First, let me say that this is my first posting on BYC, after weeks of reading and enjoying, but more importantly, learning about my very beloved pair of hens (one is a Barred Rock and the other is a Wyandotte). I have two questions, to stay on topic, with one being related to the treatment of poultry lice and mites. And the other being about the use of cat litter for their under roost waste collection. After the discovery of both the lice (and very scurrying black microdot creatures, that at this point I'll call mites?), we have purchased a poultry dusting powder made with permethrins. We had attempted to avoid the pesticides by treating the coop with DE and occasionally applying DE to the ladies, but this proved to merely stave off severe infestation. They were still seeming to look really miserable. So today's the day and we are going to wait until nighttime when they are sleepy to apply the powder to avoid any unwanted application to their eyes and mouth. So this brings me to my question. When applying the powder (due to toxicity) should I do the "put the chicken in a bag up to her neck" and really coat her, or should I lay them down and just apply to each area generously? We have also been told to use eucalyptus oil around the head, but the oil could burn their eyes and I don't want the oil to irritate them, but I like the natural approach to this dilemma as much as possible.. Any feedback on th E. oil would be most appreciated also. OK, Back to the Pesticide powder. If we apply the powder to their whole body and not as 'generously" to the head, won't they congregate on their head 'til the coast is clearish? Or will the pests be exposed to the powder any way by contacting the body? We will also be treating the coop generously, with the powder and using bleach on all the wood areas by the roost. (Also more DE). Can I use household pest spray (Mine has Lambda Cyhalothrin) to treat the coop also? The next group of questions is about using the standard clay cat litter to put under their roost the ease the cleaning of their waste. my concern relates to them eating it often as a consequence to scratching/foraging for their scratch in their coop. I know that they will eat it sometimes, but could this harm them in anyway? Should I stick w/ hay or cedar chips and abandon the cat litter idea altogether? Thanks again, for this wonderful forum, and I look forward to the replies!
