Louse Problem, how to fix it without Pesticides?

[MollyDora]

Hello everybody,

we've been having problems with Lice in our Flock.

a few months ago it seemed like we shook it by dustbathing them in DE every day and sprinkling the area with DE. Now they are back.

We just don't know what to do anymore. Our Goats also seem to be itching themselves.

With the ground being frozen the hens might just not dustbathe enough, we offered them a tub with peatmoss, but they don't use it reguarly.

Anybody know another natural cure for this?

We don't want to use pesticides like Sevin Dust or something like that.

Any advice is welcome.

Thank you

 

[Fred's Hens]

There is a "pecking order" of these things. You can continue to try wood ashes and such or you can do pyrethrins, etc which many folks believe are less severe than Sevin and fairly effective. Worth a try, but you may end having to use Sevin.

http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reevaluation/pyrethroids-pyrethrins.html

 

[centrarchid]

When using the ashes, consider mixing in fine sand and clay. That may make so dust actually gets to where parasites are as bird baths. Otherwise ashes may not penetrate feathers as needed. My guess static charges of ash particles and feathers interact.