Louse!

[StandardLover]

I believe (I know) that my chickens have louse. Can humans get louse? What can I treat them with? I sprikled all chickens with diatomaceaus earth, but it did not cure it. What should I do? Also how do you think they got it? Thank you, StandardLover.

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

DE will not treat Lice... mites and lice happen. Use Sevin Dust, or "Poultry Dust" (a little less effective IMO) -- Poultry and Garden Dust.

Dust, sprinkle some (best to have help, someone to hold each chicken and turn them as needed).... sprinkle a little under each wing, in the "arm pit"... a little where the tail meets the body... on their low back.. some like to put a touch between the should blades, at the base of the neck... and most definitely you want to dust well the vent area. I give a little pat to make sure it's "on" them and gets to the skin.
Let them go, they will shake most of it off.

Having a clean coop and run is key to prevention.... DE is not a bad thing, but a little Sevin Dust or Poultry Dust sprinkled on clean (bedding changed) nesting boxes, on the roosts, in the "dirt" or "sand" floor of the run, etc. I clean and sprinkle the coop and run after doing each chicken... because I have let the chickens go and they are out free ranging while I do the coop and all.

There is a suggestion that after cleaning wooden roosts that applying Mineral Oil to the wood will help to prevent mites and lice? I am not sure about that... and, of course, the oil would make the Sevin Dust -- well, they would not be good to use together, so maybe Sevin Dust now, and then the mineral oil next time.

Also -- from the site here.. if your coop or run does not have dirt or sand for the floor.. a box with sand and DE in it... add a little sprinkle of Sevin Dust now and then as well -- for the "dirt baths" the chickens like to take, might help prevent. Use the SEARCH here on BYC, search the terms "mites and lice" for more info.

You need to repeat the Dusting of all in ten days. Good luck.

 

[StandardLover]

Thank you! So can humans get the louse?

 

[CMV]

Nope. Different kind of lice. They can get on you and take a nibble or two, but they can't infest you.