Please help with questions regarding lice & housing. I feel so awful.

[Al Gerhart]

And what good does that do when the next sparrow or rat brings in new lice?

 

[aart]

And what good does that do when the next sparrow or rat brings in new lice?

Relax, dude....I didn't say it wasn't important, just not the most.
Because.....

Not really, first ya gotta get rid of the ones that are there

 

[Al Gerhart]

So Aart, if your boat was sinking would you start bailing water out or would you first plug the hole that was allowing the water to come into the boat?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Not really similar to a sinking boat.....those bugs are blood suckers.

For mine I think killing the little blood suckers would be first and fixing access from transport critters would be step two.

 

[Al Gerhart]

it is exactly like a sinking boat. While you are bailing or in this case trying to kill off the vermin more are coming in meaning you will have to start over with more cleaning and spraying. Plug the holes and secure the feed that is bringing in the vermin then you can use less poison and clean one time and have your problem fixed. That is just common sense.

 

[casportpony]

The first thing that needs to be treated are the birds, especially if they have a severe infestation, and this is because a severe infestation of lice or mites can be life-threatening. Treat birds first, always, then worry about the other stuff.

 

[Folly's place]

The most important thing not mentioned so far; WEAR AT LEAST A N95 DUST MASK!!! Don't inhale either any dust or spray, and wearing long sleeves and gloves are good too. Then wash everything and shower, get the stuff off!
I tried the 'bird in a bag' thing once with the permethrin dust and still got the dust all over, I think it was actually harder than just dusting each bird.
If it's not cold, the spray is so much easier to use!
Bathing each bird will be much more traumatic for them, and no more effective. Don't go that route.
Treat the coop too, and repeat as recommended.
Lice and mites happen, it's miserable, but just deal with it, and watch out for the next episode.
Mary

 

[BigBlueHen53]

it is exactly like a sinking boat. While you are bailing or in this case trying to kill off the vermin more are coming in meaning you will have to start over with more cleaning and spraying. Plug the holes and secure the feed that is bringing in the vermin then you can use less poison and clean one time and have your problem fixed. That is just common sense.

Both need to be done. Why fuss over which gets done first?

 

[zachcpierce]

dust your chickens with food grade diatomaceous earth, get it down to the skin, under wings, under legs, by vent, on back between wings, pretty much all over, they will be powdery for a day or so, but that stuff helps, also sprinkle throughout run, coop, nest boxes, and in any favorite dust bathing spots if they free range/pasture

 

[cmom]

I had some birds that were severely infested. I thought they were just molting but weren't getting their feathers back in when I discovered they were loaded with mites. The first thing I tried was DE. The birds weren't improving and still had mites. I first discovered them in only one coop but eventually found them on birds in another coop. I dusted the birds and the coops with the DE and no improvement. I did use some seven dust that I had but it was almost gone but it did help. I did some research and came up with permethrin. I'm pretty sure the wild birds brought them into their coop. I used the dust on the birds and in their nest boxes and sprayed inside of the coops, every crack and crevice, on and under the roosts, ceiling, walls, floors, anywhere the mites can hide. It's best to clean out the coop before you spray. I use pine shavings in my coops. Since it so cold you can spread the dust around and dust the birds well. Wear special clothing including a mask and gloves. I did a weekly spraying for awhile and put permethrin dust in the nest boxes, originally sprayed the birds getting under the wings and worked it through their feathers with gloves which you can also do with the dust. Slowly the birds began to recover and get their feathers back in. I think if I hadn't treated with the permethrin when I did I probably would have lost some birds to the mites. The birds were in bad condition. Permethrin only kill live pests, not the pests eggs. TSC carries the permethrin powder, premixed spray bottles and the concentrate. I use the concentrate. For you initial application mix it a little heavy. I did and it did not affect the birds but I did keep them out of the coops while it dried. I spray my coops as needed and when I spray I do weekly spraying for a month then stop as I don't want the pests to develop a resistance to the permethrin. Repeated weekly spraying is necessary because again, it does not kill the mite eggs and as an added benefit is there is no egg withdrawal period. The birds are beautiful again. There are other products available but much more expensive and in my opinion the permethrin works great. Good luck...