HELP! Suddenly Sick Rooster - Stumbling, Twisting Head

[MrsBrooke]

-Yesterday we had a freak snow storm and the poor rooster was outside looking like a drowned rat. I was finally able to treat the rooster in a soap bath followed by a vinegar bath. I gave him a bath in warm water with a combination of Dr. Bronner's lavender castille soap and 7th Gen dish liquid. Soaked him in there for ~7 minutes. Then rinsed for ~ 5 minutes him in water mixed with raw apple cider vinegar. I was able to see the dead lice floating in the water.

We had an unusual (for us) 6 inches of snow yesterday (we live in the desert of southen New Mexico, so that much snow is quite a rarity). The temperatures were so cold that I really wanted to get the rooster back with the flock to keep him warm (as it was 14 degrees F this morning). So after his bath yesterday, I used a blow dryer to dry him off. (In case anyone wants to know, it takes 40 minutes to fully blow dry a rooster with his winter feathers on!!) During the very lengthy process of drying him, I was able to inspect the rooster very well. No sign of lice eggs anywhere. His skin did look somewhat irritated, but no more lice were present after the bath.

 

[Sarah3]

Oh, I am glad that the info is helpful! I found a few references for using a soap bath. Here is one of them:
http://www.citygirlchickens.com/poultry_lice.html
I didn't have any Dawn soap on hand, which is why I used the other soaps that we did have. I was pleased to see that they still worked, though.
From what I have read, the soap bath treatment does NOT kill the eggs, though, so it may need to be repeated after 7-10 days (just like the other methods for lice often do).

 

[Mazmanian]

Glad to hear your roo seems to be doing better. I just wanted to pop by and say thank you for sharing, and thank you to all those that helped you. This was a very insightful little thread, and I will keep it in mind if I ever run into a similar issue.

 

[MrsBrooke]

Oh, I am glad that the info is helpful! I found a few references for using a soap bath. Here is one of them:
http://www.citygirlchickens.com/poultry_lice.html
I didn't have any Dawn soap on hand, which is why I used the other soaps that we did have. I was pleased to see that they still worked, though.
From what I have read, the soap bath treatment does NOT kill the eggs, though, so it may need to be repeated after 7-10 days (just like the other methods for lice often do).

I'm going to pick up a small hair dryer on my way home from work. ^_^

I actually wash my OWN hair with blue Dawn. A big bottle lasts MONTHS and I use a really great horse rebuilder coconut conditioner. But since I never put heat to my hair, we have zero hair dryers in this house... Not very convenient when you're trying to give a full spa treatment! Hahahaha!

MrsB

 

[Sarah3]

I hope it is a little warmer where you are so you don't have to take the full 40 minutes for a super thorough drying like I did. I hope your Roo likes his spa treatment. I was surprised how calm Roostey was during the whole process; he never even flapped or tried to get away. I think he was so cold when I brought him in that putting him in the warm bath felt so good and he just relaxed.

I use an "alternative" shampoo on my own hair, too: baking soda and water for the shampoo and then ACV/honey/essential oils mixed in water for the conditioner. (Thewre is info about that on my blog here if you are interested: http://nourishedandnurtured.blogspot.com/2013/06/update-on-my-natural-hair-care-routine.html

Thanks for all of your help!
Sarah

 

[Outpost JWB]

That is very interesting. I didn't know of the benefits the use of dawn has on chickens. Amazing. Thank you for keeping us update.

 

[keesmom]

A Dawn bath is very effective in removing lice and mites. I have honey bees so Sevin is banned from my yard. I bathe affected birds instead and let them dry in a crate inside near the wood stove if it is cold.

 

[MrsBrooke]

I hope it is a little warmer where you are so you don't have to take the full 40 minutes for a super thorough drying like I did.  I hope your Roo likes his spa treatment.  I was surprised how calm Roostey was during the whole process; he never even flapped or tried to get away. I think he was so cold when I brought him in that putting him in the warm bath felt so good and he just relaxed.

I use an "alternative" shampoo on my own hair, too: baking soda and water for the shampoo and then ACV/honey/essential oils mixed in water for the conditioner.  (Thewre is info about that on my blog here if you are interested: http://nourishedandnurtured.blogspot.com/2013/06/update-on-my-natural-hair-care-routine.html

Thanks for all of your help!
Sarah

NO POO. ♡♡♡ I want to take the plunge. I'm afraid, though. So afraid!

So excited to dunk my boy in the sink. I'm in Texas, but it's been cold and rainy and really, really chilly. I may blow dry him to spoil him while feeding meal worms. Only the best!!!

MrsB

 

[Outpost JWB]

A Dawn bath is very effective in removing lice and mites. I have honey bees so Sevin is banned from my yard. I bathe affected birds instead and let them dry in a crate inside near the wood stove if it is cold.

It is nasty cold in Ohio for about 5 months. Bathing 58 chickens and letting them sit by the stove is not an option here

. Do you raise honey bees? I am very interested in bee keeping. We always plant basil in the garden because it attracts SO many bees! I just love it.

 

[keesmom]

It's cold here for 7 months. I think spring is worse than winter. I never have my whole flock affected, it's always just one or 2 birds so bathing works for me. It's often the males, I guess they don't dust bathe enough!

I have 2 hives at the moment. Hopefully they will survive the winter. Plant some native wildflowers if you want to attract pollinators. Or let some "weeds" grow. I plant clover and plantain instead of grass. They love that. The local pollinators and honeybees LOVE goldenrod. I've been encouraging it to spread. I am always amazed at the varieties of insects that show up for it.