Preferred method of treating for mites?

[Kiki]

Yeaaaaah, I don't think I'd be drinking either one. Spinosad is the ingredient in pills for dogs and cats, though, to control ticks and fleas.

And permethrin is in the shampoo and creams used to treat human lice.

 

[Debbi H]

And permethrin is in the shampoo and creams used to treat human lice.

Oh, I know. The last time I used the permethrin cream on myself when I caught scabies from my niece will be the last time I ever use that stuff. I ended up with an extreme headache the next morning, and sick to my stomach.
Actually, the ingredient in the lice meds is pyrethrum, which comes from chyrsanthemums. Permethrin is the synthetic version. The doctor said I had a high sensitivity to the pyrethrum. I haven't had any reaction to the spinosad, thank goodness, even though I've had the spray land on me.
Years ago, when our youngest kept getting lice at school, a nurse told me about another method to get rid of lice that worked excellent. She had us mix olive oil, orange oil, tea tree oil, and lavendar oil and apply it to completely cover the scalp and hair. Cover with a shower cap and leave on overnight. Wash out completely in the morning (it's a little hard to get out). Then repeat the next night. No more lice!

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Oh, I know. The last time I used the permethrin cream on myself when I caught scabies from my niece will be the last time I ever use that stuff. I ended up with an extreme headache the next morning, and sick to my stomach.
Actually, the ingredient in the lice meds is pyrethrum, which comes from chyrsanthemums. Permethrin is the synthetic version. The doctor said I had a high sensitivity to the pyrethrum. I haven't had any reaction to the spinosad, thank goodness, even though I've had the spray land on me.
Years ago, when our youngest kept getting lice at school, a nurse told me about another method to get rid of lice that worked excellent. She had us mix olive oil, orange oil, tea tree oil, and lavendar oil and apply it to completely cover the scalp and hair. Cover with a shower cap and leave on overnight. Wash out completely in the morning (it's a little hard to get out). Then repeat the next night. No more lice!

Did you still have to use the tiny comb?

 

[Molpet]

I get elemental sulfur and put in the dustbath
https://entomologytoday.org/2016/07/18/battling-chicken-mites-with-bags-of-brimstone/
"... Sulfur dust has been used for decades to control mites on chickens. The sulfur is usually provided to chickens in a “dust bath,” essentially a box of dust, which may contain fine dirt, sand, diatomaceous earth, insecticides and other powdery substances...

Sulfur dust bags proved more effective than the permethrin strips. On average, sulfur reduced mite infestations to low levels within one week of treatment and eliminated mites as of three weeks post treatment. Hanging dust bags worked better than bags affixed to the cage floor and the authors believe that the chickens contacted the hanging bags more frequently. Treatment with permethrin strips had no significant effect on mite infestations despite the chickens making frequent contact with the strips. Further testing revealed that the mite population used in this experiment was resistant to permethrin. Murillo suspects that permethrin resistance may be widespread among northern fowl mites in commercial poultry facilities."

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I get elemental sulfur and put in the dustbath
https://entomologytoday.org/2016/07/18/battling-chicken-mites-with-bags-of-brimstone/
"... Sulfur dust has been used for decades to control mites on chickens. The sulfur is usually provided to chickens in a “dust bath,” essentially a box of dust, which may contain fine dirt, sand, diatomaceous earth, insecticides and other powdery substances...

Sulfur dust bags proved more effective than the permethrin strips. On average, sulfur reduced mite infestations to low levels within one week of treatment and eliminated mites as of three weeks post treatment. Hanging dust bags worked better than bags affixed to the cage floor and the authors believe that the chickens contacted the hanging bags more frequently. Treatment with permethrin strips had no significant effect on mite infestations despite the chickens making frequent contact with the strips. Further testing revealed that the mite population used in this experiment was resistant to permethrin. Murillo suspects that permethrin resistance may be widespread among northern fowl mites in commercial poultry facilities."

I read to use wood ash so i had myself a nice fire and scooped up the ashes and mixed it with the dirt and some DE. Havent had issues with bugs yet but I am a little strict about keeping their coop clean. I really think prevention is key!

 

[aart]

I read to use wood ash so i had myself a nice fire and scooped up the ashes and mixed it with the dirt and some DE. Havent had issues with bugs yet but I am a little strict about keeping their coop clean. I really think prevention is key!

If you'd actually had lice in your flock,
you'd understand the need for permethrin or something else of that nature.
They are carried in by wild birds and a clean coop really has nothing to do with it.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

If you'd actually had lice in your flock,
you'd understand the need for permethrin or something else of that nature.
They are carried in by wild birds and a clean coop really has nothing to do with it.

I never said that i didn't...

 

[Debbi H]

Did you still have to use the tiny comb?

Hmmmmm....had to think about that. As I recall, we didn't have to use the comb with this treatment because the oils actually smothered the eggs, too, and that was the main reason for the comb. I guess it would be up to you if you wanted to use it. I just know that this stuff ended a weeks' long nightmare of recurring lice!
I'm trying to remember the exact recipe, but it seems like it was something like 1/2 cup of olive oil, and 1 tsp of each of the other oils.

 

[Kiki]

Oh, I know. The last time I used the permethrin cream on myself when I caught scabies from my niece will be the last time I ever use that stuff. I ended up with an extreme headache the next morning, and sick to my stomach.
Actually, the ingredient in the lice meds is pyrethrum, which comes from chyrsanthemums. Permethrin is the synthetic version. The doctor said I had a high sensitivity to the pyrethrum. I haven't had any reaction to the spinosad, thank goodness, even though I've had the spray land on me.
Years ago, when our youngest kept getting lice at school, a nurse told me about another method to get rid of lice that worked excellent. She had us mix olive oil, orange oil, tea tree oil, and lavendar oil and apply it to completely cover the scalp and hair. Cover with a shower cap and leave on overnight. Wash out completely in the morning (it's a little hard to get out). Then repeat the next night. No more lice!

Nix brand human lice products contain permethrin.

https://www.nixlice.com/lice-products/nix-permethrin-cream-rinse

 

[Debbi H]

Nix brand human lice products contain permethrin.

https://www.nixlice.com/lice-products/nix-permethrin-cream-rinse
View attachment 1525871

Yeah, whichever ingredient it was, it sure made me sick. I don't know how kids can stand it.