Discovered last week that my flock has a rather nasty infestation of lice. We set up de and permethryn baths. Put de in the area where they normally dust bath. Treated the birds, coop, and nesting boxes with the permethryn. The lice are still alive!! What else can I do?
Did you actually clean out the coop and nest boxes and dispose of all bedding by burning it or hauling it far away from the coop?
Then spray the coop with 10% liquid Permethrin concentrate and let it dry. Mixing instructions are taped to the container. The liquid concentrate has a 28 day residual effect.
As far as your chickens go, you can spray them as well. I prefer to dust them with permethrin dust.
Add a bunch of Permethrin powder in a paper grocery bag and put the chicken in the bag with its head sticking out the top, enclose the bag around the chickens neck with one hand and then roll the chicken around in the bag with your other hand. Shake and Bake. Then put some Permethrin dust on your fingers and gently work it on in her fluff and feathers on her neck and head, avoid the eyes. Then release her. She'll shake herself off and go about her business.
You can also use Permethrin dust to dust the inside of the coop rather than using the liquid concentrate.
Put a big pile of Permethrin dust at the entrance to the inside of the coop. Ensure all vents are closed, use old towels to cover them if you have to. Ensure feeders and waterers are away from the coop and no birds inside the coop.
Then get your leaf blower and turn it on and hit the pile of Permethrin powder full blast.
A dust cloud will fill the inside of the coop and the powder will get in every crack and crevice where external parasites hide.
It'll take a few hours for the dust to settle. Then open up your coop/vents and add fresh bedding as needed. Then sprinkle a little Permethrin dust on the bedding and pat it down with your hand. Done.
If you do any of this including dusting your chickens; wear chicken clothes, shoes and mask, and safety glasses if you wish.
