Miserable start to having backyard chickens

[CHICKENTIKKA82]

Removed the DE, cleaned and disenfected the coop. Removed most wood shavings (just two best boxes still covered) aired out the coop all day.

I'll start to use front line spray. Can you let me know what kind of frontline spray you use and average dosage.

No sneezing or coughing tonight.

Many thanks

 

[Percheron chick]

I would shelve the front line. You don't have lice or mites. Save it for when you need it.

 

[Sonya9]

I'll start to use front line spray. Can you let me know what kind of frontline spray you use and average dosage.

I would give the birds a break for a while and not use any unnecessary treatments, you don't want to kill them with kindness.

But for reference, I buy the frontline spray for cats and dogs and spray once under each wing (where it can touch their skin, don't spray their whole body). I use it in the spring and then again in the fall, one treatment should protect the birds for several months unless they have a bad lice/mite problem to start with.

Bottle looks like this:

 

[CHICKENTIKKA82]

Thanks. Oh I had no intention of using anything now. Just so I don't need to ask in the future. I like to plan ahead. But it's clean living all the way for my birds now. No powders or chemicals or anything. Just fresh air, clean water and good food. Maybe even the occasional bit of sunshine however I'm not in control of that part. Thanks

 

[Fancychooklady]

Thanks. Oh I had no intention of using anything now. Just so I don't need to ask in the future. I like to plan ahead. But it's clean living all the way for my birds now. No powders or chemicals or anything. Just fresh air, clean water and good food. Maybe even the occasional bit of sunshine however I'm not in control of that part. Thanks

There are several pyrethrum products that are approved for use on animals producing food ( eggs )
Frontline isn't.

 

[Sonya9]

There are several pyrethrum products that are approved for use on animals producing food ( eggs )
Frontline isn't.

True however Frontline is used on tens of millions of dogs/cats kept as companion animals. That means millions of people come in contact with Frontline every day when handling their pet, including babies petting dogs and putting their fingers in their mouths, people preparing food, etc...

Most products don't seek a costly approval unless they plan to move into that market, and since Frontline probably doesn't have any designs on the backyard chicken market segment they won't bother getting approved.

 

[Fancychooklady]

True however Frontline is used on tens of millions of dogs/cats kept as companion animals. That means millions of people come in contact with Frontline every day when handling their pet, including babies petting dogs and putting their fingers in their mouths, people preparing food, etc... 

Most products don't seek a costly approval unless they plan to move into that market, and since Frontline probably doesn't have any designs on the backyard chicken market segment they won't bother getting approved.

All true, but the fact that some people through lack of good hygiene ,inadvertently ingest a chemical does not make it ok for anyone to knowingly put it into the food chain. I see this time and time again. People spray , lather and douse their birds in all kinds of things, but isn't the reason most of got into raising chickens in the first place , so that we could have fresh , healthy eggs???

 

[Folly's place]

Frontline is a great product for dogs and cats, but isn't approved for ANY food animals, and is best not used on them.. Fancychooklady is so right! Permethrin works fine if mites or lice actually appear, and is approved for use. DE is not good for anyone's lungs! Mary

 

[Sonya9]

Frontline is a great product for dogs and cats, but isn't approved for ANY food animals, and is best not used on them.. Fancychooklady is so right! Permethrin works fine if mites or lice actually appear, and is approved for use. DE is not good for anyone's lungs! Mary

The two active ingredients in Frontline ARE approved for use in food animals. The active ingredients are fipronil and (s)methroprene.

Fipronil is approved for use in cattle, sheep, and chickens: http://parasitipedia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2465&Itemid=2733

And (s)methroprene is approved as a feed additive for beef cattle and is also in poultry houses: http://smartlic.com/products/ne-30-igr-fly-control/

In addition permethrins are a toxin and can cause a severe reaction in some small animals, it is also one of the leading causes of fatal poisoning in cats.

I find preventing an infestation to be a heck of a lot easier than trying to eradicate one with DE or permethrins or even gasoline in the case of leg mites. I also believe this method is much less stressful for the birds, my chickens are pets first and egg producers second. In addition my area has a lot of ticks that carry a variety of really serious diseases, neophyte ticks often feed on birds.

 

[shortgrass]

Just to avoid any known toxins lol... Mites and lice can be deterred and elimi ated with numerous natural or organic methods, so it takes all the question out of "am I going to eat Front line or Permethrin eggs?"

Neem oil, Rosemary oil, eucalyptus... All great deterrents, and Neem oil will disrupt horomones of pests so they can't reproduce or eat, so they die Coconut oil on legs will smother and repel, and nice soft legs to boot

You can also just use natural pyrethrum, instead of chemical permethrin; its much safer and no worries about withdrawal times or exposure to chemical residues