Poultry Protection

[Melky]

I use it as a treatment and as a preventative. I have one particular Roo that likes to get into places where he picks up lice real bad. The first time I noticed it was THE WORST and he had spread it to most of my other chickens. Dawn dishsoap and ACV soaks were messy, time consuming, and didn't stop the cycle. Plus they stressed the birds. Then I found poultry protector. I like it because I can just grab 'em by their feet and while they are upside down they usually hold open their wings. I have some fairly fluffy birds so doing it that way helps me get in and squirt to the quills and skin. I swear by it and call it magic. I do use it in my nest boxes and roosts. But I use seven dust on the floors. Since I started this routine I have had little problems. Planting mint along the outside of the coop/runs helps too. And you can make a spray of mint, 1tbsp olive oil, fill the rest of the bottle with water and it helps as well. Plus it's a natural deodorizer. You can use Vaseline on their legs and comb as a moisture protection and to prevent mites. The mites can't breathe under Vaseline and they won't be able to climb up the slick legs.

Thank you so much! I have mint outside my coop too. The girls like to snack on it and it’s smells fresh. Thanks for the spray mint suggestion. I do have some Vaseline. Do you find that it makes everything stick to legs more when using Vaseline as a preventative on feet/legs?

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

Eh.... Some. You could also use Aquaphor. It absorbs better and isn't as sticky. Mostly it's just dirt that sticks some. I try to let it set as much as they allow and i don't goop it on them. Just a light coating. I use natural tree branches as a "jungle gym" and for roost poles so mites are something I have to be careful for. Usually some seven dust on the poles works fine.

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

If your into herbal and holistic remedies, lavender and lemon balm sprinkled into the nest boxes and around the coop are very relaxing and calming to the hens as they lay/brood.....

 

[Melky]

Thanks so much for sharing.

 

[Melky]

If your into herbal and holistic remedies, lavender and lemon balm sprinkled into the nest boxes and around the coop are very relaxing and calming to the hens as they lay/brood.....

Thanks I totally am. I use lavender right now and like the suggestions to switch up now and then.

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

Another helpful remedy is wood ash, sand, some seven dust and good ol dirt in whatever pan, tire, box, bucket of your choosing for a dust bather. You will need to replenish the wood ash and SD occasionally. I like seven dust better than de bc it's not as harsh.

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

Thanks I totally am. I use lavender right now and like the suggestions to switch up now and then.

there's always something new to learn too with plants and herbals. I just learned cucumber seeds are a natural dewormer for chickens.... And last week I learned that pine and pine needles (fresh) are natural dewormer for goats....

 

[aart]

I like seven dust better than de bc it's not as harsh.

Sevin is pretty harsh stuff....kills everything...and it's no longer approved for use on poultry.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Can't answer your poll as I don't use any 'preventatives' except a clean coop, good feed ration, and plain water.
I examine my birds regularly for external parasites and use permethrin spray or dust if I see pests on the birds, have only had lice...and scaly leg mites, which are easily eradicated with bag balm or vaseline, no need for anything else.
Using chemical, and maybe 'natural', preventatives can create resistance,
so they won't work once you really need them.
Using 'natural' 'preventatives' then claiming they are effective because you've had no pests is delusional. I just don't buy it unless the pests have been positively ID'd then eradicated using whatever treatment.


Depluming mites are invisible to the naked eye, you'd have to split a feather shaft and put it under a microscope, so hard to know if you actually have them or there are other issues, like picking and/or brittle feathers.

It is not picking. But, I suppose it could be brittle feathers as I know you cannot see the depluming mites with a naked eye. I don't do preventative care like the OP is asking. I just use the product sparingly.
Either way none of the treatments have worked or I won't know for sure until a full molt takes place.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Sevin is pretty harsh stuff....kills everything...and it's no longer approved for use on poultry.

Not approved for poultry but people still use it. My bottle of ivermectin is not approved for poultry either. Anything not labeled for poultry is not approved for poultry - technically.