Coop and chickens infested with lice, pretty badly, need a little help.

[Kiki]

Would a box of diatomaceous earth help?

No.

 

[Kiki]

They sell premixed sprays also.

IMG_20180322_102709

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018

Martin's Horse & Stable Permethrin Spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• flies lice mites permethrin

Permethrin

Martin's PERMETHRIN spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• 6
• flies lice mites permethrin

Be sure to treat everyone and the coop now and weekly for a few weeks.

 

[MelissaRose]

I just discovered that my girls have poultry lice...I feel like a bad chicken mom. Going to Tractor Supply in a bit to pick up some Permethrin spray and dust.

I know, I feel bad also.

@coach723 Has got the right approach. Permetherin comes in a bottle that looks like this.

There are several brands but the bottle is similar for most, and it can be found in the cattle or horse aisle at the feed store. It has dilution instructions on it. Make your dilution in a spray bottle. Once you remove (and dispose of) ALL bedding from the coop, spray everything, extra attention should go to the corners, nest boxes, and roosts. When the chickens go to roost at night, adjust your spray bottle to a light mist and you can mist the chickens themselves (they don't need to be soaking wet, a light misting will do). As previously mentioned, repeat the coop clean out and spray down once a week for 3 to 4 weeks. This is to catch any newly hatched bugs and break the life cycle. Be sure not to get the chemicals in their food or water and do NOT use this anywhere near a cat, for some reason it's extremely toxic to cats. Your birds may quit laying a bit, but they will feel much better very quickly. Maybe some electrolytes or vitamins in their water will help perk up the anemic birds a bit. The parasites just come from the wild birds and the environment and they are so tiny it's hard for us to notice until an infestation starts to get out of hand. You will see significant improvement after just one treatment. Hang in there!

Thanks for that info! It is very helpful Is the spray also toxic to other livestock and humans? My chickens live in a barn and there are cows and sheep there as well/

No.

Ok, thanks!

They sell premixed sprays also.

IMG_20180322_102709

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018

Martin's Horse & Stable Permethrin Spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• flies lice mites permethrin

Permethrin

Martin's PERMETHRIN spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• 6
• flies lice mites permethrin

Be sure to treat everyone and the coop now and weekly for a few weeks.

Thanks for those images, it is helpful to see what the different brands look like.
Again, thanks to all of you for your help! I will look over the recommended brands again and see what I can do. =)

 

[MelissaRose]

What should I do about the masses of lice eggs stuck in their beards?

*edited to fix typo.

 

[PirateGirl]

I'm not sure about toxicity to other farm animals, but I know it's safe for people, permetherin is the active ingredient in lice shampoo for people that you would buy at the pharmacy as well.

Since it's sold for use in horse and cattle barns I'm fairly certain it's safe for them at least. I would think it will say right on the bottle.

 

[lutherpug]

As someone else mentioned it is highly toxic to cats. It will also kill bees and other beneficial insects.

 

[Justso]

I prefer to use the dust, I use a plastic tote bin the chickens in and place the dust inside a knee high stocking, then knot it shut. That makes it easy to pat all over their body. I'll gently hold the eyes shut and dust up underneath their chin and around their head, up underneath their wings and around the vent.

 

[Eggcessive]

The Martins or Gordons Permethrin 10 is mixed at 37 ml per gallon of water, for chickens, and even the pint for $7 at TSC makes many gallons of spray. A spray bottle can be used for the chickens, and a garden sprayer can be used for a larger coop. You will need the spray for treating the coop, but some prefer the garden dust for the chickens in cold weather. They should be treated once and again in 10 days for lice, and 7 days for mites. The second treatment will get the newly hatched lice from the eggs. Look them over for live lice in case a third treatment is needed. Some report that the spray will kill the new hatchlings with one treatment.

 

[MelissaRose]

I'm not sure about toxicity to other farm animals, but I know it's safe for people, permetherin is the active ingredient in lice shampoo for people that you would buy at the pharmacy as well.
Since it's sold for use in horse and cattle barns I'm fairly certain it's safe for them at least. I would think it will say right on the bottle.

Ok, good to know!

As someone else mentioned it is highly toxic to cats. It will also kill bees and other beneficial insects.

Ok, I do have two cats so I'll have to be careful.

I prefer to use the dust, I use a plastic tote bin the chickens in and place the dust inside a knee high stocking, then knot it shut. That makes it easy to pat all over their body. I'll gently hold the eyes shut and dust up underneath their chin and around their head, up underneath their wings and around the vent.

Is the dust diatomaceous earth?

The Martins or Gordons Permethrin 10 is mixed at 37 ml per gallon of water, for chickens, and even the pint for $7 at TSC makes many gallons of spray. A spray bottle can be used for the chickens, and a garden sprayer can be used for a larger coop. You will need the spray for treating the coop, but some prefer the garden dust for the chickens in cold weather. They should be treated once and again in 10 days for lice, and 7 days for mites. The second treatment will get the newly hatched lice from the eggs. Look them over for live lice in case a third treatment is needed. Some report that the spray will kill the new hatchlings with one treatment.

Helpful info, thanks!

 

[Kiki]

IMG_20180924_091915

• Kiki
• Sep 24, 2018

Permethrin DUST



Do not buy DE dust.
It's trash.