Baby chick with poultry lice

[Marybeth912]

I recently went and picked up 3 baby silkie chicks from a local breeder that is NPIP certified and didn't bother checking them out before introducing them to my other baby chicks. Come to find out they had poultry lice I haven't seen any on the other chicks but they are different breeds and fluffier so I may just not be seeing them. On the silkies it's easier with their black skin. I've treated once with 'Y-TEX Gardstar Garden & Poultry Dust'. The instructions say to treat once a week. I guess I'm wondering if there is anything else better recommended for bay chicks ages +2-4 weeks, or if I can treat with this product more than once a week. I want to get this under control before I introduce them to their outdoor coop.

This is my first go at chickens and I jut want to make sure I'm approaching this correctly....I don't think they have mites but I guess I'd like to use a treat all, with it being too toxic.

Any and all help appreciated.

 

[Folly's place]

If the product is labeled for poultry of all ages, it should be fine. I do hope you let the breeder know about this; lice and mites happen, but it's a lot nicer to not send them home with someone else! I find the permethrin spray much easier to use, but for a small pen and a very few chicks, you might as well use what you have. Mary

 

[Marybeth912]

If the product is labeled for poultry of all ages, it should be fine. I do hope you let the breeder know about this; lice and mites happen, but it's a lot nicer to not send them home with someone else! I find the permethrin spray much easier to use, but for a small pen and a very few chicks, you might as well use what you have. Mary

I posted this before I found your past post in a search about the spray. I see that one other person that responded to that feed has used the spray on chicks, have you? I'm just worried that they are young and I've found that some of these products aren't labeled specifically for chick vs grown chicken.

Your other post is very informative and I'm now convinced I'll follow your lead if I have this problem once outdoors.

I have 10 chicks so not too many but I still worry about the lice getting out of hand.

And yea I wasn't to happy when I found out, especially since they are in my house

 

[Folly's place]

I haven't yet had to treat babies, but the lice are bad for them so you need to do something! You can spray the coop and bedding, and treat the chicks lightly. Mary

 

[Marybeth912]

I haven't yet had to treat babies, but the lice are bad for them so you need to do something! You can spray the coop and bedding, and treat the chicks lightly. Mary

What protective gear do you reccomend me wear while applying spray?

 

[Folly's place]

Wear at least a N95 face mask (from the paint store) and long sleeves and pants. Wash everything and shower when finished. Disposable gloves are good too. It doesn't hurt to be careful!!!I don't know about exposure during pregnancy, but it sounds like a very bad idea to me. Mary

 

[casportpony]

I use dust on small chicks and haven't had any issues with it. If you have them in a brooder with a heat source it's probably okay to use the spray.

Inspect them closely... Lice seem to like many places on silkies. Check under wings, on neck, on head, back, and of course the vent.

 

[Marybeth912]

I use dust on small chicks and haven't had any issues with it. If you have them in a brooder with a heat source it's probably okay to use the spray.

Inspect them closely... Lice seem to like many places on silkies. Check under wings, on neck, on head, back, and of course the vent.

They are in a brooder at ~80 F this week. Do you mention that because of keeping them warm after spraying? Or something else?

 

[Folly's place]

Spray lightly; it's not a bath! Those lice will be dying, and spray the brooder bedding too. Mary

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Try giving them a dawn original soap bath then blow dry them on medium heat until fluffy. Dawn kills lice and suffocates nits, the blow dryer insures their death while warming up the babies.