How to treat poultry lice in a flock of 200 chickens plus turkeys?

[cackleberryhead]

Thanks for the good wishes kuntrygirl and farmerboy16...

And I did consider the "egg eaters and am not seeing evidence of that. Plus that would be A LOT of eggs to eat!

Thanks for thinking it through with me though

Just waiting,
Jodi

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=423023&p=1
here is a huge thread in case you hadn't seen it for maybe some ideas

 

[katie4]

According to "The Chicken Health Handbook" by Gail Damerow, most varieties of lice attack the growing feathers rather than suck blood directly from the chicken. Perhaps lack of a set of healthy feathers combined with the onset of cold weather is weakening your chickens and making them more succeptable to disease.

I'd sure switch them to unmedicated chick feed for the additional protein content as they recover. Adding electrolytes/vitamins to their wather is good too. Continue treating whatever illness(es) pop up. Free range is good for healty chickens but compromised chickens may need more protection from the elements until they strengthen.

Any possibility of bringing some of that yummy oat grass to them or is it too labor intensive for the number of chickens? Are they roosting in a draft-free location? Can you add a couple of heat lamps during cold nights? I use a "Thermocube" which is a double outlet plug into which you plug a heat lamp or other heat source. At 34 degrees F the microswitch turns on the heat lamp.

As your flock number decreases don't replace them. When you have a manageable, healthy stock, breed them and strengthen your own strain. Just be careful of inbreeding.

I envy you for the greenery growing this time of year and that you have good dirt to make it grow...

Good luck with your homeschool business. Learning curves are good and steep. Persistence and recovering after a setback is a good, practical life lesson.

 

[cackleberryhead]

Hi My advisors! Have been busy with the holidays and all...Haven't posted in a while. >>>>>Or responded to the last two counsels. *sorry

I have sold a lump or two of produce to some locals....put some in freezer for the family and now let the hens have their share mostly. Kinda hate they got to all 200 cabbage heads before I even got one....well they need it more than I.

I too am grateful for the huge garden and good soil. No cash left for feed and no eggs yet either. The girls are looking healthy for the most part. Our winters in SE NC are usually not too cold. We may get a few nights in the upper 20"s but not many. Usually the nights are in the 30"s and 40"s. Our two henhouses are not close to any electricity to put heaters in.

Waiting and watching

Good idea to not add to the flock but to strengthen our own. I am hoping for that Happy New Year so many have been wishing for me

Happy New Year to you all too!

 

[BamaSilkies]

I vote for food grade Sevin dust. Turn them upside down and dust there bloomers good. Dont get it in their eyes or nose though. Thats lot of birds. Might take a minute. I have some that I cant tell apart so I go to walgreens and keep a can of that temp spray hair color blue or pink or whatever will show up on the bird and mark them as I dust. As far as I know there is no withdrawal period for the eggs.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Just reread this thread and it seems like most of your flock is 1 year old. I suspect the 1 year olds molted under stress and will take longer than normal to recover. Push the Black oil Sunflower seeds for extra protein. How are their combs looking? pale, pink, rose, red?
We just recently tried the cayenne pepper dosing to induce laying in our flock of 20. Treatment last week produced an egg increase from 2 to 7 daily this week. DH just sprinkled about 2 tsp on the food. Old timers say mix until food looks rusty. ( I don't think we used that much. Will be trying this again with a flock of bantam cochins this week.)
Personally, I would try the cayenne IF the flock looked healthy at this point and combs were leaning towards red.

 

[cackleberryhead]

Well, here I am finally to report that the flock has overcome and they look marvelous! The TRUE free ranging is doing the trick. They graze all day and are plump, happy with red combs , but...still not laying...due to the cold I suspect.

I had to sell half of them recently to feed the other half since we need to get them back in their 'own' field and out of my spring garden areas...

Can't have that! They love that foraging! And are gonna miss it when they won't have free access anymore.

Thanks for walking me through this very rough time with my girls you all!!!! I owe ya!

 

[welasharon]

That is a stunning picture!

 

[Farmerboy16]

That is great news! The chicken looks very healthy!

 

[the1honeycomb]

I know this is not a new thread but I just found lice or mites on my birds and I am using the deep litter method for my birds to help keep them warm I used wood ashes on the hay under the roosts How am I supposed to clean the whole coop in the middle of the winter? no idea what to do .
HELP!!!