Really sick chicken with lice

[isavedchickens]

I rescued three chickens back in May, they have been lovely and had no problems. I noticed some bugs on the hen house at the start of June, and I assumed they might lice. I cleaned the whole house with DE and bathed the chickens in it and added it to their dust bath. I have been doing this every time I have been scrubbing their coop-every couple of weeks. I hadn't noticed the lice so much lately.

Now my cheekiest chicken is poorly, really poorly. She was fine last night and this morning but this afternoon she was just standing on the grass sleeping and didn't even move for some corn feed. I checked her over, she had a really red raw sore vent and back area with poop on it so I bathed in in warm water, but the "poop" didn't come off, I have googled it and it seems to be lice eggs. One of my other chickens seems to have this, but doesn't seem ill at all.

My sick chicken has been sleeping standing all afternoon, and hiding under a bush. I put her in her coop and she slept instantly. She isn't eating or pooping normally. Her poop was clear/yellowish. Her vent is twitching a lot too. I have fed her some sugar water and tried to get her to sleep on a hot water bottle, but she refused and roosted on the perch (she always sleeps in the nest box).

I am really worried for her, It is horrible seeing her so poorly. What can I do for her?

I live in the UK, so not sure what products to get for her, or what I can do to help her.

Thank you.

Cate

 

[welasharon]

I rescued three chickens back in May, they have been lovely and had no problems.  I noticed some bugs on the hen house at the start of June, and I assumed they might lice.  I cleaned the whole house with DE and bathed the chickens in it and added it to their dust bath.  I have been doing this every time I have been scrubbing their coop-every couple of weeks.  I hadn't noticed the lice so much lately.

Now my cheekiest chicken is poorly, really poorly.  She was fine last night and this morning but this afternoon she was just standing on the grass sleeping and didn't even move for some corn feed.  I checked her over, she had a really red raw sore vent and back area with poop on it so I bathed in in warm water, but the "poop" didn't come off, I have googled it and it seems to be lice eggs.  One of my other chickens seems to have this, but doesn't seem ill at all.

My sick chicken has been sleeping standing all afternoon, and hiding under a bush.  I put her in her coop and she slept instantly.  She isn't eating or pooping normally.  Her poop was clear/yellowish.  Her vent is twitching a lot too.  I have fed her some sugar water and tried to get her to sleep on a hot water bottle, but she refused and roosted on the perch (she always sleeps in the nest box).

I am really worried for her, It is horrible seeing her so poorly.  What can I do for her?

I live in the UK, so not sure what products to get for her, or what I can do to help her.

Thank you.

Cate

Do you have anything there that is like our seven dust or poultry dust. The DE just doesn't cut it for me. Unrefined coconut oil can be put on the eggs to dissolve the egg casings too.

 

[isavedchickens]

I can't find poultry dust on the web for sale here. will ask at pet shop in morning. i have some coconut oil...will try that. do i leave it on to "soak" or put it on and scratch the eggs off straight away? Thank you.

 

[marianne7]

I rescued three chickens back in May, they have been lovely and had no problems. I noticed some bugs on the hen house at the start of June, and I assumed they might lice. I cleaned the whole house with DE and bathed the chickens in it and added it to their dust bath. I have been doing this every time I have been scrubbing their coop-every couple of weeks. I hadn't noticed the lice so much lately.

Now my cheekiest chicken is poorly, really poorly. She was fine last night and this morning but this afternoon she was just standing on the grass sleeping and didn't even move for some corn feed. I checked her over, she had a really red raw sore vent and back area with poop on it so I bathed in in warm water, but the "poop" didn't come off, I have googled it and it seems to be lice eggs. One of my other chickens seems to have this, but doesn't seem ill at all.

My sick chicken has been sleeping standing all afternoon, and hiding under a bush. I put her in her coop and she slept instantly. She isn't eating or pooping normally. Her poop was clear/yellowish. Her vent is twitching a lot too. I have fed her some sugar water and tried to get her to sleep on a hot water bottle, but she refused and roosted on the perch (she always sleeps in the nest box).

I am really worried for her, It is horrible seeing her so poorly. What can I do for her?

I live in the UK, so not sure what products to get for her, or what I can do to help her.

Thank you.

Cate

We had a similar problem, we lost two chickens because we did'nt realise how bad the problem was, and how it really affects chickens, we were devastated....A chicken breeder recommended to us (we live in the UK) Frontline (for cats), just two to three drops on the back of their necks with a syringe dropper, it really did the trick, we use Ardap spray in the coop.....and thats all we use...we are mite and lice free now...and believe me we tried everysthing, all the powders etc, just didnt work for us.we also had to get rid of our wooden coop and get a plastic one....we couldnt get rid of them otherwise...once they get into the wood they hide and its really difficult to get rid of them there.....hope this helps, and I hope you are not to late to save your chickens, mites virtually eat chickens alive, and they become anaemic, really weak, cant stand, and eventually die.....so sad....

 

[welasharon]

I can't find poultry dust on the web for sale here. will ask at pet shop in morning. i have some coconut oil...will try that. do i leave it on to "soak" or put it on and scratch the eggs off straight away? Thank you.

They told me to make sure it is the unrefined (have no clue what the difference is though) warm it just enough to make it liquid and put it on the eggs. They will dissolve but I dont' remember how many days it took.

 

[ChickPrincess]

First concern is getting rid of the adult bugs. Eggs can wait. The eggs are not feeding off her yet. The adult bugs are the immediate danger and have to be dealt with ASAP before they suck the life out of her. There's already been good suggestions on what to use. Deal with the eggs later.
Good luck! Hope she pulls through!

 

[isavedchickens]

Poor girl is not eating or drinking at all today. We syringed some sugar water into her mouth last night, but she refused today (will need hubby to come help me with that one). She wouldn't eat sweetcorn or grapes. I have just put some flea treatment on her and I am going to go in search of Ardap today. She is not well, poor thing.

 

[isavedchickens]

so...other than putting flea treatment on her, what else can I put on her to kill the live lice? I've ordered the ardap spray for the coop, but I want to kill the lice off her asap.

 

[marianne7]

so...other than putting flea treatment on her, what else can I put on her to kill the live lice? I've ordered the ardap spray for the coop, but I want to kill the lice off her asap.

Within 24 - 48 hours if you have used Frontline, every mite, bug lice will be dead, it gets into the chuck skin,and when the bugs feed of her they die (It does not get into their blood, I have already done the research on that) - The powders and sprays only kill half of them the ones it reaches, so gives them temporary relief....Just pray that when the mites etc are dead, that she will be strong enough to start eating and drinking again....

 

[isavedchickens]

An update: I spent most of the morning scrubbing and dousing the hen house with poultry spray, louse dust and DE, so I think the lice problem must be dealt with. I haven't found louse powder that I can put directly onto the chickens if anyone has any recommendations? I plan to dust bath them in DE daily for the next 10 days? Any other tips to keep them at bay?

I spoke with my Aunt who diagnosed my poorly chicken over the phone with sour crop. I have never heard of this, didn't know about it but I think this must have been the problem. My lovely husband emptied her out, and she walked away looking slighter perkier. Poor girl still won't eat. I tried to give her bio-live yoghurt with tin sweetcorn and layers pellets but she didn't touch it. She has been drinking on her own.

She has tucked herself up in bed again now, so fingers crossed she eats tomorrow.