Lice

[pczee]

New chicken owner here in SW Washington. Our 8 chickens are 8months old and we have one with a noticeable lice infestation. We have an enclosed run and coop, they do not free-range. We have hemp in the hen house, straw in the nesting boxes, and bark chips in the run. When we are treating the hen house and nesting boxes, do we need to replace the hen house bedding each week that we treat?? We could use shavings for this short period. Would we need to also treat the run area? do we need to replace the bark chips as well?? After spraying the areas with the permethrin, do we also dust the chickens with Poultry Dust? We will be adding a specific dust bath area with sand and wood ash also. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[Alaskan]

If it is truly lice (not mites) , then hurrah, since a super deep clean isn't needed, but a decent cleaning is required.

So, yes, clean out all coop bedding, make sure ALL feathers (even little down feathers) are gone.

Spray the coop, put in fresh bedding.

Wait for night, and spray all chickens while they are roosting. One spray at vent, one under each wing. (You could use the poultry dust on the chickens, but it is so much more work, the spray is fast easy and more important effective)

Repeat it all 7 to 10 days later.

Then, you should be done.

For the run, make sure there are no feathers, rake clean, but replacement of wood chips isn't needed. Yes, spray they chips with the permethrin spray.

 

[pczee]

Thank you for your help!

 

[cmom]

I use permethrin. It works for me. I also put the poultry dust in the nest boxes. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

Here is a chart made by a BYC member of the different strengths of permethrin. I use permethrin 10 mostly.