How do I treat chicken lice?

[Hross1213]

Thank you so much!!

 

[Cryss]

You're very welcome! Another thread has someone with the same problem. I just copy/pasted my post from here. I hope it helps them too.

Thank you so much!!

 

[katiegirl0225]

Clean out your coop, then catch each chicken and dust it with Sevin dust or some sort of permethrin powder...there are different kinds, some more organic than others.... I like the Sevin myself. But you have to dust your whole flock and then sprinkle a liberal amount into the new bedding, then do it again in a couple of weeks, then after that you can do it routinely, every 6 months or so. That is what I do. Yawning could be related to ear mites, which would also be treated by above.... it is also possible you might have worms in general which would also perhaps be tipped by the yawning. (gape worm). That would require a different sort of treatment. do not inhale DE.... I am convinced someday they are going to declare it as bad as asbestos and people put it all over the place.

We quit using sevins dust in all capacities when we learned that it kills honey bees.

 

[DrakeMom]

IDK what ya'll are meaning by DE but I'm thinking your meaning Diatomaceous Earth? We like to put some in an empty Garlic Salt container and sprinkle it in there when we clean. What I like about Diatomaceous Earth is that it's food grade and you can use it for kittens with fleas that are too young to have a bath or Advantage ll for fleas!!!

 

[Smr]

Sevin is carbaryl, no longer approved for use on chickens. Don't buy it! Permethrin comes as a dust or spray concentrate, which is approved and much easier to use. As you found out , DE is useless!
For anything, including coop cleaning, get N95 face masks, available in the paint department at the big box stores. Nothing less effective will protect you!
Permethrin dust is usually sold as 'Poultry dust' and will work but is harder to use. Permethrin spray concentrate is inexpensive easy to use, and very effective. It's not the best choice in extremely cold weather.
Go out at night with a flashlight, dust or spray, and hopefully a helper. For dusting, pick up each bird off the roost and treat. For spray, just spray them right on their roost!
Mary

I agree! Use the permethrin. It works and you can still eat the eggs.
Sevin is VERY toxic. Do not use it on your birds. Once a bird is treated with Sevin it's eggs are no longer fit for consumption for the life of the bird.

 

[casportpony]

Once a bird is treated with Sevin it's eggs are no longer fit for consumption for the life of the bird.

I hate to disagree, but this is not true.

 

[Smr]

I hate to disagree, but this is not true.

Chicken owning friends.
This document will be of interest.
Note "lifetime withdrawal" means never eat eggs from that hen again because of persisting residue OR lack of information on product in laying hens

Veterinarian who wrote this, referenced the FARAD website http://www.farad.org/

Common Egg Withdrawal Times in the US

LAURA CHAMBERLAIN PYLMAN·SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 2015

Approved Products for Laying Hens

Amprolium (Corid) - No egg withdrawal when used at labeled dose
Permethrin (Permectrin II, ProZap, etc) - No egg withdrawal when used according to label directions
Spinosaid (Elector PSP) - No egg withdrawal when used according to label directions
Hygromycin B (as a feed additive at labeled dose) -No egg withdrawal
Nystatin (as a feed additive at 100g/ton) -No egg withdrawal
Not Approved (can only be used by veterinary prescription even when availabe OTC, consult your veterinarian for withdrawal times appropriate to your specific situation)
Ivermectin (any dose) -8 week withdrawal
Piperazine (Wazine) (label dose) -17day withdrawal
Oxytetracycline in water (800mg label dose) -14days for personal consumption, 8 weeks for sold eggs or known sensitivities
Tetracycline in water (Duramycin 10) (label dose) -14 days, 8 weeks for sold eggs or known sensitivities
Sulfamethazine (Sulmet) (full label dose) -21 days
Sulfadimethoxine (Albon) (label dose) -21 days
Tylosin injectable (Tylan) -8 weeks due to lack of studies
Tylosin orally -14 days at treatment dose (no withdrawal at approved feed additive dose)
Levamisole (Prohibit) -21days
Albendazole (Valbazen) -14days
Fenbendazole (Safe Guard) (10mg/kg x3 days) -17days
Pyrantel -8weeks due to lack of any studies showing elimination times in eggs

Not Allowed

All pesticides not specifically labeled. Pesticides are not allowed to be used extra label

Fipronil (Frontline) -lifetime withdrawal per FARAD
Carbaryl (Sevin) -lifetime withdrawal per FARAD
STRICTLY PROHIBITED -ILLEGAL TO USE lifetime withdrawal
Fluoroquinolones (Baytril, Cipro, etc)
Metronidazole (Flagyl) and other drugs in this family (Nitroimidazoles)
Chloramphenicol
Clenbuterol (ventipulmin)
Diethylsilbesterol (DES)
Glycopeptides (vancomycin,etc)
Nitrofurans (Furazone, etc)
Cephalosporins (excede, naxcel, etc)
Antivirals

Please do not remove this information. This is property of Chicken Vet Corner
written by Dr Pylman

 

[casportpony]

Chicken owning friends.
This document will be of interest.
Note "lifetime withdrawal" means never eat eggs from that hen again because of persisting residue OR lack of information on product in laying hens

Veterinarian who wrote this, referenced the FARAD website http://www.farad.org/

Common Egg Withdrawal Times in the US

LAURA CHAMBERLAIN PYLMAN·SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 2015

