AAARG! Found a Louse! Now I'm all itchy! Will they eat me too?

[Cluckin'Along]

First let me start with

One of my Hens is Mid molt, I think.. I'm still a bit new at this, She is just over a year old. 2 weeks ago she stopped laying and started to look really ratty Feather wise. Every time she shakes, poofs of feathers go sailing. So, tonight I figure I'll check her to make sure that she IS molting and not egg bound.. When I picked her up I noticed weight loss, but also that she was prickly, all of her new feathers are still in their sheaths and they make her feel like a porcupine! I palpated her bum, below the vent area, and did not feel any lumps or masses, so I'm guessing she's not egg bound, but while I was checking her vent a Louse ran by.... EWWWWWWWWW!!!!!

Sorry, but It bothered me.... I only saw one. should I dust her, or will lice be a fact of life?
Also, what do I do to stop twitching and itching?!?!

I know there is nothing on me, but should I be concerned, Will chicken lice eat people too?

Is there a procedure to follow when handling a known infested hen to keep the little buggers from migrating to me?


gaahahah.... I'm still twitchy!! HELP!

 

[miss_jayne]

if there is one louse, there are lice. dust.

the feeling you are experiencing is called formication. not to be confused with another word. it means 'to feel like bugs are crawling all over you.'
it's TOTALLY normal. it will go away.

you cannot 'catch' poultry lice. lice are body temp specific, and you're not a chicken. (unless i am way off base and you are a magical typing chicken!)

 

[Cluckin'Along]

Quote:
Whew! Thank You Miss Jayne! No I am not a chicken (physically at least) so now I will sleep much better knowing I will not be eaten (or chewed on periodically) by the lice!

I will go and get the dust in the morning, and chase the flock all day, they're not going to like this one bit..!

 

[miss_jayne]

they might not like it, but they will be much more comfy not being munched on either. i really try not to use chemicals, but had to break down and dust this year. lice were bad this year due to cool temps and record high numbers of wild geese.

you can keep them in check with food grade DE to prevent thereafter, most of the time.

if it helps, take a benedryl. you may calm your 'itch reaction' and calm your nerves. unless of course you are not to take benedryl for some medical reason.

 

[Nif]

I always get the heebie jeebies after seeing those things too! Pyrethrin dust is very effective on lice and mites and much less harmful to the environment than Sevin Dust.
Pyrethrin is the active ingredient in most "poultry dust" products...just avoid Sevin.
Good luck with getting rid of the creepy crawlies! Try a shower, and just know they they won't choose humans. Mind over matter!

 

[Hoosiermomma]

Quote:
Where do you get pyrethrin dust? I thought that is what sevin was.

Is there a certain name for it?

 

[Dar]

please wear a mask while dusting

i made the mistake of not wearing one in april and paid for it with a case of pneumonia

 

[Nif]

It can be called chicken dust or poultry dust...just make sure you look at the label, pyrethrin was originally made from chrysanthemums and now it is made in the lab, but it is not harmful to the environment like Sevin. There are lots of nasty chems in Sevin. DE is a good preventative after you have them all eradicated.