Lice/Mite problem....

[PunkinPeep]

I want to thank y'all for your input about how to protect myself when dusting. I started out with a cut up pillow case tied around my face, my husband's work safety goggles, and gloves (looked like a poorly dressed alien). I ended up with just the gloves, which turned out to be pretty helpful in dusting my chickens.

In regard to the lice, i was able to see the lice on my birds in broad daylight, under the wings and by the vents. They looked kind of transparent, and some of them had a dark spot on them where they had started sucking blood. I have never seen any creep crawlies on any of my birds before, so that really creeped me out - this was on my 4- and 6-week olds.

They are in a large wooden outdoor brooder, so yesterday, i cleaned the whole thing out, put down d.e. (which i've never used before either), new bedding and permethrin dust under the bedding. Then i dusted the chicks and gave them the tiniest little dose of ivermectin paste. So i hope this takes care of it.

Ever since i saw the lice, i keep thinking something's crawling around in my hair. I'm pretty sure it isn't, but i've got the willies.....

Side note: the permethrin dust smells really good. I don't think that's necessarily wise to make me want to sniff it.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
I`ve used Sevin for years and never worried about toxicity. It`s safe to dust a hen and nest with chicks. Eating the eggs and meat is never an issue.......Pop

 

[frizzlemom]

Could a chicken that has lice look pale and lethargic? My roo had lice, I dusted him last week, he is perking up now. His comb and wattles were a light pink color instead of red, and the skin on his face looked really pale. He was acting lethargic, but eating and drinking ok. Now he is getting some color back, but still not as red as before.

Could lice or mites do this? Thanks for any opinions in advance.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

a bird that is that bad needs help health wise

you need the wet mash probiotic with vit E and vit B complex for two weeks to help the chickens health
any questions email me

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
Yes, Lice and mites will suck the blood and vigor right out of a chicken. Just looking them over and make dusting with something part of your regular routine with chicken health if needed.

I have been told it's okay to eat the eggs from dusting but not the meat til you know they free of the bugs in a month or so. My opinions.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
They won't stay on humans, we aren't tasty enough, but that doesn't mean that they won't have a bite before they figure it out.

 

[racefanz]

I used the Sevin 5% all over the coop and the girls the other night. We actually built a new nest box, which we were planning on doing for a while, it just happened that I was going to clean with the Sevin dust when we finally did it.
One of my girls has been very lathergic for a few weeks now and I finally figured out that it must be lice or mites since she had some on her. I put Sevin all over her, but I have not seen a big change, I am hoping that I will soon.
How often can I clean with Sevin and how often can I put it on my girls? I also have poultry dust that I haven't used because I am not sure that I can use that and Sevin at the same time. Can I use both?

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
I've always been told to wait 7 to 10 days and dust them again. I would NOT use both at the same time. My thoughts.

 

[evonne]

i just noticed buggies on my banties... what is the food grade DE everyone keeps mentioning???

and the other stuff sevin 5%??

the sevin sounds like something i can get at home depot?? or walmart? maybe?? the feed store on my end of town is a private run and the other corporate feed store is 30-45 minute drive across town... between the 2 facts, this feed store is rather high priced.... so if it's something i can get somewhere else, i'd rather...

my regular size chickens don't seem to have any... i checked a couple and they're all clean.. i'll maybe dust them to be safe, but should i do thier whole coop area too?? they're really freerange, like all the time.. they sleep perched on the top of a little tykes playslide set.. lol...

i'm thinking the bugs might have come in on my little rescue chicken... i didn't know to check her for them.. i did quarantee her to check for .. well i honestly don't know what i was checking for... but she seemed healthyafter a few days of stress related vomiting and whatnot... she was still separte for a while longer, but like i said, i didn't know to check for bugs... now i do.. lol...
but if these buggies came from the wild birds, what do i do?? if i just keep applying this dust to their coop ground and give them a bathtub with sand and the stuff will that keep them away?? i don't think i can find away to keep the wild birds out.. hubby said that even netting wouldn't work.. would keep the birds out, but wouldn't the bugs just jump off them and through the netting??
thoughts on his theory??

BLAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[racefanz]

The Sevin 5% is something that people use to dust their gardens for bugs. You can find it at any garden center or plant store, I would assume that Home Depot, Walmart, etc would have it as well.

I also bought a Poultry Dust that contains Permethrin. I have used the Sevin dust once and the Poultry Dust once. I haven't check my girls yet to see if the bugs are gone, but I dusted the heck out of the coop, them and anywhere else I could think of!

From what I have heard, food-grade DE, won't stop an infestation, but it will help deter the bugs.

As for keeping the bugs out, there really is no way. Bugs will get in anywhere, including the coop. There are always little flaws in wood and they can get in from the ground as well. I wouldn't worry too much about that though.

I am relatively new to chickens, but this is a great website to get answers to your questions! Good luck!