HELP JUST FOUND OUT MY CHICKEN HAS LICE AND HER EGGS ARE DUE TO HATCH!!

[jaydemorgan87]

My Hen has been sitting on eggs for weeks now and I go out their and check on them. Well today when looking at her eggs..I noticed little brown bugs crawling on them. To make matters worse The babies are starting the begging stages of hatching!! I wanted to make sure, because I had not noticed anything different about my hens, so when i picked her up her featers on her underbelly did infact have lice. I am worried about the babies...Should I take them from her??? I don't want the newborns to be infected with lice, and all feed stores are closed today!!! (( What do you guys suggest???? Should I take them and if I do what can I use to keep them warm because I do not have an incubator?? Should I just let them be with their mom and treat them tomarrow??? when I get down to the feed store HELP!!

 

[sumi]

You'll have to dust mom very thoroughly and a.s.a.p. Is there any way you can keep the babies warm? It would be better if they don't get any bugs on them. If you can't, don't stress! Just get some lice powder first thing. If you rub it thoroughly on mom's belly and under her wings it'll rub off on the chicks as well.
Good luck!

 

[jaydemorgan87]

this may sound stupid but will an electric blanket work , or is it too hot?...I am so worried thanks for the advice!

 

[CrzyChcknLady]

You can also use SEVIN dust, yes it's the same dust for vegetables! It is recommended that you use a rubber glove on your hand, pour some Sevin dust onto the glove, and thoroughly pat the hens belly and especially around her butt. The lice bugs are more commonly found around their vent (this is where all the eggs are, as it is moist and hot) and can be under their wings, in the joint. This dust should not hurt the babies, especially since they have not emerged from the eggs yet.

 

[sumi]

this may sound stupid but will an electric blanket work , or is it too hot?...I am so worried thanks for the advice!

A lightbulb is good. It gives off heat, but you must put something around it to make sure the chicks don't burn themselves. I've never used an electric blanket, so I won't know. Sorry!

 

[kidcody]

A light dusting of sevin (found in your garden center) will not hurt your babies. Just make sure you do not overly dust the mom. It will kill the lice within minutes but you will have to dust her again in about 10 days because this dust powder does not kill eggs and the eggs (lice) will hatch.

 

[jaydemorgan87]

Just Dusted Her, and Just in time...I can see them statring to break the outter shell! They should be out by tonight!
Thanks for the advice!!!

 

[sumi]

 

[jaydemorgan87]

Just To Let everyone Know I dusted the mom with the Sevin powder. The mom is doing well and she had 5 babies last night and early this mourning I have not seen any lice on the babies
THANKYOU TO ALL!!!! =)))..

 

[chickenreferee]

Glad your babies and mom are doing ok. I'm having the same issue and the eggs are beginning to pip tonight....this is good info!