Lice remedies: What's the best thing to use?

[chicmom]

I'm feeling like a really lousy chicken mom. This winter, I basically ran down to the coop, watered two times a day, fed once a day, plus corn for their evening snack, said howdy to my feathered friends, and ran back into the house.

Apparently I wasn't observant as I should have been. It got really nice about a week ago....weather in the 50s and I got the spring fever, so when I was down with the flock, I thought, gee, they don't look as vibrant as normal, especially their feathers. Soooo, I inspect closely, and BUGS! I'm thinking lice. I am very upset that I didn't see it sooner, some of my beautiful hens look kind of ruffled, and then some look perfect!

Anyhow, I cleaned out the coop, literally swept it down to the bare wood, (it's a small 8x12 barn), and powdered every bird and every board, even the dirt in the run with Seven Dust. Powdered again today, on the 10th day......

Will this work or do you think there is a better remedy?

Thank you for your advice!

 

[wood&feathers]

First let me say having lice on your birds is no indication of being a "bad chicken mom" if you caught the problem and treated for it. Free ranging birds inevitably pick them up from wild birds, and my flock generally only seem to gets the problem in the winter. Summer I might see one individual and nothing on everyone else. Winter, if one has it they all do.

I caught things early this winter. Powdered them all with Sevin dust and dosed their dust bath. Mucked out, sprayed down all the roosts etc. They are all clean now. Periodically someone gets a forceful lap session - really look them over esp the butt. Lice eggs leave a dirty grayish mess, sometimes bubbly looking, along the feather shafts near the vent. If it is a bad problem you might see their butt crawling with adults. Then it is BATH time!

 

[dawg53]

Sevin dust will get them.

 

[Love my Critters!]

I have great luck with sevin dust. It will work

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I use Permethrin 10 Livestock and Premise spray. TSC carries it. Mix it up in one of those pump sprayers and I spray the birds down. Residue lasts a month.

 

[1 Bad Rotti]

I had good luck with Adams Flea and Tick spray. Just a couple of squirts and repeat 10 days later.

 

[chicmom]

Everybody, thank you so much for all the great advice! I'm going to spray down the barn entirely next month, and I might try that flea spray too, if it's not too expensive. I swear, when I powdered the gals up, I looked like I was also powdered! Made me feel sooo icky!

You guys are the best!