Hi all!
Been busy and not getting my notifications. Just read all the posts. Whew! Cap! So sorry to hear that you had to get rid of your girls. AZKat - you, too! What is with the fussy neighbors!?
I sure do love living on my county island. No rules here.
Well, I need some advice. I have bugs! Ew!!! I thought it was just the 3 new girls and I had gotten it under control. I had just told someone that I was ready to put them into the big coop because they were free of the bugs. Then tonight I checked them and they not only had a fresh hatch of mites/lice or whatever they are, but I found them on my other chickens, too. They have officially spread to all the chickens.
I was hoping they were poultry lice because lice carry out their entire life cycle on the host animal. Mites, however, live in the bedding, coop, etc. and get onto the birds at night. I still think these are lice, but not positive. All my girls are moulting and I am upset that their new feathers are going to be lice egg infested. I need to be aggressive with this. As I said, I thought I had them knocked out. I am really icked out and need to know what to do.
I have been using a natural pyrethrin powder and DE.
My plan was to rake out the coop down to the dirt and DE the heck out of it. Make it like snow all over the coop and dust the birds with the pyrethrin powder. It is expensive, but it sure killed the bugs fast. It is just that they keep hatching new ones!! The lady at Western Ranchman said to dust every week for 3 weeks and then once a month after that. That is what we did, but they are back with a vengeance! EEEk!
Help!
Also I have a Polish with a terrible looking skin problem on her neck. She has no feathers there and the skin looks crusty and I think it itches. I often see her scratching. Any ideas?
Thanks all!!