Approved Products for Laying Hens

Amprolium (Corid) - No egg withdrawal when used at labeled dose
Permethrin (Permectrin II, ProZap, etc) - No egg withdrawal when used according to label directions
Spinosaid (Elector PSP) - No egg withdrawal when used according to label directions
Hygromycin B (as a feed additive at labeled dose) -No egg withdrawal
Nystatin (as a feed additive at 100g/ton) -No egg withdrawal
Not Approved (can only be used by veterinary prescription even when availabe OTC, consult your veterinarian for withdrawal times appropriate to your specific situation)
Ivermectin (any dose) -8 week withdrawal
Piperazine (Wazine) (label dose) -17day withdrawal
Oxytetracycline in water (800mg label dose) -14days for personal consumption, 8 weeks for sold eggs or known sensitivities
Tetracycline in water (Duramycin 10) (label dose) -14 days, 8 weeks for sold eggs or known sensitivities
Sulfamethazine (Sulmet) (full label dose) -21 days
Sulfadimethoxine (Albon) (label dose) -21 days
Tylosin injectable (Tylan) -8 weeks due to lack of studies
Tylosin orally -14 days at treatment dose (no withdrawal at approved feed additive dose)
Levamisole (Prohibit) -21days
Albendazole (Valbazen) -14days
Fenbendazole (Safe Guard) (10mg/kg x3 days) -17days
Pyrantel -8weeks due to lack of any studies showing elimination times in eggs

Not Allowed

All pesticides not specifically labeled. Pesticides are not allowed to be used extra label

Fipronil (Frontline) -lifetime withdrawal per FARAD
Carbaryl (Sevin) -lifetime withdrawal per FARAD
STRICTLY PROHIBITED -ILLEGAL TO USE lifetime withdrawal
Fluoroquinolones (Baytril, Cipro, etc)
Metronidazole (Flagyl) and other drugs in this family (Nitroimidazoles)
Chloramphenicol
Clenbuterol (ventipulmin)
Diethylsilbesterol (DES)
Glycopeptides (vancomycin,etc)
Nitrofurans (Furazone, etc)
Cephalosporins (excede, naxcel, etc)
Antivirals

Please do not remove this information. This is property of Chicken Vet Corner
written by Dr Pylman

yeah, I have seen that too, and she is one on the many carbaryl fearmongers. No where will you find an official statement from the FDA that says what she says.

 

[Smr]

yeah, I have seen that too, and she is one on the many carbaryl fearmongers. No where will you find an official statement from the FDA that says what she says.

January 28, 2013

Sevin Dust Illegal in Many Countries: Top Seller in U.S.
While Americans sprinkle Sevin dust around their yards like sugar, it is banned in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Iran and Angola. These countries are not convinced, as the United States is, that Sevin dust is safe.

The U.K. Chemicals Directorate Division of the Health and Safety branch is not convinced enough that Sevin dust is safe. Because of the effects of ingestion, that’s EATING the stuff, folks, after you douse your vegetable garden with it — has been proven to cause cancer.

DO NOT USE THIS STUFF INDOORS ~or~ ON YOUR PETS!

Now the reason I am sounding off again on Sevin dust is because on this site, it is the #1 search term. I should change the site name to SEVIN DUST is Icky or something like that. Well, that’s the truth because it is!


One of the most widely used chemicals in U.S. gardens, but illegal in many countries.

On a more serious side, continuous inhalation of Sevin dust can cause pneumoconiosis, more commonly referred to as “Black Lung Disease,” which is routinely found in coal miners, but the indication is also prominent in those who work in certain manufacturing industries. Pneumoconiosis causes hardening of the air sacs in the lungs caused from inflammation. Complications of pneumoconiosis include: heart failure, lung cancer, respiratory failure.

Pregnant women should avoid exposure to Sevin dust because it can cause fetal abnormalities: cardio and pulmonary, nervous system development, spontaneous abortion, ADD in their child and a host of other difficulties. Additionally, women whose pregnancies fall between the months of highest Sevin applications – May and September – have the highest instances of fetal distress in development.

 

[casportpony]

January 28, 2013

Sevin Dust Illegal in Many Countries: Top Seller in U.S.
While Americans sprinkle Sevin dust around their yards like sugar, it is banned in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Iran and Angola. These countries are not convinced, as the United States is, that Sevin dust is safe.

The U.K. Chemicals Directorate Division of the Health and Safety branch is not convinced enough that Sevin dust is safe. Because of the effects of ingestion, that’s EATING the stuff, folks, after you douse your vegetable garden with it — has been proven to cause cancer.

DO NOT USE THIS STUFF INDOORS ~or~ ON YOUR PETS!

Now the reason I am sounding off again on Sevin dust is because on this site, it is the #1 search term. I should change the site name to SEVIN DUST is Icky or something like that. Well, that’s the truth because it is!


One of the most widely used chemicals in U.S. gardens, but illegal in many countries.

On a more serious side, continuous inhalation of Sevin dust can cause pneumoconiosis, more commonly referred to as “Black Lung Disease,” which is routinely found in coal miners, but the indication is also prominent in those who work in certain manufacturing industries. Pneumoconiosis causes hardening of the air sacs in the lungs caused from inflammation. Complications of pneumoconiosis include: heart failure, lung cancer, respiratory failure.

Pregnant women should avoid exposure to Sevin dust because it can cause fetal abnormalities: cardio and pulmonary, nervous system development, spontaneous abortion, ADD in their child and a host of other difficulties. Additionally, women whose pregnancies fall between the months of highest Sevin applications – May and September – have the highest instances of fetal distress in development.

I respect you opinion on it's safety, and it's true that it is no longer labeled for use in poultry, but until I see something from the FDA or the EPA saying that it has a lifetime withdrawal I will continue to use it when needed.

That said, my preferred treatment for lice and mites is permethrin or ivermectin.