Organic method for treating chicken lice?

[al6517]

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[slickchik]

Dont worry about removing the eggs... that's why you do two dustings close to each other.

And I would do it outside of the coop!!! The dust gets everywhere and I wouldn't want my girls breathing it constantly. I did it outside of the coop and let them run around all day afterward.

 

[junglebird]

Thanks to everyone who provided information about ORGANIC treatments, and links to other ORGANIC treatments in this thread on ORGANIC treatments.

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[slickchik]

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I gave my experiences with ORGANIC treatments because I really wanted to go all ORGANIC and I discovered the ORGANIC treatments described in this thread and the links in this thread for other ORGANIC treatments did not work well for me. So posting my experiences trying out the ORGANIC treatments on a thread asking about ORGANIC treatments is entirely relevant even though I ended up not going 100% ORGANIC.

 

[Davaroo]

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I gave my experiences with ORGANIC treatments because I really wanted to go all ORGANIC and I discovered the ORGANIC treatments described in this thread and the links in this thread for other ORGANIC treatments did not work well for me. So posting my experiences trying out the ORGANIC treatments on a thread asking about ORGANIC treatments is entirely relevant even though I ended up not going 100% ORGANIC.

Thank you - 'organic' is one option in the wide world. I reckon if you do as much as possible 'organically', then the few things you do outside that have much less impact on the planet.
And probably have a greater effect, when needed.

I have a truck, but I ride my bicycle almost everywhere. Im not "organic," because I operate a petro-combustion vehicle when I need it.
But I spare a lot of impact this way and man, I can carry a heck of a lot more in the truck than I can on the bike! It's effects are greatly magnified this way.

Don't fear everything out there that isn't "organic." Practice moderation, in fact, and you will be on to a secret few ever discover.

 

[phasian]

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Do you dry the herbs and crush them? Do you put them in whole? or "green"?

I use them green straight from my garden in the coops as that is when they are most aromatic, but do add dried foliage cut up into smaller pieces for their dust baths.

I am in agreement with a lot of folks on this thread that if things get out of harmony, organics are not always going to get things back into the balance. I think it makes the most since to keep animals as comfortable and healthy as possible and appreciate that sometimes an organic choice is not going to be as efficacious or fast. As long as non-organic treatments are not indiscriminately (which is not a sound choice for health or the environment), they definitely have their place in responsible husbandry.

 

[kathyinmo]

You may find this thread helpful .....
Unrefined

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=436579

leenie wrote:

I used an eye dropper filled with unrefined virgin coconut oil added with a drop or two of tea tree oil and covered with oil the egg clusters/featherbase. The vco has something in it that quickly breaks down the egg shell as well as the shells of the adult lice.

Tea tree oil is a wonderful bug repellent.

Good luck. We just had this issue 2 months ago.

You could also use a spray bottle instead of an eye dropper. With 40 chickens I'd use the spray bottle, it's much faster.

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[dawg53]

I dont recommend using tea tree oil. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=408353

 

[welasharon]

I used the coconut oil to remove the nits. I used seven dust to kill the bugs. I have no idea how the oil would work on the bugs themselves.
sharon

 

[xyresicchick]

NEEM OIL

neem is an all natural extract from a tree in (I believe) India. Neem oil is toxic to all types of bugs including ticks, fleas, mites, lice, mosquitos, you name it! I used neem oil on my chickens and it killed 99% of all live lice they caught from the city pigeons here in Providence, RI.

I seriously love neem. It has so many applications. I use it as mosquito repellant & it keeps off black flies too.

Mix neem oil & mineral oil together and rub right into chickens' skin. It is non toxic to chickens.

Neem can also be used on cats, dogs, and diluted into water in a spray bottle to spray down chicken coop, bedding, the carpets in your house to get rid of fleas, and more!

I also use it in my gardens to keep lily bugs off of my lilies. but be careful because neem kills all bugs bees and ladybugs and other good bugs too. so don't overdo it