Lice - ugh! How best to remove the eggs frm the base of the feathers.

[mypicklebird]

I pluck them out. It sounds mean, but I just pull out the feathers at the base with all of the stuck eggs. Then throw them away. I pull out feathers that get feces stuck in them as well to keep the vent area cleaner in the really fluffy ones. It is a moment of sting so I do not have to deal with bathing. My chickens are not handled that much, so they do not enjoy bathing- at least they are not used to it like some of my 4H buddies chickens. I also use pyrethrin (poultry dust) powder or carbaryl powder (sevin) every two weeks for a month or so if I see lice. DE has never worked for my birds, and it also gives me a rash. I gave up on it after a trial. Didn't get rid of lice and didn't get rid or roundworms. The concept seems ok though- killing insects by dessication and mechanical trauma to the skin. Borax powder is supposed to kill flea larvae by the same action when you rub it into the carpet. I just didn't care for it on the skin or feeding it out. Jess

 

[rachelb]

Ugh, that sounds really painful for the bird. Apart from shampooing there does not appear to be another way to get rid of these things as they are stuck fast. I think I will have to wait for a warm day, if we ever have any of these again, and get a bowl of warm water and shampoo out in the garden and have a go. Could be fun! I'm not sure whether my ladies will like a blow dry and set afterwards with my hairdryer. Thanks for all the advice. Rachel

 

[HpyNDxie]

Can anyone post pictures of what lice look like? My birds have something wrong with their feathers and I suspect lice but I don't know what it looks like. They have been losing their fine feathers and the big feathers have something white around the shaft. Their heads look "greasy". I only have 3 and they are my first. Thanks.