Hen with lice and Ascites- culled

[livestockchick]

So, yesterday, I noticed that one of my Wyandotte hens had a poopy bum (she's my largest and prettiest). When I pulled her out from my coop of 55 others, I noticed a large bulb near her vent that was squishy, which I knew was Ascites right away. Around her vent, she also has obvious lice egg sacks and lice running from there up her back. I soaked her in a warm Epsom salt bath for about 30 minutes, dried her off and put her in isolation. She is lethargic and doesn't eat much. I am considering culling, but I haven't done anything yet. I also live at a high elevation: about 3000-4000 ft.
She poops fine and we recently got her and a few other hens and two roosters from a home who could no longer take care of them. Like a novice, I didn't give them a full check-up when we brought them home, but I did isolate them from our Plymouth Rocks. No other chickens have bald-spots like her, but I haven't fully checked them all.
Should I cull? If I do, would she be safe to eat? Drain, treat and hope for the best? If I drain her abdomen, how often should I repeat? It's also time to clip my flock's wings again, so should I check all of them for lice? They always have sand in their yard, but should I add Diatom Powder?
Please Help!!

 

[Ravynscroft]

I don't know about draining ascites, but if it's infection within her body at all I would not advise eating the meat at all...

As for the lice, if she was in your main coop with the rest of your flock then yes, you need to treat every single bird, clean out the coop and treat the coop as well...

Diatomaceous earth will not get rid of an infestation of lice... no harm in adding a little to their sand, but you'll need something to kill the lice completely... many use Sevin dust, also called Garden and Poultry dust... just make sure the active ingredient is Permethrin and dust each chicken individually and the coop...

There's also a spray that you can mix up using Gordon's Livestock & Premise Spray - Permethrin 10 to spray the coop and the birds as well... that one I knkw is carried by Tractor Supply, would have to check to see where else it is carried or purchase online...

 

[livestockchick]

Thank you, I think her Ascites is from organ failure. I will pick up some Sevin dust and try that. This is the first major issue that has arisen with any of my chickens, so I am kind of frazzled. Thanks again.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Understandable... it's a pain, but at least the parasites are a fixable issue... I always have trouble with the 'ick' factor of lice, lol...

 

[livestockchick]

I decided it was best to cull her. She went painlessly and quickly, but I still don't know if I can eat her.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Did you open up and see what was going on inside? Any infection?

 

[livestockchick]

I haven't yet. I'm waiting for my help to get home. I'll update you then.

 

[livestockchick]

We decided to skip the step of dissecting her. We didn't even want to see what her insides might have been & didn't want to have to make a mess. We buried her by our compost out back and her nutrients will be used in the spring to plant fodder for the other birds. We made sure not to waste a life. Thank you for all your help, we will be treating the rest of the flock tomorrow.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Understand your decision and don't blame you... better safe than sorry... glad that it wasn't a waste either... good luck with the treatment, hope the rest of your flock stays healthy...