Silkies have lice eggs in beards - showing soon - Help!

[country]

Hi All,

We have a poultry show in a couple of weeks & my Silkies all have NIT infested beards! I have treated everyone with Sevin & Ivomec Eprinex, so they are all louse free - but how can I get the eggs out of their beards without pulling out the feathers? I've tried vinegar, which didn't work. I've read about WD40 on leg mites & I know it dissolves glue, so would it work?

Any suggestions would be welcomed & appreciated. Especially from those of you who have "been there & done that!"

This is cross-posted in illness category.

Country

 

[LilPeeps]

You have to pull the feathers, you can't get the egg sacks off. Depending on how soon the show is, there may be time for the feathers to grow back.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I've had luck using Adams Flea and Tick spray. It helps loosen the "glue" if you will. Other than that, pulling is the only other method that I know of to get rid of the eggs.

 

[lichick28]

I wouldnt use wd40 near the mouth/nasal that sounds dangerous. What about some thing like goo-gone. I dont have a bottle to read the label but I think its orange peel oil that dissolves gluey substances. Please read the label before use. I dont want the bird to be hurt! The only way I know is tweezing one by one & disposing of the eggs/feathers

 

[welasharon]

I searched that on here and found where someone said use Un refined coconut oil. I just went and checked the black silkie and it does look like it is loosening the eggs. I think if I had put it on there more than once it would be better but I got so sick and haven't felt like messing with them. I think I will try a second treatment though to see. I can't stand seeing the eggs there. Makes me nuts. The post said mix it with tea tree oil but I didn't have any and I have read on here not to use that on chickens so I didn't take a chance.
sharon

 

[country]

Thank you everyone. The show is the end of this month so no time to pull & let the feathers grow. I think that WD40 is very non-toxic but of course, without a recommendation from anyone on BYC, I will definitely do a google search before I even THINK of trying it.

I have Adams, so I'll give that a try, along with olive or mineral oil. I also have some really good hair conditioner that makes hair kind of slick so I may try that too. Going to try different things on different birds & if anything works, then the others will get that treatment.

Welasharon, did you try a second treatment of the coconut oil? I don't have any on hand but if it works I'll sure buy some. Please let me know. Those eggs drive me crazy too & I generally just pull them off but unfortunately, I can't do that right before the show. Please let me know if the oil worked.

If I come across anything else that works, I'll be sure & post to let everyone know.

Country/Sheri

 

[TrystInn]

WD-40 is comprised of hydrocarbons. Its not only highly toxic, its recommended you wear protective eyewear and nitrite gloves so as not to get it on your skin as it will burn. Please do not put hydrocarbons on your chickens! Mineral oil, btw, is petroleum based - also made from a hydrocarbon.

You will have to cut the nit eggs out or pull those feathers out. Any sign that your birds have been infected will disqualify them.

 

[josh44]

I use frontline to prevent any mites,

Yes Front line for dogs, it really does work !!!

a drop on their backs, crest & under the wings & near the vent, does wonders, for a long time.


Hope this info helps

 

[lilchick]

Use manicure or baby scissors to cut each feather out. If you pull them they leave a tiny open sore that could scab over and look bad.

Maybe trimming out the affected ones and hopefully there will be enough left for a decent beard......

 

[junebug7334]

Quote:
do you eat their eggs? thanks