Lice…again

[CharlieCrawford]

Hey all, I live in Montana and for the third year in a row at about the same time, my entire flock of 5 gets lice. I have done everything to try and stop it. I bought a very nice plastic coop that is spot cleaned once a day and throughly cleaned once a week. I bought small hardware net to replace chicken wire so wild birds can’t get in the run. I use DE in their dust bath. They have multiple dusting areas where they free range as well. I sprinkle it there too. I live in town and they free range in a well kept yard. There are of course plenty of wild birds around.
Now it seems like it’s becoming a fall/winter pattern and no matter how well I clean, it’s going to happen anyway. Doesn’t even matter how cold it gets. It can be below zero and they’ll get lice.
Any advice on prevention? Any favorite methods of removal? I’d prefer to use as little of the toxic stuff as possible, but I know that the natural can only do so much.
Thanks so much.

 

[cherrynberry]

Hey all, I live in Montana and for the third year in a row at about the same time, my entire flock of 5 gets lice. I have done everything to try and stop it. I bought a very nice plastic coop that is spot cleaned once a day and throughly cleaned once a week. I bought small hardware net to replace chicken wire so wild birds can’t get in the run. I use DE in their dust bath. They have multiple dusting areas where they free range as well. I sprinkle it there too. I live in town and they free range in a well kept yard. There are of course plenty of wild birds around.
Now it seems like it’s becoming a fall/winter pattern and no matter how well I clean, it’s going to happen anyway. Doesn’t even matter how cold it gets. It can be below zero and they’ll get lice.
Any advice on prevention? Any favorite methods of removal? I’d prefer to use as little of the toxic stuff as possible, but I know that the natural can only do so much.
Thanks so much.

That's where you are wrong. DE does not work for infestations...at all. Unfortunately, the lice will come back. DE is also not good for lungs.

You need to get permethrin dust and/or spray. It works like a charm.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would treat every 10 days at least 3 times with permethrin 0.5% spray or the permethrin garden dust available in feed stores. You will also need to remove all bedding , spray the coop, roosts, and nest boxes with permethrin, then add new bedding. Lice are hard to get rid of sometimes. The pints of Martins or Gordons permethrin 10 concentrate sold at TCS and online are economical, and can be mixed with water according to the label instructions makes many gallons of spray to use in spray bottles or garden sprayers. Read this link for more info:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/