Omg! Ewwwwww! Really bad LICE!

[MsBagawkbagawk]

So, yesterday one of my younger (7 months) roos was attacked by an older one. He acted like he was hurting, so I put him in a kennel with food, water, shade, and a barrier from everyone else. He had a little scrape on his back, but nothing serious, so I doctored him up. He's acting like he can't walk though. He just kinda stands up and sways, then stumbles around for a few steps and falls over. He was acting lethargic when I first found him, but now that I got him to eat and drink he acts a little perkier. He's just been kind of hanging out all day, taking a sip of water or eating a bit every once in a while.

Anyways, I was a little worried that he still wasn't walking today, so I looked him over really good. Just a little below the base of his comb for a few inches down, the base of his feathers are covered in little white clumps. I'm assuming that it's lice eggs, because lice were climbing all over them. I don't really handle this particular roo a lot, so I wouldn't have really noticed his lice, but I did do a random check about a week and a half ago, and didn't see these.

After a really good handwashing, I looked at some of the hens he hangs out with and I've seen him mating and then a few random ones, and I only saw a few lice on them, if any.

I use Sevin dust in their coop every 2-3 weeks (because we had lice bad once, and I don't want to go through it again), and some in all their dusting holes too. I do free-range all of my birds, and he's kind of an outcast, so I wonder if he just wasn't getting it as much as everyone else?

I put Sevin in his kennel and a little on his neck, and some petroleum jelly too. I'm hoping that that'll smother them.

What else should I be doing? Is there anything I really can do? Or would I be better off to just cull him (I really wasn't planning on keeping him around much longer, since he was causing a lot of other problems, and I'm not really attached)?


Any help or advice would really be appreciated!

~Ms. B

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Anybody? My roo would really appreciate some help right now......

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I would dust the whole bird in sevin dust really well. Try to avoid his face but get every else especially under his wings and his behind. It sounds like you only did his neck?

This will only kill the bugs not the eggs so dust him completely again in 10 days to get any that have hatched.

Sevin is kind of nasty stuff and not good for you or your birds to breath in on a regular basis. For weekly regular maintenance I would recommend DE (food grade) instead it is not toxic and fine if they eat it. DE is perfect for prevention and Sevin is better if you already have a problem.

I have had a mite problem and know that mites have live in pine shaves, hay and wood so if its mites you need to clean the whole coop super well. Lice, I'm not sure about so you may want to read up on their habits.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Yeah I did get it all over him, but it was mostly his neck. And I caught him kinda sorta trying to dust bathe in some earlier.

I've been trying to get some DE, but it's practically impossible to find around here. I'll see if I can order some online tomorrow, or if the local feed store can get me some in.

Thanks for the response!

Update: I checked on him tonight, and there's waaaaaay less adult lice on him, and the egg clumps were kinda loosening. He seemed perkier too. . I'm hoping we can get this under control........

 

[Malibu99]

When my chicken had lice and mites at the same time, I bathed them ( one salt water bath, one dawn dish soap bath one vinegar rinse, then plain water) and then put coconut oil on the eggs. The eggs fell right off, and there are no more Lice nor mites. I also brushed that area with a toothbrush.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

OK, I'll have to try that. I didn't want to give him a bath today since it was chilly and he was NOT coming in the house. I think it's supposed to warm up tomorrow though, so I'll do it then. And I'll see if I can get some coconut oil tomorrow too. I started messing with the eggs to see if they would come off, but they're on the quills pretty good......

 

[WallTenters]

A drop of ivermectin does wonders. The best to use is ivermectin pour-on for cattle, about a cc on the skin. However if you can't find it you can use ivermectin horse dewormer (available at any feed store and even at walmart, etc.) a good pea size drop. If you use the horse dewormer retreat in a week or so as 90% of it ends up slung around and not actually down their throat.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

OK, I should be able to find some pour pretty easy. I'll try that on him as soon as I can.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

UPDATE: My roo is doing GREAT! He has NO live lice! The egg clumps are still there (couldn't find coconut oil .) but I'm going to treat him again in a few days. HOPEFULLY, this is the end!

anyways, about 3 days ago I noticed a lot of live lice and one medium sized egg clump on my Faverolle's neck (why no where else I wonder

).....So I got her Sevin-ed down really good and tonight NO LIVE LICE!!

Earlier today I noticed a lot of lice on my d'Uccle hen (no egg clumps) *sighs*. So she got Sevin-ed, and hopefully it will work as well on her. Because of all this I checked the rest of my flock REALLY WELL and nothing else. I think it's just spreading maybe? Anyways, I'll be checking everybody EVERY NIGHT, until I get this all under control.

 

[Malibu99]

Yay! Glad he's doing better. Do you have bag balm? That might help as well. If you have a stop and shop nearby, I -think- they have Coconut oil in the health food section.