Permethrin Spray Questions

[SBFChickenGirl]

Sadly my birds have mites. I'm taking care of this. I just bought permethrin concentrate from TSC yesterday. I had a couple questions.

1. Should I wear gloves? If the stuff gets on my skin will there be any sort of irritation?

2. Anywhere I should NOT spray it? (Besides places like eyes and beak) My rooster has a particularly bad case, and I'm going to be covering him with it.

3. Do I need to wear a mask or something? Any risk of damage if inhaled? (I'm not going to be sniffing the bottle like crazy or anything, but this is a spray.)

4. Do I spray down the coop too? (They are in a chicken tractor on pasture.)

5. I've heard of no egg withdrawal. But what does that mean? Are the eggs safe to eat? Or does that mean they still lay egg but they are not safe for humans to eat?

6. I've heard to reapply twice, after 7-10 days. Is it better to do it 7 days? 10 days? In the middle?

Thanks for everything. You guys have been so helpful.

 

[Eggcessive]

It never hurts to wear eye covering and gloves when using an insecticide. Permethrin is very safe for chickens, but not if you raise bees. Avoid the eyes. I would use it in a spray bottle and read the inside label for mixing if you use the concentrate. Mites hatch every 5-7 days, so it should be used at least twice 7 days apart on the chicken to get the live mites and the hatched eggs. When you remove all bedding and treat the coop, nests, and roosts, it is supposed to last for 30 days. There is no egg withdrawal. Here is some reading:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8162.pdf

 

[Folly's place]

Mites are miserable!!!
Yes, wear long sleeves, gloves, and a mask. Best to wear a N95 mask if you can, but something!
Spray the coop, every inch of it. This is where spray shines, it goes into every little crack out there. it would be best to replace the bedding too.
Do it at night, when they are roosting, with a small flashlight, or better yet, a head lamp. Spritz their vent areas, under wings, and lightly on the body, just not their faces. You may be able to do it while they are en their roosts, very easy then!
Mary

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

It never hurts to wear eye covering and gloves when using an insecticide. Permethrin is very safe for chickens, but not if you raise bees. Avoid the eyes. I would use it in a spray bottle and read the inside label for mixing if you use the concentrate. Mites hatch every 5-7 days, so it should be used at least twice 7 days apart on the chicken to get the live mites and the hatched eggs. When you remove all bedding and treat the coop, nests, and roosts, it is supposed to last for 30 days. There is no egg withdrawal. Here is some reading:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8162.pdf

So I looked at the link and they are chicken lice, not mites. Does the permethrin still work? And does that change the number of days?

Mites are miserable!!!
Yes, wear long sleeves, gloves, and a mask. Best to wear a N95 mask if you can, but something!
Spray the coop, every inch of it. This is where spray shines, it goes into every little crack out there. it would be best to replace the bedding too.
Do it at night, when they are roosting, with a small flashlight, or better yet, a head lamp. Spritz their vent areas, under wings, and lightly on the body, just not their faces. You may be able to do it while they are en their roosts, very easy then!
Mary

I will definitely do the things you guys have suggested!

My birds are currently on pasture in a chicken tractor, so no bedding. I will liberally spray the nesting box and the roosts.

My birds are super friendly. I'm just waiting for it to cool down so I can go out and wrangle the birds. They just let me walk in there and pick them up. I'd rather do this in the heat than the mosquitos (which is what would happen if I did it at night).

 

[Folly's place]

That permethrin will kill the lice, and the mosquitoes! Spritzing them on their roosts keeps you a bit further from the spray, never a bad thing. Then, go in, laundry, and shower right away.
Remember that it's very toxic to cats, so keep your kitties out of the way until it's all dry!
Mary

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

That permethrin will kill the lice, and the mosquitoes! Spritzing them on their roosts keeps you a bit further from the spray, never a bad thing. Then, go in, laundry, and shower right away.
Remember that it's very toxic to cats, so keep your kitties out of the way until it's all dry!
Mary

Thanks! I tried to use some other stuff to get rid of the lice but it didn't work. Always showered after that. Will shower after this, don't worry.

The cats hate the chickens and stay well away, so no worries there.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

@Folly's place I have a gallon sprayer. How much permethrin should I put in a gallon of water? Does water temperature matter?

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Nevermind, pretty sure I figured it out. Here's hoping everything goes well.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Hey I was wondering if the eggs are safe to eat? I've heard "no egg withdrawal" but I'm not sure what that means.

 

[coach723]

No egg withdrawl means they are safe to eat. Here is one article that may be helpful. While there is some detectable residue in eggs for awhile, it's never been established that it's a risk.
Rid and Nix, for human head lice, both contain permethrin.
https://blog.cacklehatchery.com/is-permethrin-a-safe-treatment-for-poultry-lice-and-mites/