Microscopic bugs?

[JCaseyHammond]

Yes but Frontline (fipronil) has consequences to the environment and only use it to save the birds life. These birds survived the California wildfire smoke so generous application of wood ash/DE isn’t going to harm them.

 

[Ted Brown]

From @Folly's place (my emphasis)

"Many products will kill parasites, but are only to be used on non-food animals, not livestock. ALL chickens are livestock, regardless of your intentions for them. Frontline lingers a long time in tissues, and especially eggs, and is not approved for any livestock species in the USA, or in most other countries.

Permethrin is approved, and the spray concentrate is very inexpensive and easy to use. Spinosad is also approved, but is very expensive, and difficult to find.

It's best to do the legal thing and stick with approved and effective products for your chickens!

Mary" https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/frontline-spray-for-mites-lice.1250403/#post-20060857

 

[Nigel27]

@getaclue

Thanks, I had not recognized that two such similar products were available.

1. Difficult to find references regarding which of the two ( Pyrethrin vs Permethrin) kills mites most effectively (I found nothing).
2. Information regarding their differences is easy to find and clear.
3. Neither is easily available in Canada unless one involves a Vet.

Possibly available as a garden pesticide in Canada

 

[Ted Brown]

Possibly available as a garden pesticide in Canada

Possible but difficult to track down specifics.

For example I can search for " Spinosad" on Amazon and I will get all sorts of hits for insecticides but no indication of why that product got a hit. Does it contain Spinosad ?

Sometimes one stumbles across the generic content material, that helps but does not happen often.

Insecticides/pesticides is a rabbit hole that one can explore with Alice for a very long time.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Yes but Frontline (fipronil) has consequences to the environment and only use it to save the birds life. These birds survived the California wildfire smoke so generous application of wood ash/DE isn’t going to harm them.

We’re talking about using fipronil on the birds not for commercial uses as seed coatings and broad use pesticides. The studies are all about those sorts of uses not treating a few chickens.

 

[roosterhavoc]

From @Folly's place (my emphasis)

"Many products will kill parasites, but are only to be used on non-food animals, not livestock. ALL chickens are livestock, regardless of your intentions for them. Frontline lingers a long time in tissues, and especially eggs, and is not approved for any livestock species in the USA, or in most other countries.

Permethrin is approved, and the spray concentrate is very inexpensive and easy to use. Spinosad is also approved, but is very expensive, and difficult to find.

It's best to do the legal thing and stick with approved and effective products for your chickens!

Mary" https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/frontline-spray-for-mites-lice.1250403/#post-20060857

Permethrin may be “approved” but it’s still a carcinogen.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I’m aware of the residuals in eggs and tissues.

 

[Ted Brown]

We’re talking about using fipronil on the birds not for commercial uses as seed coatings and broad use pesticides. The studies are all about those sorts of uses not treating a few chickens.

"...not treating a few chickens."

To paraphase: "It is ok to use a banned product if you only use a bit of it."?

 

[Ted Brown]

Permethrin Fact Sheet:

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/PermGen.html

 

[roosterhavoc]

"...not treating a few chickens."

To paraphase: "It is ok to use a banned product if you only use a bit of it."?

It’s not banned in the US It’s just not approved for poultry use. You could ask the same question to all the folks that give their chickens antibiotics that aren’t approved when they get sick.
Im not the one with a mite problem and I’ve seen countless threads where permethrin has been shown to be ineffective and constantly needs reapplication. So...if treating birds constantly and being worried they’ll come back is less stressful for you than worrying about the residuals from fipronil don’t use frontline. I’m not saying either is correct I’m just saying what I use and how effective it is. Some people on here have had severe mite infestations to the point of birds actually dying. Like I said it’s an option that works effectively if you don’t want to use it don’t but don’t discount its effectiveness.