is this poultry lice?

[RisingSpring]

just noticed this on a chicken i am plucking. i had checked my chickens before for parasites and never saw anything (my hens haven't been laying and i have been trying to find the problem).

the hen who is in this picture didn't have many, and looked very healthy otherwise, didn't see big bundles of eggs on feather shafts or anything else.

they are free range and all dust bathe regularly. i am thinking diatemaceous earth... any other advice, if this is indeed lice?

 

[BantamLover21]

Looks like a poultry louse to me. DE doesn't work very well for getting rid of parasite infestations; a better choice is Sevin dust.

 

[Frizzlett]

My new chickens have that too! I was thinking of getting DE too.

 

[Frizzlett]

I think mine have actual mites too. Getting DE tomorrow for the mite problem or will Sevin dust work for both?

 

[AZChiknGoddess]

DE is pretty worthless. Get the Sevin.

 

[cstronks]

Agreed. Sevin is more useful in the case of parasites, but use it with some caution. Be sure that the sevin has completely settled on the dusting area before allowing the chickens over there. If it is poured on or near the chickens during application, then both you and your birds can inhale it, causing severe lung inflammation and possible health ramifications for the birds. As long as the sevin is settled on the ground before the chickens roll in it, they should be fine. Also, don't try and pour it directly on the chickens, because they won't be very cooperative and will probably flap and cause a sevin dust cloud. Good luck though! The infestation doesn't look bad though. A little sevin dusting should remedy it.

 

[snowflake]

Ivermectin can be used on chickens an is good for internal and external parasites safer then 7's I do spray liquid 7's on the roosts and cracks in the coop

 

[SavageDestiny]

Ivermectin can be used on chickens an is good for internal and external parasites safer then 7's I do spray liquid 7's on the roosts and cracks in the coop

It's my understanding that Ivermectin is ineffective on poultry lice, since poultry lice do not suck blood but rather feed on dead skin and feather shafts.

 

[fairie]

After doing research here and other places I gave my chickens DE and woodash baths every other day for 1 week and they are lice and mite free. We live on an organic farm and I really don't want wash my chickens in chemicals. They all give them selves dust baths everyday too, so I added the DE to the places where they are bathing, since they probably are bringing or leaving the mites there too.

Good luck