Treating feather lice without permethrin

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Are there any treatments for feather lice that aren't permethrin-based? (Not including DE or other natural remedies.)

I’ve tried permethrin and ivermectin and neither has worked. These are lice that feed on feathers, they don’t drink blood. I’m willing to bathe my birds in something if it will really get rid of the lice, it’s hot where I live so they’d be fine.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Some folks use Spinosad (Elector PSP).

Ivermectin has not worked? Did you apply topically or?

Permethrin isn't effective either? Are you treating housing and birds in 7 days intervals to break the cycle?

You say feather lice, are they depluming lice or lice you can actually see on the birds?

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Some folks use Spinosad (Elector PSP).

Ivermectin has not worked? Did you apply topically or?

Permethrin isn't effective either? Are you treating housing and birds in 7 days intervals to break the cycle?

You say feather lice, are they depluming lice or lice you can actually see on the birds?

I applied ivermectin both topically and orally (on different occasions). I believe it usually doesn’t work for feather lice.

I’ve used permethrin twice at different times (the 2nd time it was a more diluted version). I did re-treat in a week and treated the bedding.

I can see the lice. It’s definitely not a bad infestation, but there’s enough lice that they’re causing mild feather damage on some of my birds. Every time I’ve used permethrin, I thought I got rid of them until I picked up one of my white birds and noticed the lice crawling on them.

 

[dawg53]

I applied ivermectin both topically and orally (on different occasions). I believe it usually doesn’t work for feather lice.

I’ve used permethrin twice at different times (the 2nd time it was a more diluted version). I did re-treat in a week and treated the bedding.

I can see the lice. It’s definitely not a bad infestation, but there’s enough lice that they’re causing mild feather damage on some of my birds. Every time I’ve used permethrin, I thought I got rid of them until I picked up one of my white birds and noticed the lice crawling on them.

Ivermectin is ineffective against lice because lice dont suck blood. Use Permethrin dust to dust your birds. Use coconut oil to remove lice eggs from feather shafts or they will hatch and re-infest your birds and coop.

Remove all bedding from the coop, including nest boxes and dispose of it. Ensure there arnt any birds in the coop. Close all vents and put a pile of Permethrin dust at the entrance door to the coop.
Wear a mask and get your leaf blower. Turn it on full blast on the pile of dust at the entrance to the coop, then close the door to the coop.

It will look like a smoke bomb went off inside the coop. The dust will get in every crack and places you cant see, everything will be covered in dust inside the coop. Do this in the morning because it takes time for the dust to settle. I usually open it up in the latter part of the afternoon.

Then put fresh bedding inside the coop, including nest boxes. Sprinkle some Permethrin dust on the bedding and pat it down with your hands.
I used to use hay or shavings for bedding but I dont use that stuff anymore. I use sand. Sand is easy to keep clean, stays dry, easier to scoop poop and replace as needed. It deters parasites also. I have sand in the nest boxes as well.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Ivermectin is ineffective against lice because lice dont suck blood. Use Permethrin dust to dust your birds. Use coconut oil to remove lice eggs from feather shafts or they will hatch and re-infest your birds and coop.

Remove all bedding from the coop, including nest boxes and dispose of it. Ensure there arnt any birds in the coop. Close all vents and put a pile of Permethrin dust at the entrance door to the coop.
Wear a mask and get your leaf blower. Turn it on full blast on the pile of dust at the entrance to the coop, then close the door to the coop.

It will look like a smoke bomb went off inside the coop. The dust will get in every crack and places you cant see, everything will be covered in dust inside the coop. Do this in the morning because it takes time for the dust to settle. I usually open it up in the latter part of the afternoon.

Then put fresh bedding inside the coop, including nest boxes. Sprinkle some Permethrin dust on the bedding and pat it down with your hands.
I used to use hay or shavings for bedding but I dont use that stuff anymore. I use sand. Sand is easy to keep clean, stays dry, easier to scoop poop and replace as needed. It deters parasites also. I have sand in the nest boxes as well.

I’ve been using permethrin and it unfortunately hasn’t been working.

 

[dawg53]

I’ve been using permethrin and it unfortunately hasn’t been working.

Use Sevin dust. We've used it for years also. I'm still here typing. You can also use Malathion. Here's a link, scroll down to "PESTICIDE SOLUTIONS."
http://extension.msstate.edu/content/solutions-and-treatments

 

[JaiesFluffyButts]

Use Sevin dust. We've used it for years also. I'm still here typing. You can also use Malathion. Here's a link, scroll down to "PESTICIDE SOLUTIONS."
http://extension.msstate.edu/content/solutions-and-treatments

You can't use Sevin Dust on the chickens can you, you mean only in the coop?

 

[dawg53]

You can't use Sevin Dust on the chickens can you, you mean only in the coop?

I've used it on chickens and in the coop. Used it years ago on my dogs.

 

[ShannaES]

Not to hijack this thread but I'm dealIng with lice right now. I dusted everybody last Friday with Prozap Permethrin dust as well cleaned out everything in the coop & dusting the run. There are still a few nits on the one that it the worst. Would it be alright ttospot treat her with some Pen & Poultry permethrin spray? We're experiencing heavy rains and I'm not sure if the previous disting has been rendered ineffective.
Thank you for any input.

 

[Sally PB]

@ShannaES, if you don't get an answer (and I can't give you one, as I don't know), you might want to make your own thread.