Lice

[triplepurpose]

It's been mentioned before, although not on this thread, but diatomaceous earth (DE) works really well too (make sure it's "food grade"). Several years ago I had an ungodly lice infestation and started regularly sprinkling DE around the coop whenever I added litter, etc. The population dwindled and then disappeared. I made a light dusting of DE an occasional part of litter maintenance, and I didn't see a louse for years. (Oddly enough, I did see a couple last week for first time since then, but after another, long overdue dusting they seem to have disappeared once more).

 

[MotherHen72]

Okay I have been reading posts for most of the morning about how to rid of lice, I have some chicks newbies and 3-4mo olds that I had just gotten from a gal who has for 4H and eggs. She has been so busy trying to keep them all from dying of heat stroke that she hadn't noticed they were sneezing or anything until I brought mine home (heard sneezing and some gurgling breathing and told her the next day or two, they are also really thin, She treated hers (shots and antibiotics in water, I am doing same and then today I found lice on one them. I am worried because they are ill still however seem on mend, but oh so thin as to what to safely treat them with.
I have no issue with Sevin, Frontline or anything. They are not outside and in their own room in Crates with straw. They have recovered from the heat I think and doing better since shots were given and they have their treated water. I mainly worry because they are so skinny that if I use ash or DE that they will have no meat to protect them from ripping skin. Should I wait a little longer (HATE THE THOUGHT!!) but do not want them to pass. Had one of my older hens pass because of the heat a week or so ago and it was hard for me and my kids because we had her since she was a newbie.

Please any and all help is welcome...

 

[RedDrgn]

Okay I have been reading posts for most of the morning about how to rid of lice, I have some chicks newbies and 3-4mo olds that I had just gotten from a gal who has for 4H and eggs. She has been so busy trying to keep them all from dying of heat stroke that she hadn't noticed they were sneezing or anything until I brought mine home (heard sneezing and some gurgling breathing and told her the next day or two, they are also really thin, She treated hers (shots and antibiotics in water, I am doing same and then today I found lice on one them. I am worried because they are ill still however seem on mend, but oh so thin as to what to safely treat them with.
I have no issue with Sevin, Frontline or anything. They are not outside and in their own room in Crates with straw. They have recovered from the heat I think and doing better since shots were given and they have their treated water. I mainly worry because they are so skinny that if I use ash or DE that they will have no meat to protect them from ripping skin. Should I wait a little longer (HATE THE THOUGHT!!) but do not want them to pass. Had one of my older hens pass because of the heat a week or so ago and it was hard for me and my kids because we had her since she was a newbie.

Please any and all help is welcome...

Regarding the sneezing, etc. that you mentioned, here is what we went through/learned last month: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...rgling-rales-when-breathing-no-other-symptoms

So far as the lice, treat them. Lice are irritating and cause chickens aggravation and stress, which can make any other ailments they are currently suffering even worse and predispose them to others. Neither ash nor DE will rip any skin. Both act as dessicants and are no more abrasive/dangerous than sand. Both work very well as a preventative against lice/mites/fleas, but don't do hardly any good at all when it comes to treating and infestation.

If they were mine, I'd treat them with Sevin. It worked great for our flock and all that we did was dust our birds, then dust them again 7 days later, then checked them all thoroughly 7 days after that and dusted as needed. Haven't seen a louse since. Just wear rubber gloves, long sleeves, pants, and an N-95 dust mask and dust their bottoms (just below their vents), under their wings, just behind their heads, and on their backs. Do not get it anywhere near their faces; you don't want it in their eyes/nose/beak. Also, only use just enough to work it down through their feathers to their skin. Don't go crazy and if they're small, just put some on your fingers and work it in rather than trying to pour it directly onto them. Repeat treatment in 7-10 days.

Other than continuing to keep them cool, you should be good to go and they'll be feeling a whole lot better.