Lice?! What did I do wrong?

[cookinmom]

This is probably a dumb question, but what is the best method for dusting a chicken? Is it a 2=person job? How do you hold them?

 

[JackieK318]

Get a rubbermaid tub from walmart or target, stick the bird in there. Put on the latex gloves, sprinkle the powder on the bird and rub in to be sure it gets under the feathers to the skin and follicles. Wash gloves afterward. Repeat in 2 weeks. I use the Sevin-5 powder. Imagine how embarrassed I was to have my vet tell me my rooster had lice...I felt like the worse owner on the Earth. She owns chickens as well and told me not to sweat it, just fix it.

 

[silky ma]

call me enviromentally consciencous(sp)
but I dont like to use pesticides of and type unless they are natural...
My slkies went through lice a month ago. Until I can re build their pen/ hutch to accomidate the suddenly cold nites in sacramento-(fall-winter)
I have them housed in doors with us!!
Lice are avian specific!!! To rid them of lice or mites naturally do the following:
--If possible set your babes up in an area away from where they have been kept for 3 weeks...I know 3 wks seems hard but well worth it for you will treat babeswait 1-2 weeks treat again than wait 1 week and if needed treat again. Chances are after 2 treatments all will be back to normal and you can return babes. Okay the treatment is:

In a warm area like a garage-( in summer) or an shed fill a large basin with enough --tepid--
water (to gently submerge your babe in up over his chest) pour in LIQ IVORY dish soap. If a half full utility sink is used than use 2 cups of liquid soap.
Very gently mix soap in water try to not make suds!!!!. Have on hand - large soft absorbant bath towels to sop up excess water and a blow dryer to dry them with. Also have a small finger dippable container of vegetable oil!-- I recommend an assembly line with help from family anfd friends--call it a bird washing party.... Gently and lovingly - hold feet right hand -place left hand on back to prevent flapping- dip and swish babe in water. gently submerge to neck.
gently continue to hold flip on back and swish. Make sure water gets under wings. Remove from bath immidately -DO NOT RINSE!!!!-fold in towel-- reassure them --than quickly open the towel look at vent area and remove any brown masses you can see, check under wings too. Areas that have masses removed -smear veggie oil all over the area. Close towel sop off excess water and gently dry. Carefull to not burn them. Both the ivory and oil will smother the bad mites and lice.

- the pens -remove all bedding expose to sunlight and air. There are PYRETHIN products that are naturally based and safe to use in the pen areas
and enclosures. Read and follow directions... I dont spray my babes. Some bottles say you can..
Than go to your*** pool supply store*** pick up a large box or 2 or 3of diatimaceous earth and fling it all over the pen area and yard where the babes were. Coordinate off this area so your clean babes wont go here.
In your new area place clean birds . Bedding should be 1/3 cedar to 2/3 pine shavings. Cedar is a natural pest deterant! If infestation was horrendous re treat old area as first time. if not just leave open to the air. Life cycle is 2weeks.
Keep an eye on your clean birds-- check in 4 days for crawling critters, check all!! If infestation was really bad you can re- bathe. I got away with 2 bathings on a minor infestation. I also mixed up a special dusting mix------- one bag of lizard dust-pet store-10lbs + 1/2 container of chinchilla dust-(ground volcanic rock) + fire place ash- 3cups + diatimacious earth- 1cup and alot of fine dry dirt.
I have noticed that my silkies do not dust alot so
when I saw one lice on me from a roo I dusted all
my babies. So far none to be found!! I no it sounds dangerous but this dust works ,my vet said great job. Just keep and dust cloud away from everyones face. YOU CAN BATHE AND DUST 2 WEEK OLD CHICKS IF YOU ARE VERY CAREFULL.

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

I thought you were only supposed to use food grade DE????

 

[schlitch]

Correct use only food grade DE, the pool grade DE is not safe for them at all, nor you, or your family! While both are made from the same fossil sources, they are processed differently.

"The pool grade is chemically treated and partially melted and consequently contains crystalline silica which can be a respiratory hazard for your chickens, and you!" - See here for more information on DE. or better yet this post here on BYC provides lotsa info and links.

Also the cedar chips by themselves, they might not cause problems, but they might affect the chickens respiratory system enough to stress them and make them more susceptible to other diseases that may be around with the fumes they give off. They probably would be fine if they were dried out really well, but I just wouldn't take the chance.

 

[silkiechicken]

silky ma: Sounds like a plan... if you have a few chickens! I can't imagine doing all the for even my lowly number of 30+ birds!

 

[SandraChick]

You may want to add putting FOOD GRADE DE in your chickens favorite dustbathing areas....In this way- they continually dust themselves with DE.

I have three new rescue chickens that came with mites (both fowl mites and feather mites)...dusted 2days in a row and in the bedding of their quaranteen cages...Haven't seen any mites since.


In the olden days- they used to put out wood ashes and the chickens would dust bathe in that....it kept all the bugs out.

DE is the newer treatment...although wood ashes work also.

Sandra

PS- do not use perythryn products if you have cats...it's toxic to cats.

 

[birdbrain2]

i no its been said, but don't get DE from pool supply, that stuff is highly toxic to all living things. i would not recomend breathing in food grade too, use a dust mask.

not to hijack this thread but i am a newbie and have chicks in the brooder, i made a dust bath bowl mixed with sand, clean fireplace ash and a little DE. they will not use it or go near it. i think they are dusting in the food or at least trying. any ideas how to get them to use dust bath? i am not sure if my chicks have mites and are scratching or are just grooming themselves.