URGENT: Mites or Lice on Already Near-Dead Hen- How to Remove?

[chickeepoo]

Quote:
I just came back with the Sevin- I must have missed this post. Well, this hen looks like she's been sucked dry, so it's emergency procedure at this point… time to find someone home to help with the bag.

UPDATE: LICE… HUNDREDS of Lice. Gross to think they've been there the whole time- I guess I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but I see them dead and dying now, falling off after the Sevin treatment. Maybe now the fluids and protein I'm piping in her will give her the energy to recover.

 

[TimeMist]

I hope you can save her. I rescued one from a friend, the hen was badly infested as well but died before the treatment. They really do suck them dry don't they

Good luck and let us know how it's going.

 

[NicInNC]

Can someone explain exactly how to dust them with Seven Dust? How do you keep it from going in their eyes? Do you just not dust their neck and head area? Also, if you dust their pen, then they would obviously eat some of it. Is that safe?

 

[emilyweck]

Keep us posted!

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

No they won't move in on you. Chicken lice lives on chickens, horse lice on horses and so on....they can get on you and bite though. The Sevin dust works wonders...do like the above posters mentioned and make sure you do all birds and dusting areas.

To dust - I usually hold my hands over their eyes or use a small cloth to cover them. Then I rub the dust into the cloth and rub it onto their head/eye area.

 

[redhen]

I would only use the DE as a tenative preventive...never as a treatment..i dont think it works well enough to kill all the lice that you needed to kill. good luck..

 

[chickeepoo]

Thank you all for your help, and here's the evening update: I don't see any moving lice, only occasional stationary ones which I assume the Sevin dust got. LOADS of them came off in the hour after I dusted her - I could see them on the white T-shirt I set her on to feed her (Bleach and hot water on that shirt and the sheet that was under the cage just to be sure no visitors) If I see a few that the powder missed, should I put a little more on her?
She still droops her head and keeps her eyes closed, but she's taking in liquid food, and I got one collared-green and white poop instead of just liquid diarrhea, so I'll take that as a step forward. She shows a wee bit more energy in lifting herself up a tiny bit at times. Between everything in her water, which I also use to mix the food, and the scrambled egg, greens, powdered feed, and a little yogurt, it seems there's enough to get her up and running eventually. I feel like if she has a chance here, so I'll keep feeding until she makes a full recovery or goes South. Hopefully the first… these BO's are really sweet hens.

 

[chickeepoo]

Quote:
I was wondering how the Sevin would affect them if they ate it too… anyone know? I figure with this hen, she's dead if I DON'T use it, but I need to make sure the others here get treated as well. I probably overdid the dusting with the amount I put in the plastic bag with the bird, and I ended up with it on me as well when I went to do her neck separately. BUT… lots of dead lice, so…

 

[CatAteBird]

Seven dust will not kill a chicken... The way their gizzards work against poisions is amazing.. Seven dust is awesome and works the best.. Food Grade DE is very hard to find.. You can order it online from Cutlerys Supply... www.cutlersupply.com They are very reasonable... But.. everytime you clean out the coop just sprinkle the floor with it or Seven Dust... Birds are very hardy and chickens expecially when it comes to poisions... Just becareful of the eyes... Good Luck

 

[emilyweck]

what about permethrin? Can you use this the same way as DE and Sevin for prevention....sprinkling on the coop floor?