I was sold a chicken with lice, what are my options?

[kie4]

Lice can reproduce in 4-7 days, but it will take 10-15 days to reach adulthood to start laying eggs themselves. So lice treatment should be done at 10 day intervals. I would just make sure there are no living lice and no eggs present when ending your quarantine, and make sure the quarantine was at least 30 days.

Yes kie4, that is what it says in this link:  http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8162.pdf

Thanks @eggcessive. I read that while document but forgot the part about how long it takes the lice to come of age.

 

[kie4]

I hope your efforts get rid of the lice. If not, or if they come back later, contact me, I use Ivermectin, it more of a "big gun" compared to the remedies you are using. Since you are close, I can give you a small amount from my bottle. It is applied like you would put Frontline on a dog, a few drop in their skin on the back of their neck. I have "a few" more birds than you have, so I need a once and done approach. I treated over 200 birds Saturday for lice and/or mites, and the idea of having to round them all up for treatment again is 10 days is just too much to consider. I used this once before, over a year ago, and never had to treat those birds again. This time a customer reported they found mites. I couldn't see any mites on the birds I checked, but I did see 1 louse, so I treated everything in that coop, since their egg production is way down anyway this time of year.

I think your current treatment should work and is more safe and gentle.

When they get mature, access to a nice dust bath is a huge help with killing external parasites, and one of their favorite things to do.

Hi Dennis, firstly to put your mind at ease, the chicks you sold me are healthy and doing great.

I'll continue with the premethrin 10% approach, and if it fails take you up on your Ivermectin offer. Thank you very much for reaching out neighbour!

 

[kie4]

I checked the chick last night and she was completely clear of eggs and lice. Is that possible after only one bath and head massage in premethrin 10%? I'll keep checking in case I am not able to identify eggs and they are lurking in there waiting to hatch.