- Apr 17, 2013
- 3
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First time chicken mum here, and I think I'm dealing with either lice or mites. I can't see anything on my three girls, but they've started shaking their heads a lot, and from what I've researched lice or mites seem to be the likely cause. I'm in Australia and it's been a hot and humid few weeks, with an increase in wild birds in the tree above the run, so I'm putting it all together and making an assumption.The problem is that the girls hate being caught, so treating the issue is very difficult. I managed to catch two of them and dust using a powder called Pestine, but I'm afraid it was a clumsy attempt and I'm not sure if I really got the poder into the feathers, or just on top. The third chicken refuses to come close enough to me for me to catch her, and I've mad a classic rooky mistake and purchase a very cute coop, but not one that allows me access to them while they're roosting. So my question is, is there an easier way to treat them for lice and/or mites? A friend was using ivermectin to put in her chicken's water every few months but the breeder she got it from no longer sells it. If dusting really is the best way to treat them, can anyone share the techniques they use to actually get the dust into the feathers? I'm so frightened of hurting the girls - I just popped them in a carboard box and tried to get it on them, but it really didn't work very well. I ended up with more on me than they did! Any help would be much appreciated.