lice and mites. eggs and chicks?

[missy5]

If i powder the birds and the coop will it hurt the eggs that are hopefully hatching on the weekend and will it hurt newborn chicks? I also have call ducks in the same coop. Do i have to worry about them or is it all the same meds when it comes to powder. The only reason i saw the little bugs crawling on the eggs is because it was the first time i put my glasses on when i was in the coop. I feel so bad for not noticing them sooner.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm not sure what you are powdering them with. That might make a difference. I once asked an Ag professor that keeps chickens if Sevin made the eggs unsafe to eat. He said no, they are safe. I'd assume the same for the unhatched chicks. However, the eggs are porous so the developing chick can breathe. I'd dust the chicken and the nest, but not the eggs directly. It is not so much that I would worry about the Sevin injuring the chick as worrying that the powder blocks the pores on the egg shell.

Again, I don't know what you are using so take that into consideration.

I don't do ducks. I'd think it would be the same, but I'm not 100% sure.

By the way, I don't eat the eggs on the day that I treat, no matter what he said. I'm just weird that way. But the next day, I don't worry about it.

Editted to add: I would definitely treat before they hatch, partly for the health of the chicks but also for the health of the broody. That same Ag professor said that roost mites kill more broodies than anything else.

 

[missy5]

Thanks for getting back to me. The powder i am getting was a suggestion from a friend. She called it dust kill for lice and mites. Directions were scrub onto infected spots. I'm getting the powder tonight and i will do the birds. Tomorrow i will do the coop by cleaning it out and putting all new shavings and nesting materials in and i will take the eggs out and powder the nest and put the eggs back. I hope it works out because she's been such a good mom and i'm pretty sure the eggs are fertile and she's been on them for 19 days. I hope it works out for her. Of corse for me too i would love to have some new chicks. Thanks again.