Best way to dust a chicken

[fatcatx]

This is probably is silly question but I need to know since I've never dusted a chicken!

How do you most effectively dust a chicken for parasites? I've read other threads and "upside down" is frequently referenced. I'm assuming that means hang them by their feet? Do you sprinkle directly on the chicken and attempt to rub it in or is there a better method?

Wish they made "Chicken Dip"!

 

[fried green eggs]

You can use Ivomec cattle drench just a drop or two on the skin of the neck and it will take care of internal and external parasites. Also if you have wood ash from a fireplace you can make a ash pit/ dust bath spot in their run and the chicken will dust themselves and take care of external parasites.

 

[dawg53]

Ivomec products are ineffective against internal parasites, nor will they kill lice. They will kill mites though.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0450.1989.tb00635.x/abstract
Put sevin dust in a bag. Then put the chicken in the bag with its head sticking outside the top of the bag, hold it firmly by the neck with bag in hand...then "shake and bake" the chicken. Release the chicken from the bag, she'll shake herself off and go about her business.
You have to treat inside the coop and nests as well. Put a pile of sevin dust at the entrance door to the coop. Then hit it with your leaf blower full blast. It'll look like a smoke bomb went off inside the coop, the dust gets in every crack and crevice and settles. Make sure there's no birds in the coop, wear old chicken clothes and a mask when dusting.

 

[chickisoup]

Just like Dawg said, SHAKE AND BAKE!

Giving my girls their second round this morning! I use an old pillowcase. I just find it easier to control and less noise than a plastic bag. Oh, be sure you are doing this outside and not a bad idea for you to wear a dust mask. Oh, and wash clothes right away. If you live isolated like I do, when I'm all done, I just drop the pants and shirt on the backporch and head streight for the shower!

Dawg- I LOVE the dustblower idea!!!

 

[fatcatx]

LOVE the dust-blower idea too! Never would have thought of that on my own!

How much Sevin do you typically use for the big blow-out? (Our coop is pretty small) Has this method been as effective for you as spraying down the coop crevices with a liquid pesticide?

And thank you for the pillow case idea! I think they will be easier to control without the plastic noise.

We'll be Shakin' and Bakin' when I get home tonight!

 

[fatcatx]

Forgot to ask - when is it safe to allow the chickens back in the coop? (I'm going to do the Sevin blow-out first thing in the morning but they'll want back in to lay.) Is a few hours enough?

 

[fried green eggs]

Ivomec products are ineffective against internal parasites, nor will they kill lice. They will kill mites though.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0450.1989.tb00635.x/abstract
Put sevin dust in a bag. Then put the chicken in the bag with its head sticking outside the top of the bag, hold it firmly by the neck with bag in hand...then "shake and bake" the chicken. Release the chicken from the bag, she'll shake herself off and go about her business.
You have to treat inside the coop and nests as well. Put a pile of sevin dust at the entrance door to the coop. Then hit it with your leaf blower full blast. It'll look like a smoke bomb went off inside the coop, the dust gets in every crack and crevice and settles. Make sure there's no birds in the coop, wear old chicken clothes and a mask when dusting.

Ivomec Eprinex Pour-On does work for internal & external parasites including lice http://www.drugs.com/pro/ivomec-eprinex-pour-on.html and I was told by a poultry vet from MSU that it is a good option to use on adult LF birds.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Eprinex and ivermectin pour on are primarily used as wormers in other livestock such as cattle. A secondary benefit is that they kill lice and mites in cattle. Cattle lice suck blood, chicken lice do NOT suck blood (different species of lice.) However, if blood is present on a chicken, from a scratch for example, lice will opportunistically suck it up. Chicken lice do not bite and suck blood like cattle lice.
You can tell your poultry vet that he needs to look at that link above. Besides, he shouldve told you that neither product is supposed to be used on poultry because they are off label. Additionally, he shouldve told you that both products have been overused as miteacides in poultry and they have reached the point where neither product are effective against worms due to worm resistance.