How to treat lice/mites?

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

I believe my flock of 4 Cochin Bantams has a mild case of lice or mites. The insects in question are white - clear and visible, but small. About the size of the dull end of a needle. I bought Hi-Yield powder from my feed store. I also have Diotamatious Earth somewhere, but I dont really want to use it. The Hi Yield can be used on poultry, but it says 1 pound per 100 birds. I have a four pound bag and only 4 birds. I also cant let it touch my skin. It just makes me nervous to use. I dont have a desinated dust bathing area as my coop is a small tractor that we move. I do have Permithrin. Would that help? If so how much do I mix with, say a gallon? So that is safe to put on the birds. I have more birds sitting close by that dont appear to have lice. Yet. I plan on giving them a bath, wiping down the roost, and giving my coop fresh hay. What do you guys do? How to you prevent mites and lice? How do you get rid of them? I want to nip this problem in the bud.

Links:
The insecticide powder
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hi-Yield...st-Dust-Insect-Killer-4-lb-Case-Of-1/37864047

Tags:
@azygous
@Wyorp Rock
@aart
@TheOddOneOut
@The-White-Elephant

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Permethrin should be your first go to for small insects crawling on your birds. Only if that doesn't work should you explore other options - and used correctly, it almost always works. Its a mechanical, rather than chemical process - no immunity/resistance gets developed.

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

Permethrin should be your first go to for small insects crawling on your birds. Only if that doesn't work should you explore other options - and used correctly, it almost always works. Its a mechanical, rather than chemical process - no immunity/resistance gets developed.

Ok! What solution should I mix? I think I have 10% permithrin.

 

[azygous]

Knowing for sure what you are dealing with would be a good first step. https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

Permethrin poultry dusting powder is safe and easy to use. If you find you have coop mites or Northern fowl mites, spinosad Elector PSP is what I recommend spraying the coop with. It's also safe to spray on the chickens.

By not providing a dirt bathing area, your chickens are being deprived of essential health care. Dirt bathing keeps parasites at bay and conditions feathers. It is also an essential social activity that encourages flock cohesion. It would be like having tenants and not providing a place for them to shower or bathe or from having friends over to visit.

 

[Banana01]

How old are your bantams? Do your chickens have a dust bath?

I had to quit using hay where I live in a tropical climate because thats where the mites were thriving. Permethrin is for spraying the coop, bathing is something I never have to do. I wrote an article about treating mites, but it is more geared towards treating babies, although bantams are small and susceptible.

Treating Individual Chickens for Mites

The gist of the article is you have to search for where the mites are sucking their blood by looking for red infestations and apply an insecticide, or for a chemical free option, coconut oil.

I dont cover baths or spraying because I usually treat the ones that get infested once or twice and by adulthood they have learned to bathe and clean themselves as they are surrounded by dust and dirt. So your case may differ.

 

[Eggcessive]

Ok! What solution should I mix? I think I have 10% permithrin.

There is strength for the chickens and a stronger one for the coop, nests, and roosts. The permethrin strength for chickens is 1:200, and the mix for coops is 6.7 ounces per gallon of water which is all in the link here in post 2:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/permethrin-10.1250699/

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

Knowing for sure what you are dealing with would be a good first step. https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

Permethrin poultry dusting powder is safe and easy to use. If you find you have coop mites or Northern fowl mites, spinosad Elector PSP is what I recommend spraying the coop with. It's also safe to spray on the chickens.

By not providing a dirt bathing area, your chickens are being deprived of essential health care. Dirt bathing keeps parasites at bay and conditions feathers. It is also an essential social activity that encourages flock cohesion. It would be like having tenants and not providing a place for them to shower or bathe or from having friends over to visit.

I believe I have poultry lice.

I have liquid. I will look for Elector.

How should I do a dustbath in a way that I can move? I have a wire bottom for predator protection. Here is a pic of my coop.

I know they need a dustbath, they have been fine without. I have thought about ways though. I thought about a turtle sandbox and put sand in it. I feel like it would be too big. Would it be fine though? Will they poop in it? What do you suggest to put IN a dust bath?
Turtle sandbox:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Little-T...oGMb9L9RABHJpf457DEaApA7EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Maybe I could do a small inflatable pool.

 

[azygous]

Get one of those heavy rubber live stock water dishes that are twenty-four inches in diameter and four to six inches deep. Fill it with sand, dry dirt, or peat moss. As long as two chickens can fit in it, it will serve as a dirt bath. This should be no problem to remain inside the tractor when you need to move it.

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

How old are your bantams? Do your chickens have a dust bath?

I had to quit using hay where I live in a tropical climate because thats where the mites were thriving. Permethrin is for spraying the coop, bathing is something I never have to do. I wrote an article about treating mites, but it is more geared towards treating babies, although bantams are small and susceptible.

Treating Individual Chickens for Mites

The gist of the article is you have to search for where the mites are sucking their blood by looking for red infestations and apply an insecticide, or for a chemical free option, coconut oil.

I dont cover baths or spraying because I usually treat the ones that get infested once or twice and by adulthood they have learned to bathe and clean themselves as they are surrounded by dust and dirt. So your case may differ.

About 2 1/2. At this point, no.

I have used hay the entire time. No problems until now. Thanks for the article! I'll read it.

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

There is strength for the chickens and a stronger one for the coop, nests, and roosts. The permethrin strength for chickens is 1:200, and the mix for coops is 6.7 ounces per gallon of water which is all in the link here in post 2:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/permethrin-10.1250699/

Thank you!