Lice on Broody hen with chicks

[ausash]

I have a broody hen who just hatched chicks a week ago and I just discovered yesterday she has what appears to be lice on her breast and wing areas. How do I get rid of this and what harm will it do to the chicks and do I need to treat them also? Thank you for any advice that you can offer me as I don't want the only four that hatched to die on me due to this.

 

[redhen]

Sevins dust...or frontline flea spray..spray a little under each wing and on top her neck..

 

[mountain gma]

dust her with diatomaceous earth and the larvae will be sliced to smithereens. I mix DE in the dirt that the chickens like to take dirt baths in. They dust themselves in it to get rid of parasites. It won't hurt the hen or the chicks and unlike pesticides, it's not toxic.

 

[barnwife]

Quote:
ditto..thsi stuff is safe even for day-old puppies to get rid of fleas. it is not a pesticide and so would not affect immune systems or nervous systems. I use this in my gardens, my coops, and my brooders to keep these pests away. it's ground up fossils, and they somehow just eat right through the insect leaving no way for them to live.

 

[redhen]

i dont think DE will help very much (or fast enough) if you see the lice already...i would ONLY use DE as a preventive..NOT as a treatment..but..thats just my opinion...i think DE kinda sucks to be honest...it didnt help (at ALL) with my ant problem like its supposed to.(and i used a whole bag!)...i just dont trust it enough to use as a treatment when you know the bird definatley has lice...i'd only use it to try to help the lice stay away...

 

[redhen]

oops..i see she has babies!....well....in THAT case i guess i'd try DE first then...sevins may be too hard on babies....good luck!

 

[ausash]

Thank you for all your answers. I do usually keep DE around and use it in the coops and nesting boxes on a regular basis but I have run out and don't currently have any around and will have to mail order it. My husband said to just use the DE that he uses in the pool but that is not food grade DE and I don't believe that it will be safe. I guess I will have to order some and she will just have to wait until I get some in and I hope all will be well till then.