treating for Lice

[SJEP]

Hi Fello Chicken People! I hope Im in the correct forum with this question, as well I hope someone can give me an answer. Ok, here goes, I have some hens given to me all under a year old, and pretty well feral.. they have finally gotten to tolerate me coming in to their run to set out feed and water. I have tried hard to get them tame, not much luck at all. I recently wormed them with febendazole in their water 4 days. Now, Id really like to de-lice them but I know there is No Way Id be able to catch them to dust them. Is there any kind of systemic that I could feed them our put in their water to de lice them? They do have sand that they bathe in daily, if I put DE or any lice powder in it, they wont use it.
I realize thats a somewhat weird question, but these girls reallly are wild. Thank you all for any ideas.

 

[21hens-incharge]

While I don't know how many you are dealing with I can recommend a method to treat them. It depends a bit on whether you can get into the coop with them though.

How I handle mine.
After they go to roost they are fairly catatonic. I go in with just a dim light. The flashlights worn on the head are super handy for this. I get the bird off the roost by using both hands around the wings. Moving slowly and holding firmly I can get the bird under my arm, tip them so I can treat the vent area. I then place them back on the roost keeping a hand on their back preventing them from standing up. In that position I can take a handful of the powder and treat under the wings, the chest and the back. It's not perfect since some are screamers that set the whole flock off.
A second person is super helpful.

Personally I recommend getting in there after dark and examining them first. They may not even need treated.

 

[SJEP]

While I don't know how many you are dealing with I can recommend a method to treat them. It depends a bit on whether you can get into the coop with them though.

How I handle mine.
After they go to roost they are fairly catatonic. I go in with just a dim light. The flashlights worn on the head are super handy for this. I get the bird off the roost by using both hands around the wings. Moving slowly and holding firmly I can get the bird under my arm, tip them so I can treat the vent area. I then place them back on the roost keeping a hand on their back preventing them from standing up. In that position I can take a handful of the powder and treat under the wings, the chest and the back. It's not perfect since some are screamers that set the whole flock off.
A second person is super helpful.

Personally I recommend getting in there after dark and examining them first. They may not even need treated.

Thank you! I would think they almost have to have lice,,, feet look like leg mites now and some loosing feathers. Plus, I wormed them with febendazole and they aall pooped out a lot of worms. Since they have never really been cared for, I figure they must have lice also.
I read where ivermectin can be used in the water so Im going to try that.