Huge lice infeciton

[Florencehb]

My chickens have all been losing feathers so I got worried and looked at their heads and found what I believe is lice, my neighbour recommended diatomaceous earth but I've read its not effective, any recommendations for what to use?

 

[BDutch]

I truly believe it works great to prevent feather lice (and other lice). But Im not sure how good it is if the chickens are already infected. Some chemical treatment is probably more effective in eliminating the lice quickly. DE is a natural and harmless (only don’t breath it in when applying and use food grade) and it probably takes several weeks to get rid of the feather lice. Many people don’t have so much patience.

I use DE and never had feather lice while lots of wild birds com into the run that could infect my chickens. So I can’t give the best advice on treating an infection.

Btw monitoring for lice and other trouble makers is always very important to stay in control. Especially for red mites. Use waved paper in a roll, tie it under the roosts and check weekly/twice a week in summer.

 

[EuroChook]

I'm sorry to hear about this. If you skip down to treatment on this link, there are some helps. Many people say that pyrethrum no longer works as well, while others say it still seems to work for them.

https://poultrydvm.com/condition/lice

 

[BDutch]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-fleas-dealing-with-external-parasites.74599/

Permethrin and some others poisonings in the list of poultrydvm are not allowed on chickens in factory farming / food supply in the EU because its poisonous. The pet shop advices a redraw time of several weeks if you use poisons.

 

[Shadrach]

You should be able to get this in Spain. It's a permethrin based insecticide that is effective against lice and mites. I used when I lived in Spain.
I've provided a couple of links for you.

https://www.amazon.es/Menforsan-Ins..._14?keywords=Menforsan&qid=1690974551&sr=8-14

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Menforsan-Insecticida-Desodorante-Roedores-125-ml/dp/B01MY0JK9U

 

[Florencehb]

You should be able to get this in Spain. It's a permethrin based insecticide that is effective against lice and mites. I used when I lived in Spain.
I've provided a couple of links for you.

https://www.amazon.es/Menforsan-Ins..._14?keywords=Menforsan&qid=1690974551&sr=8-14

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Menforsan-Insecticida-Desodorante-Roedores-125-ml/dp/B01MY0JK9U

Thanks I've bought the first one, it says that you can't spray it near birds tho, is it effective in killing the lice on the chickens?

 

[Shadrach]

Thanks I've bought the first one, it says that you can't spray it near birds tho, is it effective in killing the lice on the chickens?

It is effective at killing both lice and mites on chickens.
Many products that are effective are not labled as safe to use on chickens. Often this isn't because they are harmful, but because they haven't been subject to the various tests and bodies of endorsement responsible for the regulation of approved chemicals for poultry and other creatures.
I use this in the UK because in the UK permethrin which is widely used in the USA isn't an approved product for poultry here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lifesystem...id=1669802776&sprefix=ex4,aps,161&sr=8-5&th=1

The same applies to some worming chemicals.

Obviously one shouldn't spray the bird around the eyes, nose and ears; a dab with a cotton bud soaked in the product is what I've done with great success.

As with any chemical there is a chance of an allergic reaction. All I can write is I have used Menforsan on lots of chickens without any ill effects and I use the product mentioned above on my own skin when dealing with mites on birds and in coops.

Just by way of reassurance. This is a product prescribed by the medical profession here in the UK to deal with scabies (a mite) and head lice problems.

https://www.boots.com/lyclear-dermal-cream-30g-10316460

As you can read, permethrin is the active chemical in the product.

 

[Shadrach]

I'm sorry to hear about this. If you skip down to treatment on this link, there are some helps. Many people say that pyrethrum no longer works as well, while others say it still seems to work for them.

https://poultrydvm.com/condition/lice

Permethrin is an insecticide that kills on contact. It either works or it doesn't and it is very easy to tell if it's effective by applying a small amount to a group of lice or mites. If they die, it works.
The very few reports I've read on various forum boards of it not working have been from people who do not understand that the chemical only kills live mites and not the eggs the mites lay. The eggs hatch and the bird has mites crawling over them again and the authers of such reports write the chemical doesn't work. The treatment has to be done as a course of applications to ensure that any further mites that hatch from the eggs are killed.

 

[EuroChook]

Permethrin is an insecticide that kills on contact. It either works or it doesn't and it is very easy to tell if it's effective by applying a small amount to a group of lice or mites. If they die, it works.
The very few reports I've read on various forum boards of it not working have been from people who do not understand that the chemical only kills live mites and not the eggs the mites lay. The eggs hatch and the bird has mites crawling over them again and the authers of such reports write the chemical doesn't work. The treatment has to be done as a course of applications to ensure that any further mites that hatch from the eggs are killed.

Permethrin yes. Many believe there is now more and more resistance to pyrethrum however.