Mites/lice large flock

[melissammh]

I've been poking around in some of the older posts re: mites & lice in chickens.
I've dealt with it before (successfully) but now I'm kind of hitting the wall.

I have a large free range flock (Ameraucanas, Hungarian Yellows, Salmon Faverolles, Wyandottes and some mixed) I also have Indian Runner ducks and geese.

The chickens have mites and lice. AGAIN. The vet said it's due to the wild bird population, living in an older barn (we start our new coop Spring '22 so I'm stuck with this for now) and that they free range.

My question is this - is there absolutely anything that I can put in their communal water to treat this? It would make my life so much easier if I could dose them in their drinking water.

I have Ivermectin for horses, but it's impossible to make sure each of 40 birds eats a tiny pea amount (plus last time they wouldn't eat it at all). I have DE dust baths out and I have Bronco Spray I've hit then with under the wings and vent area - also difficult to do with this many birds.

I've actually lost three hens over the last week, from anemia and being so infested. It's a little maddening, I feel like I can't get on top of this mess. And I've mucked out/sprayed their stalls in the barn - but it's a massive/old barn and there's only so much area I can spray.

Any help appreciated.

 

[melissammh]

I could order this from Amazon if needed. Not sure if I can spray the stalls and birds with it - permethrin 0.35%

 

[cmom]

It will work. It appears it may be a premixed solution. I use permethrin concentrate and use 0.50% and have had good luck with it. I would thoroughly spray inside their coop everywhere, every crack and crevice. Since you free range they aren't likely to be in the coop when you treat it. I have a lot of birds around 400 with several coops. When I treat one coop I treat them all. It does take 3 or 4 weekly treatments because it does not kill the pests eggs but will kill them as they hatch out. The bonus is there is no egg withdrawal period so the eggs are safe to eat. This is a ready to use. It can also be purchased here in the gallon size but I buy the concentrate since I have so may coops. I also use poultry dust in the nest boxes. Good luck...