Lice On Chickens

[silkie1472]

Thanks for all the replies. The dust should be in Tuesday so I look forward to treating them then.

 

[casportpony]

Thanks for all the replies. The dust should be in Tuesday so I look forward to treating them then.

When you do dust them, be careful in handling them if their crops are full of water because mishandling a bird with a crop full of water can cause it to regurgitate and aspirate that fluid.

-Kathy

 

[aart]

Quote: Indeed turning a bird upside down frequently results in fluid coming out of the crop,
have soiled some shoes/pants this way, but never had one aspirate.

 

[casportpony]

 

Thanks for all the replies. The dust should be in Tuesday so I look forward to treating them then.

When you do dust them, be careful in handling them if their crops are full of water because mishandling a bird with a crop full of water can cause it to regurgitate and aspirate that fluid.


-Kathy

Indeed turning a bird upside down frequently results in fluid coming out of the crop,
have soiled some shoes/pants this way, but never had one aspirate.

I remember reading about one guy who posted that he had carried his rooster upside down and the rooster died while doing it. I have one broody he that often has a sloshy crop, and she needs to be handled carefully when in this state. IMO, holding them upside down should be avoided. This link has another reason why it shouldn't be done. https://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-help/helpDetail.aspx?helpID=101&

-Kathy

 

[silkie1472]

One of my silkie hens sometimes does this (not one of the hens with lice). I don't know why, but here is a picture of her:

Anyway, thanks for the help. I will make sure that I am careful when I dust them.

 

[silkie1472]

I was worried about dusting the broody hen, but not any more. Over two weeks into incubation, she decided that she did not want babies too bad. So I took her eggs and put them in the incubator.

 

[casportpony]

I was worried about dusting the broody hen, but not any more. Over two weeks into incubation, she decided that she did not want babies too bad. So I took her eggs and put them in the incubator.

Hens infested with parasites sometimes leave their nests.

-Kathy

 

[silkie1472]

If that's the case, I'm shocked. She pulled out all of her breast and side feathers and put them in the nest. I could see her skin just by barely lifting her back feathers. She did not have very many lice, and she was back in the nest box this afternoon. However, she is not getting the eggs back.

 

[sourland]

Did you check the nest for a mite infestation?

 

[silkie1472]

The chickens have no mites that I am aware of, just lice. There were no lice/mites on the eggs or in the nest.