Silkies with lice?

[eloisemarie]

I have five silkies and after giving the white one a bath yesterday, I noticed a lot of little bugs crawling ALL over her. Then I noticed these cotton ball-looking things on my buff silkie right under her face/on her neck. Internet research leads me to believe it's lice, but does anyone have any advice on what we should do?? The other three silkies seemed okay, but my guess is if two have them, then all five probably do. I have included pictures of the buff silkie below.

I'm new to raising chickens, so I'm at a loss for what to do! I just feel so bad that this happened


.

 

[imogene08]

That has happened to my wyendotte when i first got her they where crawling all over her poor thing but after she took a hour dust bath she was almost free of them she gradually got rid of them and haven't had a problem sense just let them dust bathe they should be fine in a couple of weeks:)

 

[loppylou]

I had this problem when I got my silkie. I dust her and my others with dust powder every month this will kill the lice and prevent them getting them. I also have a dust bath made of compost that I mix the dust powder in which the chicks use by themselves to keep clean. I have to dust my silkie myself tho as she doesn't dust herself. Iv heard ash from a fire is good to use in a dust bath that will kill the lice too. If its red mite you will have to use a chemical and spray their coop to kill these mites. They come out at night at bite your birds while the roost. Horrid things. Good luck

 

[Quailsong]

If it's lice, you can do a dust bath with wood ash. Rubbing it gently down to their skin level.

Another idea is to include some fresh garlic into their diet. Whether grated on the side or sprinkled on the feed. Can help with internal parasites as well.

Best of luck!

 

[loppylou]

The white lumps at the base of the feathers is the eggs :S

 

[chiqita]

You can use various things to get rid of lice if dust bathing wood ash and DE dont do it. The first thing to try is ivermectin
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/687442/treating-with-ivermectin

If That dose not work research frontline. YOu may or may not feel comfortable using it, its off lable and not harmless to chickens. But don't wait too long, if you let it go they will get all over the coop and in your other birds and its a hassle to treat.

 

[eloisemarie]

Thanks, everyone! (Sorry for the late update...) We treated the lice (two times, a week apart) and the chickens all seem to be lice-free still!