4 week old chick with lice. Need advise!

[Bmp1328]

I have a 4 week old chick that I got from someone and I just found out that it has lice. There is buildup around the feather shaft which I've read is lice (is this correct)? And now I am wondering how to treat her. There is one other chicken in the same cage as her and she has a few little bugs on her too. They have a chicken feeder and waterer in their cage with them that they have access to all the time. They are both eating and drinking well. I am just wondering how to treat this. I've read about DE but most people say it only helps prevent, it doesn't treat. So I need to know what will get rid of them on the girls. There are bugs crawling and eggs on them. Please let me know what to do to help them. Thanks so much!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Use a Permethrin based poultry dust or spray to treat them. Clean out the bedding that they are on and treat the cage as well. After 7days repeat the process to kill any nits that have hatched.

Since they are only 4 weeks, hopefully they will go through another mini molt and lose most of the feathers that have eggs at the base of the shaft. Clean up the feathers/down as they molt them and dispose of them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1151513/pesticides-approved-for-poultry

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1155789/lice-and-mites-pictures

 

[Bmp1328]

Do I need to put anything directly on them? There are some baby chicks (1 week old) I. The shed near these girls cage. Will the permethrin bother them if sprayed in the same area? Also I read petroleum jelly on them prevents the new lice from hatching. Is this true? Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do I need to put anything directly on them? There are some baby chicks (1 week old) I. The shed near these girls cage. Will the permethrin bother them if sprayed in the same area? Also I read petroleum jelly on them prevents the new lice from hatching. Is this true? Thanks!

You need to get the bugs off of them. If they have actively crawling bugs on them, then lightly spray or dust them. I misread - I thought they were 4wks old

, but yes, even babies that young can be treated. Vaseline will work on Scaly Leg Mites - but it sounds like you have lice. Oils can be applied to the quills to help soften the egg sacks left on the feather shafts, but your babies should be going through a series of molts - so those will most likely be shed - this is why I suggest staying on top of cleaning out the shed feathers/down.

 

[Bmp1328]

The ones with the lice are 4 weeks old. There are just some 1 weeks olds in the same shed (they are in different cages). I was wondering if the permethrin spray will hurt the 1 week olds. So I can directly spray the liquid spray into the ones that are 4 weeks old? Or would dust be better to use on their bodies? Thanks so much!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The ones with the lice are 4 weeks old. There are just some 1 weeks olds in the same shed (they are in different cages). I was wondering if the permethrin spray will hurt the 1 week olds. So I can directly spray the liquid spray into the ones that are 4 weeks old? Or would dust be better to use on their bodies? Thanks so much!

You would want to lightly treat them with either dust or spray. When treating your cages, take the chicks out when you spray or dust, then put in fresh bedding.

 

[Bmp1328]

How often will I need to do it to kill all of the lice? How many times and how often do I have to redo the spray?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How often will I need to do it to kill all of the lice? How many times and how often do I have to redo the spray?

Repeat in 7days after initial treatment.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html

 

[Bmp1328]

Thank you so much!