Lice and mites - the struggle is real!

[Onlysony]

We're in full swing of winter here in Alberta, Canada! This morning I noticed that one of my older hens was walking like a penguin (chest up and butt way down) so I brought her in, gave her a warm Epsom salt bath and noticed she was infested with lice (and she had the eggs clumping on the base of her feathers at her vent). I'm pretty sure she has mites, too, because a orange looking teeny critter ran up my arm and under my shirt sleeve and bit me. I have the willies now!!!! I don't like creepy crawlies!
My sister came over and checked the hen's vent and could not feel an impacted egg so, now she is in the garage in a little pen and I'm keeping an eye on her. I cleaned out the chicken coop the best I could (its -15 and snowy). I can't power wash it out - our hoses are disconnected for the winter. I cleaned out the bedding, sprayed oil and Dawn in all the nooks and crannies/roosts. Let it dry and put DE everywhere and added new shavings. I'll have to go get some mite and lice spray in the morning and douse all the other chickens (we have 7 more hens and rooster). For the time being I rubbed DE all over them...not that itll do anything but it's all I have. Sometimes it sucks living rurally- every time I have to leave the farm it's a 4 hour day.
Where did these critters come from??? In the summer and fall they never had them! I pick all my chickens up and give them scratches and they've been clean. Since they all cuddle together, at night, I'm sure they are all covered. Ugh.

If anyone has any tricks of the trade for people living in cold climates and want to save their flock from mites and lice....but can't power wash down their coops...I am all ears!!!!
Oh, egg production is still good...getting 5-6 eggs a day.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This morning I noticed that one of my older hens was walking like a penguin (chest up and butt way down) so I brought her in, gave her a warm Epsom salt bath and noticed she was infested with lice (and she had the eggs clumping on the base of her feathers at her vent). I'm pretty sure she has mites, too, because a orange looking teeny critter ran up my arm and under my shirt sleeve and bit me.

I'm sorry your hen is not well.
Walking like a penguin could be an indication of a reproductive disorder like Egg Yolk Peritonitis or similar if you didn't feel an egg inside the vent. The discovery of the lice/mites would likely be secondary. When you feel her abdomen (below the vent between the legs) is there any swelling or fluid?

I think you are on the right track for treating the lice/mites - getting the powder in the morning will be good. Repeat treatment of the birds and housing in 7 day intervals. Bugs can come from a number of places so it would be hard to know exactly how they arrived.

For the hen that is not well, I would keep her relatively warm. See if she will drink for you. If you have poultry vitamins offer those. Once she's hydrated, then offer some food.
https://poultrykeeper.com/reproductive-system-problems/egg-peritonitis/

 

[Onlysony]

is there any swelling or fluid?

Yes - in between her legs/in front of her vent it is swollen but not hard...kind if like jelly-ish feeling.

 

[Onlysony]

I just read that article and if she is not feeling well in the morning it seems like the most humane thing to do is put her down

 

[aart]

I'll have to go get some mite and lice spray in the morning and douse all the other chickens

Might be better not to spray them with a liquid when it's so cold....can you get permethrin powder up there?

I just read that article and if she is not feeling well in the morning it seems like the most humane thing to do is put her down

Most likely...water belly(ascites) signals serious issues inside.

 

[Eggcessive]

Permethrin has not been for sale in Canada, as far as I know, for the last couple of years. Sulfur powder mixed with vaseline or neem oil might be alternatives. Hopefully other Canadians will give a few suggestions.

 

[aart]

Permethrin has not been for sale in Canada, as far as I know, for the last couple of years. Sulfur powder mixed with vaseline or neem oil might be alternatives. Hopefully other Canadians will give a few suggestions.

Ah, bummer.....sulfur powder might be best choice for a dry treatment.

 

[Onlysony]

Most likely...water belly(ascites) signals serious issues inside

She looks rather lethargic (or lonely) tonight. She ate freeze dried meal worms happily but now looks "blah"

Permethrin has not been for sale in Canada,

This isn't good news! Darn! I'm running to the feed store tomorrow to see what they have. I have a premise ID number so I can buy vet stuff for my animals. I have neem oil but am unsure how to use it on a chicken. I put it on one of my goats who has a zinc deficiency and gets dry, flaky skin.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes - in between her legs/in front of her vent it is swollen but not hard...kind if like jelly-ish feeling.

I just read that article and if she is not feeling well in the morning it seems like the most humane thing to do is put her down

She looks rather lethargic (or lonely) tonight. She ate freeze dried meal worms happily but now looks "blah"

This isn't good news! Darn! I'm running to the feed store tomorrow to see what they have. I have a premise ID number so I can buy vet stuff for my animals. I have neem oil but am unsure how to use it on a chicken. I put it on one of my goats who has a zinc deficiency and gets dry, flaky skin.

If you have an ID#, then you may be able to get some louse powder or permethrin powder. I don't know enough about your rules to say, but I would definitely ask!

See how she's doing in the morning. Check her crop first thing to make sure it's empty (before she eats/drinks). She may perk up. It can be hard to know sometimes. I've had hens with reproductive problems and put them down quickly, others have perked up after a day or so, a lot depends on exactly what's going on and the "individual" hen herself. While there is no cure for repro problems, I still try to give them a chance. If your's are for production, then economically, putting her down may be the right thing to do.

 

[Onlysony]

I think she has been the one who laid weird shaped eggs, soft shells, etc. I will see how she is in the morning. She's been sleeping nicely in the garage (we have heated floors which she seems to like). But she is smelly. Tomorrow, I'll give her another sitz bath and check her vent, delouse her and the rest of the chickens. If she is not better by evening I'll make a decision on her welfare.