Dusting for Mites/Lice?

[Chicks Galore3]

I've had some featherloss/rumply chickens and I would like to dust them for mites/lice. Would DE do the trick? And how would I got about doing it and looking for mice/lice?

 

[Judy]

It's best to look at night as some types are only on the birds during the day. They hide in cracks, in the litter, on the underside of roosts -- wherever they can.

DE will give you some knockdown of both mites and ants, but it won't stop them. You need a pyrethrin/permethrin dust or spray, often available as "poultry dust" in feed stores, or something like Adams' Flea and Tick spray which WalMart carries, as does a vet, usually. Really the most effective thing is Sevin 5% garden dust. It also comes in a liquid which is handy for painting cracks and rough spots in the coop, and underneath roosts.

Vhttp://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Thank you! here are some pictures-

 

[Chicken Fruit]

DE is better as prevention. It definitely wont stop a infestation. I ended up with a group that were infested and lost a rooster to them before I realized he even had them. It was terrible- I was so new to all of it I didn't even know it was a thing to watch for. You have to part the feathers near the rump until you can see skin. they are tiny, like book mites, and sorta a tan color.

I was told to use adams flea spray. It worked. I dont know if that's really what you should use, i know there's significant cross-species issues with such medications and treatments. Though all other birds survived, the mites left (i used DE also with the adams) and life went on.

I dust my feathered birds myself periodically, just to make sure. That's just my two cents on my experiences. If I ever had it to do over I'd keep my birds enclosed to cut down on such things from the wildlife. It was not pleasant.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Ok- I found some poultry dust. How much do I use and how do I use?

 

[lahowardjr]

I also put my fireplace ash out in the run for the hens to dust bathe in. Its a trick that I got from one of the pest forums on this site. I have not had to use poultry dust yet but I'm not saying that I wont due to using the ash. Maybe this will help control the pests after you treat your flock.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Thanks! I will dry that.

 

[Chickenfan4life]

This was a helpful thread... Chicks Galore, did you manage to get rid of your birds' lice?