lice!!!

[polishmom1744]

We have many crested breeds and have to treat for mites. The very best thing that we have found that works every single time is Frontline spray. You can get it online, from a vet, or possibly a pet store. It comes in a spray bottle and lasts a loooong time if you follow this dosing. Put it in a contact rewetting drop bottle, visine dropper bottle, etc. Somone I know also puts it in a medicine cup and then uses a q-tip dipped in it to apply. You need to get the medicine down to and onto the skin for it to work. One drop in the crest or back of head. One drop under each wing in the armpit, and one at the base of the tail near the vent. This will kill most within 24 hrs, if it's really bad it might take 48. After 3 or 4 days you can wash out the crud that they built around the feather bases. Wait a day or two after washing and then reapply the drops to keep it from coming back. You can also use this same stuff for scaly leg mites, just spray it right on the legs. I'll include a link to show you exactly what you are looking for. It looks pricey, but like I said, it will last a very long time and it was well worth the price.
http://www.amazon.com/Frontline-Spray-500mL/dp/B0002J1G02

Thank u sooo much! great post!

 

[AnnieSantiago]

After cleaning out the roosting house this morning, I was at my computer and kept feeling something crawling on my head. I put my head over the bedsheet and used my hands to shake my hair violently. And guess what fell out?

A LICE!!!

Holy Moly! Not again!
Maybe this is why Kallie stopped laying after a couple of weeks?

So… I cleaned ALL the bedding out of the roosting house and dusted every crook and cranny with Sevin Dust.
I dusted each hen, finding that the NEW EE Hen, was infested.
This MAY be where the lice came from because in checking the other hens, they looked ok, but I dusted them anyway.

I dusted the laying boxes and scruffled the dust down into the bedding material.
Should I complete replace it?

So everything is dusted.

Do you sprinkle dust in the chicken yard?

Some websites say repeat this in 7 days - other 10.
Suggestions?

I'm feeling a bit frustrated...

 

[Roxannemc]

Been seeing so many ppl here like coconut oil .I'm wondering though if it's properties kill the bugs or if they are just smothered and if so any oil would do.
My grand daughter once when small lived where the kids all were transferring head lice back and forth.Her mom treated her with Rid 3 times and all it did was give her sores.Then we heard to use mayonnaise..lavishly soak the hair and scalp.. wait 3 hours Then rinse..it killed every lice they fell out dead.when we washed her hair then we did pick every nit out of her hair but they may have been dead too.Never had one lice again.We repeated the process in a weeks time.I think some oily products just smother the lice and eggs etc.Many bug killer products are oil based.80 years ago and more they used coal oil for head lice...so Im wondering about the coconut oil or would any thick oil work as well ?

 

[Roxannemc]

Oh and as far as DE in your lungs....I'm sure it's not the best idea.Even clay dust making pottery or concrete dust particals. Both which have silica used to make glass..can eventually cause Very serious lung problems..tar in cigarette smoke irratates and cause lung cancer coal dust causes black lung so sharp tiny shells etc? Can't see it being beneficial to lung health.I'd wear a mask If it's breaking up the exoskeletons of bugs with sharp edges..just seems can't be good for any lungs.

 

[polishmom1744]

Oh and as far as DE in your lungs....I'm sure it's not the best idea.Even clay dust making pottery or concrete dust particals. Both which have silica used to make glass..can eventually cause Very serious lung problems..tar in cigarette smoke irratates and cause lung cancer coal dust causes black lung so sharp tiny shells etc? Can't see it being beneficial to lung health.I'd wear a mask If it's breaking up the exoskeletons of bugs with sharp edges..just seems can't be good for any lungs.

Yes..very good advice...DE can cause scaring that could lead to chronic lung issues/disease! I used frontline flea spray for lice and it worked awesome! I drew it up in pipettes and applied to crests, armpits, and above the vent. I had a moderate infestation and they were gone from all but the worst birds ( the ones that brought it!) the first application! A second treatment cured the whole flock of 35! It's not cheep(25-45$) but it's safe,fast and if applied with a dropper/pipette will last forever ( I still have 2/3 of the bottle). I'm not sure about it for Table Birds but I have show chickens so not an issue for me. Ask your vet. I did not eat the eggs for 2 weeks after each treatment, but I did hatch them and had great success with no anomalies!!! BTW I do use D.E. but only when cleaning out/adding my deep litter... ie every 2-4 months. And I wear a full respirator. You should do this anyway when cleaning to avoid histoplasmosis as well as other diseases.

 

[AnnieSantiago]

Got rid of em

 

[stryker]

Bought 5 bantams in June and just now found that they introduced lice to my chickens. They went through the separation period but I somehow didn't notice the lice during that time... Needless to say I was shocked to see the entire flock with a light infestation... I have 40 birds so I used VCO, garlic oil, tree tea oil , peppermint oil mixed to spray around the vent and under both wings. I then heavily dusted every bird. I more than less gave them a dust bath ensuring that the lice died . I did this three days ago. They are still dusty and all of the lice is gone. I checked several hens today and dust is still coming out of the feathers.. Using DE was a pain and that is an understatement. The coop is dusty due to the chickens getting the dust off... This friday, I am going to use VCO again in those three areas and if there is still lice I will not use DE inside again... I am hoping that this took care of the problem.. It is too cold to be messing with chicken lice...The bantams were even lice free. They were still loaded with eggs. The coop still smells like garlic..

 

[leenie]

If they are still loaded with eggs douse those eggs with the VCO. The egg casements should dissolve away by next morning.

 

[stryker]

Will check them again and spray the eggs if they still have any...

 

[Angie16hearts]

I was checking my flock last night and am deworming right now. I came across this on my EE no one else had it. Is this mites looks awful and picture does no justice! How do I get rid of them if it is mites/lice?

it's only on right side at the base of her feathers but piled on. Thanks in advance! We just keep getting hit left and right. I treat them well feed them good and clean coop very well every Sunday . What am I doing wrong ?a few also have sticky butt . I was thinking that was due to worms. Now this??