Cost-Effective Poultry Lice Treatments

[12404914]

Three of our chickens (they are an old flock) have poultry lice. I initially wanted to use a chemical like Permethrin, but my family doesn't want to due to it being expensive and they want to avoid chemicals. The only other two ideas in their price range I have are using a garlic-and-water-and-essential oil spray to apply to their vents and underneath their wings, and adding wood ash (that we have to burn ourselves) to their dust-bathing areas, and applying some of the ash directly to smother the lice. Does anyone have some cheap methods? Again, I wish I could just use a normal treatment, but I am dealing with limitations. Also, if the methods I listed are bad or wrong, please point that out.
Sorry if this sounds needy.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Don't waste time while your chickens are suffering. When there is an infestation, it is time to bring out the big guns.
5% Sevin dust isn't expensive.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I k ow you prefer not to use permethrin, buy it's a concentrate and the bottle lasts foreverrrrr....

 

[Kiki]

Permethrin is very cheap in my area.
https://nrsworld.com/products/martins-pen-poultry-insecticide-spray-32oz

 

[Kiki]

No amount of garlic or essential oils is going to cure a lice infestation.
Spend 10 whole dollars to get some permethrin and be done with it before your birds die.

 

[nuthatched]

Garlic and oils, de and ash won't do a thing. They really do need poultry dust or another permrethrine product.
For arguments sake, 'natural' isn't a standardized term, it's not always safer or more effective.
Rattlesnake venom is natural and organic.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

No amount of garlic or essential oils is going to cure a lice infestation.
Spend 10 whole dollars to get some permethrin and be done with it before your birds die.

Agree. It’s cheaper that new coop, new birds, loss of eggs in the long run.

 

[12404914]

Thank you guys. I can't buy anything myself since I'm not an adult, but with all this advice I should be able to convince my family to try it with Permethrin, since it is cheap. To reestablish, I'm just trying to find something my family (parents) will approve of, because I really doubt the "natural" cures and garlic and stuff.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Thank you guys. I can't buy anything myself since I'm not an adult, but with all this advice I should be able to convince my family to try it with Permethrin, since it is cheap. To reestablish, I'm just trying to find something my family (parents) will approve of, because I really doubt the "natural" cures and garlic and stuff.

Good luck, friend. Permethrin is the go-to. I prefer the concentrate to clean the coop if I get mites, but Sevin dust is not expensive and is used in gardens. You can also sprinkle the dust in their bedding and dust bath. Both can be used directly on the birds.

Oh - be sure to treat all of the birds. And permethrin is toxic to cats (not dogs, though).

 

[seminolewind]

You can't get any cheaper than perthrin or Sevin. And a little goes a long way.