Need Help! Newbie to lice and mites!

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Okay, all of my birds have come from auction or private sellers near my home. I bought 3 young chicks (at the time around 2 weeks old) from the auction and that has been a month or two ago. These chicks have always been housed by themselves but haven't been growing right. I have a lot of chickens (well, for me a lot lol) and I honestly haven't been doing such great health checks lately because of work, snow, and caring for more pets than I need, lol. Yesterday, I finally picked one of these half-grown beasts up and saw a TON of "nits" I assume all over the base of its feathers. If one has it I have no doubt many more do too. I keep seeing info about Ivomec and Eprinex (sp?) but have no idea where I can get it locally, or how much to dose my birds with. I have many chicks that are from 2 weeks to 4 months old, and two adult flocks. Also, the majority of my birds are not huge but not bantams either. Maybe 4-5 pound range? I just need to find a way, besides bathing, to get rid of these bugs! I am so creeped out I wake up itching at night! I can't thoroughly bathe 30+ chickens in the end of December and not expect, even with blow-drying, for them to survive re-entry to the coop.

 

[welasharon]

I would just dust them with seven. I have two new silkie chicks that had mites and lice both. As soon as I dusted them with seven the bugs started dropping off dead. You will need to treat again in 7 to 10 days and maybe even another time for good measure. I just pinched the dust in my fingertips and sifted on their heads so they didn't get a cloud around their nostrils and then put larger pinches on different parts of their bodies. Especially under the wings and their bottoms.
sharon

 

[Sportsterjeep]

We have many crested breeds and have to treat for mites. The very best thing that we have found that works every single time is Frontline spray. You can get it online, from a vet, or possibly a pet store. It comes in a spray bottle and lasts a loooong time if you follow this dosing. Put it in a contact rewetting drop bottle, visine dropper bottle, etc. Somone I know also puts it in a medicine cup and then uses a q-tip dipped in it to apply. You need to get the medicine down to and onto the skin for it to work. One drop in the crest or back of head. One drop under each wing in the armpit, and one at the base of the tail near the vent. This will kill most within 24 hrs, if it's really bad it might take 48. After 3 or 4 days you can wash out the crud that they built around the feather bases. Wait a day or two after washing and then reapply the drops to keep it from coming back. You can also use this same stuff for scaly leg mites, just spray it right on the legs. I'll include a link to show you exactly what you are looking for. It looks pricey, but like I said, it will last a very long time and it was well worth the price.
http://www.amazon.com/Frontline-Spray-500mL/dp/B0002J1G02

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Thank you both! I actually called the local feed supply store (the only one in town where the guy actually owns chickens and seems to know about them himself) and they sold me 4 lbs of dust (said it was like sevin) specifically for the chooks and it only cost me 6.00. I also bought VetRx to treat a few with cold symptoms, so used that first and then they were so traumatized (lol) that I decided to wait to dust them till tomorrow.

 

[Lofty Dreams]

give them a bath with human lice shampo

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Ummm, thanks I guess, Lofty, but as I said in my original post, bathing 30+ chickens in late December temps just isn't plausible to me...

 

[bargain]

Please don't use Sevin. It's not effective and is very bad for local honey bees....It kills them.

See this thread for dosage https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=319947&p=2

Also recommend posting over in the disease and emergencies section!

And please when you bring in new poultry, isolate them and check them regularly.

Best of luck. Nancy

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Thanks, Nancy. I put it here because multiple people post problems with lice and mites here as this is the "predators and PESTS" section. It is not technically a disease or injury. It is a pest problem. So far as the sevin dust, the powder I got today specifically says on the packaging that it is safe for use on veggies, fruits, various livestock, etc. I am going to be using it in limited quantities surrounded by snow in below freezing temps so I think the exposure for honey bees will be minimal. Thanks for the link you sent!