the birds, a known carcinogen and is only mildly effective in a dry climate.

 

[Duckpip]

Do they sell permethrine based products there?
DE is a respiratory irritant for you and the birds, a known carcinogen and is only mildly effective in a dry climate.

They might, I'm not entirely sure. I feel like what they sell here might not be safe for chickens. (The ones I see are made for killing cockroaches, ants, ect, I think).

They have one for chickens but it's kinda expensive, and I don't know how long you need to use it for.

 

[nuthatched]

They might, I'm not entirely sure. I feel like what they sell here might not be safe for chickens. (The ones I see are made for killing cockroaches, ants, ect, I think).

They have one for chickens but it's kinda expensive, and I don't know how long you need to use it for.

If there's any for livestock, it can be used.
I don't know how much control you have for the situation. The usual protocol is to treat the birds, completely clean out the coop, treat the coop, bring in all new litter and bedding and treat the birds again about 10 days later. But I imagine treating the birds and treating the existing litter and bedding won't be ineffective

 

[Duckpip]

If there's any for livestock, it can be used.
I don't know how much control you have for the situation. The usual protocol is to treat the birds, completely clean out the coop, treat the coop, bring in all new litter and bedding and treat the birds again about 10 days later. But I imagine treating the birds and treating the existing litter and bedding won't be ineffective

Thanks for the info. My family across the street does everything for them, so unfortunately I don't think I could do that.

 

[aart]

but I can't really do anything about it since they don't belong to me.

Exactly....unless they welcome your assistance, I'd just leave it alone.

and have several other signs that they have mites/lice.

Like seeing them on the birds skin or crawling on the roost after dark?

 

[nuthatched]

Thanks for the info. My family across the street does everything for them, so unfortunately I don't think I could do that.

Suggest it to them, though I'm glad your willing to help their birds.