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

[southernlasssc]

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...

I found the same thing to be true for us. I was new to chickens earlier this year. We have not experienced lice, but we got mites and did not realize how bad they were until they were real bad. The DE was not helping, the permethrin made the difference. I think DE is good to keep them at bay and we use it in dusting areas etc, but the permethrin was the only thing that helped us get the infestation under control. It takes a while with mites because of egg laying on their part. If we re-dusted late it was a big set back. Some people have talked about lice egg cycle and I would say adhering to treating on that cycle is important.

 

[seadrift]

I went to the mainland for a month when my mom was terminal to keep watch with my sister and Aunti. When I came home, my hens and their nesting-roosting house was teeming with bird lice! I couldn't even pick up an egg without them crawling up my arms! I took all the soft pine bedding out and scrubbed out the whole thing, concentrating on seams around the edges and nesting boxes. When it was dry I soaked everthing with a sprayer with neem oil, also concentrating on all seams. I then dusted the whole thing with DE leaving a lot in corners and nesting boxes. Then all clean bedding. I dusted the hens with DE. It took just over a month, (second hatching) and I haven't had a problem since. The pine bedding soaks up all moisture in the droppings and I can remove them in clumps, much like cleaning out a cat box. I clean out all droppings every day or so (only have 9 or 10 hens). My nesting boxes are off the floor about 6" or so and I shove extra bedding under there to pull out, replacing what I removed. When it comes time to add more, I always mix DE into it. I am surprised they don't have any because as soon as I walk away, hundreds of doves, magpies and finches decend on the outside run where I feed them and eat what would have lasted them all day bringing more lice, I am sure to the area, but so far in more than 6 years, still no infestation. It's all about constant maintenance I guess. I am again leaving for the mainland for a month for the birth of my daughter's second child and am scared it will all be back! I have a couple my daughter knows well all the way from Ohio coming to housesit for a free month in Hawaii! Hope it goes well. They are organic growers and no strangers to farm animals. Hope this helps.

 

[zachcpierce]

For treatment, i wouldnt hesitate to use permethrin. But for prevention i am sort of concerned about toxic chemicals which is why i recommended DE, which I have found to be successful as an initial treatment. Incidentally, I also use Texas Cedar Oil (Juniper) pretty liberally in my backyard. I also will hit the coop with the same termite and roach in we use on the house, but while the chickens are not near it until its dry.

 

[casportpony]

The IVERMECTIN warning...

Ivermectin Drops are usually sold under the Small Animal Exemption Scheme for use in rabbits, Guinea Pigs and ornamental birds. Products licensed under the Small Animal Exemption Scheme are not licensed for use in food-producing animals such as chickens and it is for that reason that there is no information relating to the withdrawal period for eggs or meat following use of Ivermectin Drops on poultry.

Where there is a licensed alternative, vets will prescribe the licensed product. To treat worms – Flubenvet is the (only) licensed in-feed product.

In the absence of licensed alternatives, veterinarians do sometimes prescribe this product for poultry under their own strict clinical judgement to treat lice in poultry.

It is however only a veterinarian who can advise on such use and it would breach of the veterinary medicines regulations and NOAH code of practice by supporting, or encouraging the use of this product on a non-target species.

Eggs and eating the birds must cease for at least three (3) weeks after last application.

This applies to the UK and EU, yes?

 

[aart]

i recommended DE, which I have found to be successful as an initial treatment.

Meaning you saw live lice and/or mites on the birds and the DE killed some of them?

Incidentally, I also use Texas Cedar Oil (Juniper) pretty liberally in my backyard.

Be careful of aromatics near the birds, could damage their respiratory systems.

I also will hit the coop with the same termite and roach in we use on the house

What chemical exactly is this? Best not to use any preventatives in the coop.

Curious.... @zachcpierce
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[cmom]

Lice are actually easier than some of the mites. It will be best to remove the bedding.
DE is not very effective, I'd leave it out.
Permethrin spray concentrate is very cost effective and works great! Spray all the birds, at night when they are roosting. Spray the coop, walls, everything. I do use the permethrin dust on the floor and then add shavings, although if you are buying one product, get the spray.
Wear at least a N95 face mask, from the paint store, and gloves, and wash your clothes and shower when you are done.
Mary

De is dangerous to inhale, for us and for the birds, and has limited effectiveness for parasite control. Permethrin dust works, but really can't get into the cracks and crevasses in the coop as well as the spray.
Wear at least a N95 face mask when doing anything out there!
Mary

I agree with Mary. When I had my mite infestation, after a couple of weeks of using DE the birds were still infested. Now I don't trust it. When I used permethrin after a couple of weeks I saw no mites. I kept up treatment for a couple of more weeks and the birds actually started looking better and now they are beautiful again and there is no egg withdrawal period.

 

[zachcpierce]

Meaning you saw live lice and/or mites on the birds and the DE killed some of them?

Be careful of aromatics near the birds, could damage their respiratory systems.

What chemical exactly is this? Best not to use any preventatives in the coop.

Curious.... @zachcpierce
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
View attachment 2011536

Meaning you saw live lice and/or mites on the birds and the DE killed some of them?

Be careful of aromatics near the birds, could damage their respiratory systems.

What chemical exactly is this? Best not to use any preventatives in the coop.

Curious.... @zachcpierce
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
View attachment 2011536

south carolina lowcountry, its buggy, i have only ever seen red mites on them which i assume are just naturally around, and DE seems to work, i believe in cedar oil, which is supposedly pet safe, and also my personal go to for gnats

 

[RavalliSurfer]

This applies to the UK and EU, yes?

Ya know... I'm not sure. I would however note that if one country bans something, it behooves me to take notice and always err on the side of moderation.

I've used Sevin, and always had good results. I know sunshine and oxygen destroys the efficacy of the active ingredients.....in about 24 hours.

Dew, rain or lawn sprinklers pretty much destroy it immediately.

 

[Folly's place]

Any insecticide will work, but there's a very short list of approved products in the USA, and many other countries. The list may vary a bit, but it's there.
In the USA, permethrin and pyrethrum are approved with no egg withdrawal, while carbaryl is not approved at all.
I do try very hard to stick with products that are approved!
Mary

 

[Blackgranite]

I have bought a 1/2 gallon sprayer and permethrin 10 based off of another post on this forum I found on google. My plan is to bathe all four birds in Dawn to complete rid them of lice, completely pull out everything in the coop, and spray the birds/drench the coop in permethrin.

3.) Is there a better bedding I should be using?

DO NOT BATHE IN DAWN!!! Very bad or feathers and their paper-thin skin. Bathe them in a mild detergent and or a anti lice soap approved for chickens. As for bedding in the nesting boxes, I use straw for convenience and price and I think it's more comfortable for them. That's not the lice problem though. I agree with soaking everything in permethrin. I would recommend roosts instead of bedding though if you don't already have them. I would only use bedding in the nesting boxes.
And by the way, Welcome to BYC, and the wonderful advice everyone gives to people who have chicken problems! good luck with your endeavor!