Are lice hard to see?

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I don't believe the hype about DE, never did, and I always wondered why it became so popular.

 

[aart]

I also first discovered lice while skinning a cockerel, my first slaughter.
Didn't scald as I was skinning so they were alive and moving, a lot of them.

Lice are pretty easy to see, especially once you've seen them.
I use a headlight and examine birds vent area off roost at night.
The egg clusters are a dead giveaway,
more and bigger clusters-the longer they've had them.

I've used both permethrin dust and spray, both work well.
Will take more than one treatment at 7-10 days apart.

 

[Ms Biddy]

I don't believe the hype about DE, never did, and I always wondered why it became so popular.

I put it under my flower pots to keep earwigs and ants from nesting there. It works well for that. I also put it at the threshold of my back porch for the same reason. It does kill insects but they must be directly dusted with it or walk through a solid line of it. Once it gets dispersed through air, soil, bedding or feathers I don't think it's concentrated enough to have any significant effect. That's my experience anyway.

 

[Ms Biddy]

I also first discovered lice while skinning a cockerel, my first slaughter.
Didn't scald as I was skinning so they were alive and moving, a lot of them.

Lice are pretty easy to see, especially once you've seen them.
I use a headlight and examine birds vent area off roost at night.
The egg clusters are a dead giveaway,
more and bigger clusters-the longer they've had them.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm glad to know you could see them and they weren't able to hide and conceal themselves completely. I checked her again today, very thoroughly and took my time. I looked all over and couldn't find anything except thick healthy fluff and feathers.

 

[aart]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm glad to know you could see them and they weren't able to hide and conceal themselves completely. I checked her again today, very thoroughly and took my time. I looked all over and couldn't find anything except thick healthy fluff and feathers.

Well, they do run and hide when you shine the flashlight on them, they do move fairly fast, and they are small so wear your glasses(if you need them). So you do kind of have to get those fluffy butt feathers parted down to the skin fast to see them before they hide, can take some practice.

 

[Folly's place]

Mites and lice will arrive sometimes, and if I find ONE on ONE bird, I'm treating the birds and the coop with permethrin! Some birds may have a tiny number, and some birds will die of anemia, and it's happened in my flock. Never again!
Carbaryl (Sevin) is not approved for use in chickens in the USA, so avoid it. Permethrin spray concentrate is the easiest and most cost effective treatment, by far.
Permethrin dust works but is much more difficult to use, and more expensive.
Spinosad works, but is VERY expensive, and I'm saving it for someday when permethrin no longer is effective. Not now!
Mary