Keep getting lice

[Silkiechicken66]

I’ve always put sand boxes in with my doves and pigeons, they willingly use them along with water.

They have access to them as they were kept in an aviary with a pheasant. The pheasant is no longer there but if they want they can use them. But they’ve never gone near the thing.

 

[Eric 2016]

They have access to them as they were kept in an aviary with a pheasant. The pheasant is no longer there but if they want they can use them. But they’ve never gone near the thing.

Interesting, I hope you come up with something soon

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

So about the beginning of this year I got a pair of fantail pigeons. Ever since I got them they just keep getting lice. I treat it, it goes away for a week, then comes back. None of my chickens or ducks have it, or have ever gotten it.

I’ve tried everything. I tried dawn then borax and even some specific poultry lice spray that everyone near me praised. They go away for about a week and ALWAYS. COME. BACK.

I’ve even moved their aviary around the yard, bleaching every single thing inside as I did.

Tried different foods, treatment methods, enclosures, areas, keeping Inside/not exposed to anything, etc. and nothing keeps the lice away. And every time I do treat there is NOTHING left on them. My current treatment is two borax baths a day for 2-3 days. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. Help please!

You need to use the permethrin... but you need to use it as a dip. I have found spraying them to not be nearly as effective. I use 3/4 of an ounce permethrin to each gallon of water. I wear rubber gloves when I use it and hold the pigeon by the base of the wings (thumb on one side index finger between wings middle and other fingers on other side of second wing). Dip the birds down into the water at about neck level (don't put the head under), and slowly start twisting your wrist side to side swooshing the bird back and forth to make sure it gets soaked really good... I typically count and do it about 15 twists of the wrist. They will look terrible after this, but if you have an aviary or cage, put them out in the sun and they will dry off in a couple hours and will be all set and free of parasites. You might still see a few of the feather lice the next couple days but they are dead and just hanging on somehow but will all fall off soon enough. Then go through and clean the loft and spray it with the permethrin as well to kill any bugs remaining in the loft.