Lice treatment in winter

MKchicken85

In the Brooder
Sep 16, 2017
12
21
39
Cincinnati, OH
Rookie chicken keeper here so please bare with me.

I’m positive my girls have a bad case of lice. I’ve done my research and much to their chagrin (they don’t like being handled; I didn’t raise them from chicks) I am going to need to treat them multiple times with DE, garden poultry dust, or Sevin dust. I also read to use Permethrin to spray down the coop after I clean it.

I’ve read about actual soap and water baths and I’m going to do that as well and then towel and low setting blow dry them.

My big question since it is winter (and it is frequently below freezing) would it be a good idea to put petroleum on the more bare looking spots after the dust treatment? Is it overkill for me to do a soap/water bath AND dust bath?

It’s particularly bad on my EE. I included the one picture my squeamish brother took while I looked her over. It’s a tad blurry and it is a picture of the back of her neck. She does have nit nests on her butt below her vent which I don’t have a picture of.
C62E4CF9-7433-450F-8214-C4B6F22C4C4D.jpeg
 
The picture looks like a molting chicken.

I recommend just using a pyrethrin based poultry dust and dust all chickens, nestboxes under the bedding, and roost cracks. I wouldn't use a spray if you are where it's cold.

It's normal for external parasites to get slightly out of control in winter especially if they don't have access to a good dry dust bath area.
 
Use the permethrin garden dust, and do not bathe anyone. The powder will kill the lice, and when you repeat the use in 10 days, it will kill the newly hatched lice eggs. Treat your coop with permethrin spray, after emptying the bedding and removing it. Check them every 10 days for evidence of lice, and treat as needed.
 
D’oh...my girls WOULD have their first ever molt in the middle of winter instead of in the fall. Such divas. Can’t hurt to treat them and clean the coop anyway...I’m certain she had fuzzy clusters on the feathers below her vent that look like pictures of lice I saw.

Sorry for my paranoia.
 
I would say it is not paranoia. It is paying attention which is a good thing.

Yes some molt at weird times. :th

DE has not been found to treat active infestations well. It does kill off bees and is easily made airborne where it can cause lung issues for the birds and humans. Please use caution with any powder product.
Protect your lungs by using a dust mask.
 
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I would not treat for lice unless you are seeing moving tiny straw colored bugs, and the white clumps of lice eggs at the base of feathers. Molting can occur at any time of the year, since it happens around 16-18 months of age initially, then yearly thereafter. Some chickens I have had have even molted later. Hopefully they will molt quickly.
 

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