New Chicken with Lice!

[smoon]

I just raised my first chicken flock of 16 hens. They are perfectly healthy and I want them to stay that way! I was warned about taking in outside chickens, but I was offered a free silkie pullet from a stranger and I took her. As soon as I got her home I noticed she was EXTREMELY thin and slow moving. Upon inspection I discovered her face was crawling with lice and she has the eggs all around her neck feathers. I was horrified! I need to decide today whether she is worth treating and integrating into my flock, or if she poses too much of a threat of disease. Are lice a deal breaker? I could take her to a sale tonight if I decide to. Does anyone have advice for me, as to what I should do that is in the best interest for my own healthy flock? If lice isn't a big deal, I will keep her. If they are, I don't want to take the risk.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I just raised my first chicken flock of 16 hens. They are perfectly healthy and I want them to stay that way! I was warned about taking in outside chickens, but I was offered a free silkie pullet from a stranger and I took her. As soon as I got her home I noticed she was EXTREMELY thin and slow moving. Upon inspection I discovered her face was crawling with lice and she has the eggs all around her neck feathers. I was horrified! I need to decide today whether she is worth treating and integrating into my flock, or if she poses too much of a threat of disease. Are lice a deal breaker? I could take her to a sale tonight if I decide to. Does anyone have advice for me, as to what I should do that is in the best interest for my own healthy flock? If lice isn't a big deal, I will keep her. If they are, I don't want to take the ris

Why would you try to sell her tonight if you know that she may have problems. Dumping her on another unsuspecting person would be unethical IMO. If you took her then either treat her or cull her.

You will want to quarantine her for atleast 3weeks. Practice biosecurity when taking care of her and your existing flock.
Lice/Mites are very much treatable. What you want to be looking for is any signs of other illnesses such as coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, nasal discharge, etc.,

Take a fecal sample to your vet to have a fecal float test performed and have her checked for worms.

Provide a high protein feed (20%protein) like an all flock/flock raiser feed, oyster shell free choice(if she is of laying age), grit, fresh water, poultry vitamins for a couple of days and a little fresh fruits and veggies and go from there.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/08/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification.html
http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2013/02/mites-how-to-prevent-them-and-treat.html
http://fresheggsdaily.com/2012/01/dust-bathing-beauties.html
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1483/common-external-parasites-in-poultry-lice-and-mites/
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140

 

[DragonClaw01]

If you know a bird has a disease or parasites or is not in otherwise perfect condition, selling her would not be a good idea.

Lice are bugs, as you know, so a healthy helping of DE on her should help out quite a bit. Also put it in the nest boxes and dust bathing areas.

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

Go to TSC and get some Ivermectin Pour-On. Is she standard or bantam? If she's bantam, give her 1/2 CC, if she's standard give her 3/4 CC.
To apply, part the feathers on the back of her neck and squirt it onto the bare skin. You should notice a difference pretty quick. Reapply in ten days to kill any babies that may have hatched from eggs. There is a 2 week egg withdrawal period, but I've tried many things to get rid of lice and this is the quickest/most effective. I now use this method twice a year as a preventative and have never had lice problems since.


Selling her would be a bad idea, as others have said.

Lice ARE a big deal, but once they are treated and definitely taken care of, you can still ad her to your flock. There is no permanent damage if you take care of the lice BEFORE she comes in contact with your other birds.

 

[smoon]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have started to treat my poor little silkie. She has gotten a dawn bath and a dusting with garden and poultry permethrin dust. She is sneezing, and also has lice eggs on her neck. Any suggestions for the sneezing and also, how am I supposed to get the egg nits off? Or do they just stay there and fall off? Sorry I am new to this!

 

[smoon]

I will try the ivermectin when i find it. I couldn't afford to buy the big bottle ($47) at atwoods and that's all they had the last time I checked.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

You will want to re-treat for lice/mites in 7days after initial application to kill any that hatch out. (some people re-treat 2x).
You can apply some coconut oil to the nits on the neck to see if that will help dissolve them off the feather shafts.

Sneezing can be a sign of respiratory illness. Any signs of swollen face, eye/nose discharge?

Make sure you are not wearing the same clothes/shoes and are washing hands, etc., when you visit, tend to your flock - practice good biosecurity to hopefully not cross-contaminate/carry an illness to your flock or back to her.