Scissor Beak Chicken with Lice/mite infestation

[marcigray70]

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some help and advice. I have a small scissor beak barred rock hen who is about 9 months old, with a really bad infestation of lice and mites. She obviously can't groom herself like other chicken, and she is a bit "special". I don't think I've ever seen her in the dust bath. She's about two thirds the size of a normal hen. With trimming her beak she still eats and drinks fine, but she's not thriving like the other chickens in her flock. She is a wonderful little chicken, and one of our favorites. She likes to weave in and around my feet when I'm out with her and her girls.

We had a respiratory illness in her flock recently and in treating her I discovered her infestation. So far, I've cleaned the coop, changed the nest box materials and sprayed everything down with Poultry Protector. She got a bath with dog flea & tick shampoo, and then I sprayed her down with Poultry Protector too. She's drying, and pretty mad at me. I know I'm going to have to keep bathing her and treating her, but wondered if there was anything like Frontline or other topical treatments that would work? She needs something strong, and that would be ongoing long lasting treatment wise once I get her infestation under control. She has lots of nits around her leg feathers so we will be bathing her very regularly for a while.

I also wondered if anyone has any used Neem oil for lice & mites. We use it on our fruit trees and garden, and read it was safe for chickens.

Thank you all in advance for your help!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Permethrin... Spray.

Safe, affordable, effective, easy to use... no withdrawal from eggs or bathing. Simply spritz a little under each wing, below the vent, and to the nape of the neck... all with feathers parted and getting to the skin. Treat ALL birds. Repeat according to directions the first time and only as needed after that. Them stinking parasites are part of the environment. While some will fight it off better than others in every flock, it is best to treat them all instead of leaving a target behind. Please not it is also labeled for use in chickens. Can be bought at most feed stores or online. A bottle this size bought to keep mosquitoes off my goats lasted me 2 years with 82 birds (lice), 3 dogs, and 2 large goats. It's also effective against fleas and many other pest. I have seen it kill on contact! And no one in my flock or family have suffered any side effects. $8 at the feed store, it is in the equine section.. but here is one link... https://www.horse.com/item/fly-rid-plus-spray/E006407/

The nits will hatch inside the period for retreatment... But when you treat again no more eggs will be laid and so the life cycle is broken. So while the clumps might stay without bathing they should not hatch anymore.