Introduction
So, your birds are losing feathers and looking scraggly but aren’t molting. Or maybe you actually saw the pests crawling on them. Either way you’ve come to the right place. My birds had lice a few months ago and I have made this article with all the information I collected during the treatment process. This article is only for people who have confirmed that their birds have mites. If you aren’t sure whether your birds have parasites or not, here is an article that can help you and also gives treatment options. If you know that your birds have parasites and want a quick summary of what to do, keep reading!
Warning:
Permethrin is toxic to cats and can be dangerous to some other animals. It may also not be available/legal in some regions. Be responsible when using it and always follow the instructions!
What do I need?
I used permethrin rather than elector PSP or Diatomaceous earth. From what I’ve heard it’s the better route. Permethrin doesn’t stop working when it gets wet (like diatomaceous earth) and comes in powder form (unlike elector PSP). I found everything I needed at Tractor Supply Co.
Here are picture of the products I used:
You will also need a few other supplies. I have made a list below:
• poultry dust (above)
• permethrin (above)
• fresh bedding
• a sprayer
• gloves
• an assistant
Treating the coop
First, you will need to get the chickens out of their coop. Keep them in the run or contain them somewhere else. Now that the chickens are out of the way you can clean out the bedding. Get all of it out and dispose of it. I would suggest burning it, or at least putting it far away from the coop. Next, follow the instructions for the permethrin to fill your sprayer with the diluted formula. Make sure you’re following the right instructions, as permethrin is used for many things. Spray the interior of the coop. Let it dry for a while and put down the new bedding. If you wish to spray the run or your yard, you can do so after the chickens are back in the coop. Which leads us to our next point.
Treating the chickens
The chickens should be contained at this point to make things much easier and more effective. Grab your assistant, gloves, and poultry dust. Assign the task of grabbing and holding the birds to yourself or your assistant, and the job of powdering the birds to the other. You will need to catch each bird, powder them all over, and put them in the freshly cleaned and sprayed coop. I suggest holding the birds upside down by their legs. Make sure to get around their vents very well and careful when getting their heads. Even if you only found parasites on one bird you should treat them all. After all the birds are in the coop and powdered, you can spray the run if you wish to.
Follow up
Since parasites lay their eggs on chickens, it is recommended that you repeat this last point approximately one to two weeks after the first treatment. This ensures that any parasites hatched from eggs of the original pests on your birds are also killed.
Closing
Thank you for reading! I hope this article is helpful to somebody! Please leave a review or comment. If I have left anything out or you have any recommendations, please privately message me. God bless you and have a great day!
