OMG The chicks r eating them!

[pcosmom]

So I dusted my chicks after posting a picture and finding out they have lice..they r camping out in a brooder. I dusted them in the brooder and the bugs r falling everywhere. The chicks r now eating them off each other and off the floor of the brooder. If they ingestion the dust doing this is it going to hurt them.

Should I dust them again tomorrow or just wait the 10-14 days. The poor things r crawling with them ..it makes me so glad that I got them and can give them a better home..

 

[pcosmom]

Thank you very much for quickly telling me what was wrong with my littles..This is what came off in the first couple minutes...

all those little spots r the lice..

 

[LaynaDon95]

What are you dusting them with!? I want it!

 

[pcosmom]

Y-tex gardstar garden and poultry dust with permethrin from tractor supply

 

[LaynaDon95]

I use permethrin spray and I like better than dusting as a general rule, but that sure does seem to work wonders! I don't think I would be "too" worried about them eating them. They are already ingesting permethrin when they preen, and are soaking it in through their skin anyways. Do your best to keep them cleaned out of the brooder, but I don't think it's a big deal.

 

[pcosmom]

Thanks ..I went with the powder because I have more than one coupe and the big one has 18 hens and a rooster and the only bottle of spray was small at TSC.. Luckily these guys have not been in either of my other 2 coupes my big one or my one with the bantams and momma and 5 big babies..it is the coupe they will go to but not till they have a clean bill of health...

 

[pcosmom]

oh and I'm looking into putting dust beds out with some in it to help keep them away. I thought I seen a thread that said you could put it in a dust bath for them..?

 

[upitty]

Wow, that's a lot of lice! Lucky you did something about it. It always makes me feel better to make my chickens more comfortable. They're bloody horrible those lice aren't they. We have doves that come and eat the chook food and pass on lice. Anyway, to help control lice a natural way, try and make a dust bath for them. If you are unfimiliar with dust baths, they are pretty much dirt/sand or mulch in which your chicken will roll around in to suffocate lice. Apparently(I have not tried it) wood ash is ideal for your chickens. A post once claimed it removes the need of pesticides. I made a wooden box and filled it with sivved dirt/dust. The chickens love it. They roll around in it and it looks hilarious. Good luck with the lice!

 

[debid]

I wouldn't worry about them getting a little permethrin powder.

I would share that photo with the seller, though! My gosh, to have chicks that infested is absolutely crazy!

 

[pcosmom]

I wouldn't worry about them getting a little permethrin powder.

I would share that photo with the seller, though!  My gosh, to have chicks that infested is absolutely crazy!

 

I'm going to see if my husband still has the number..the guy mostly sells eggs on eBay. And to think that was just 4 big chicks/small pullets