Lice, what to do now?

[CuzChickens]

Alright, I am at my wits end. I discovered my chickens have lice about a month ago. So, I asked some questions, and started treating with DE every time, and wood ash, every now and then. I have been treating them 1-3 times a week, depending on my schedule, and they are still not gone. I have separated and bathed the roosters, b/c they were really bad off, because they kept on mating with the hens. The lice seem to be gone on the roosters. I dusted the hens again this morning, and out of the 30 hens I dusted, I did not spot any lice on 10 of them, the other 20 had anywhere from a couple to more than I could count. What is the incubation period for lice eggs? Am I still just dealing with eggs that are hatching? What will happen if I just let the hens have lice?

-trying not to flip out and lose all sanity.

 

[ChickNanny13]

No experience with lice, thank God! But from what I've read, need to treat the nest boxes & coop too, changing all bedding/shavings. Read somewhere spraying birds with pyrethian (?) as directed. Someone will peep in with advice, good luck.

 

[CuzChickens]

No experience with lice, thank God!  But from what I've read, need to treat the nest boxes & coop too, changing all bedding/shavings.  Read somewhere spraying birds with pyrethian (?)  as directed.  Someone will peep in with advice, good luck.

Yes, yesterday I did an overhaul on the coop. Nesting boxes cleaned out, roosts scrubbed, cobwebs pulled out. Then I dusted everything with DE.

 

[CuzChickens]

Can pig lice be transmitted to chickens??

 

[aart]

Tho DE and wood ash might help prevent an infestation...it will not eliminate one.

Poultry dust with permethrin will take care of them, no egg withdrawal, repeat after 7-10 days to kill new lice hatching.

Chances are pig lice probably cannot live on poultry.

 

[CuzChickens]

Tho DE and wood ash might help prevent an infestation...it will not eliminate one.

Poultry dust with permethrin will take care of them, no egg withdrawal, repeat after 7-10 days to kill new lice hatching.

Chances are pig lice probably cannot live on poultry.

Do you think you can get that stuff at lowes? Out of the 3 feed stores we have in my town, the only stuff they have is DE.

 

[CuzChickens]

And what is the incubation period for lice eggs?

 

[CuzChickens]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product...&tag=poultrykeep09-21&linkId=QCXXLYRSHBF4AGFR Do you think I could use this?? I need something that does not have withdrawal period, though I am going to see if I can find what @aart mentioned, it is $4.00 cheaper.

 

[CuzChickens]

Oh, the invermectin has a 7 day withdrawal period.