using rid lice shampoo on chickens?

[AceSierra]

I've been looking for a way to treat my chickens feather mites and been researching alot and came across someone who used rid lice shampoo to get rid of their chickens mites. 1 is this safe. 2 does it work for feather mites. 3 can it be used on chicks.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I've been looking for a way to treat my chickens feather mites and been researching alot and came across someone who used rid lice shampoo to get rid of their chickens mites. 1 is this safe. 2 does it work for feather mites. 3 can it be used on chicks.

I prefer a permethrin based "horse fly spray".. It's very effective, easy to use, affordable, labeled for use in chickens, does NOT require any egg withdrawal time, AND is safe for use on chicks!

Found in the equine section under many names and ready to use or concentrated to mix in your own container. Make sure permethrin is the only active ingredient.

For adult birds.. a SMALL spritz directly to the skin with feathers parted, just below the vent, under each wing pit, and to the nape of the neck where the base of the head meets. Soaking is NOT required.

When treating chicks, I use a soaked cotton ball. Repeat in 7-10 days, use on nest, under roost, etc.

This product is considered not effective on scaly leg mites or depluming mites as those two species are systemic feeders and may never come to the surface.

 

[AceSierra]

I prefer a permethrin based "horse fly spray".. It's very effective, easy to use, affordable, labeled for use in chickens, does NOT require any egg withdrawal time, AND is safe for use on chicks!
View attachment 2205150
Found in the equine section under many names and ready to use or concentrated to mix in your own container. Make sure permethrin is the only active ingredient.

For adult birds.. a SMALL spritz directly to the skin with feathers parted, just below the vent, under each wing pit, and to the nape of the neck where the base of the head meets. Soaking is NOT required.

When treating chicks, I use a soaked cotton ball. Repeat in 7-10 days, use on nest, under roost, etc.

This product is considered not effective on scaly leg mites or depluming mites as those two species are systemic feeders and may never come to the surface.

thank youuuuuuuu. but my poor baby has depluming mites definitely adding this to my notes. I tried using the rid lice I didnt leave it in for 10 minutes I just rubbed it in and washed it out idk how effective ita gonna be but i havent seen any side effects as on now. I'll keep you updated though

 

[EggSighted4Life]

my poor baby has depluming mites definitely adding this to my notes.

For depluming mites, (They're microscopic and never seen but only the evidence) presuming you are in the US with Sierra in your name.. the treatment advised would be pour on ivermectic for cattle.. which is not labeled for use in chickens, requires weighing them to the dosage correct, and does require an egg withdrawal time... I wonder if @casportpony has the dosage information and if she'd be so kind to share it when she get a chance, I will book mark for future reference. TIA!

Northern fowl mites are common. Depluming not so much. Have you experienced them before? Are you able to post a pic? I don't mean to doubt you, just trying to help.. but also hope to learn!

Poultry Lice and Mites

If you do have depluming mites I would suspect the surface shampoo would be ineffective since their feeding on blood deep inside the feather shaft... but totally understand trying whatever means you have.

 

[AceSierra]

For depluming mites, (They're microscopic and never seen but only the evidence) presuming you are in the US with Sierra in your name.. the treatment advised would be pour on ivermectic for cattle.. which is not labeled for use in chickens, requires weighing them to the dosage correct, and does require an egg withdrawal time... I wonder if @casportpony has the dosage information and if she'd be so kind to share it when she get a chance, I will book mark for future reference. TIA!

Northern fowl mites are common. Depluming not so much. Have you experienced them before? Are you able to post a pic? I don't mean to doubt you, just trying to help.. but also hope to learn!

Poultry Lice and Mites

If you do have depluming mites I would suspect the surface shampoo would be ineffective since their feeding on blood deep inside the feather shaft... but totally understand trying whatever means you have.

I took my little chick to the vet because she was shaking her head a alot and I thought maybe she had a ear infection but he said she had feather mites and I was like . what's dat. but he wasnt much helpful past telling me she had mites. he didnt tell me how to treat or anything but pieces started falling together because my older 2 yr old austrolorp had been losing feathers and her flight feather were looking like they had just died and I was like ohhhh that makes sense. she probably got them from wild Birds and gave it to the chick (2 week old silkie). that's really when I started getting on this website because I had no idea what to do but if he couldnt tell me how to treat them how can I know he knows what hes talking about. questioning his abilities. I think shes 2.2 pounds or 2.4 I'd have to look. how many drops would I use for her? I've attackhed some images of her butt feathers and her flight feather follicle. do I just use any ivermetcin. I've heard it can be fatal if overdoses and can cause sudden death. My chicken sleeps in the bed with a diaper lol and feather mites can bite humans and I've been getting these little bites all over me lately so that also has convinced me. Feather mites feed off of chickens blood? I thought they just ate the feathers. now I want to get rid of them wven more lol
oh and yes I do live in the usa. and my name is sierra lmao

 

[AceSierra]

For depluming mites, (They're microscopic and never seen but only the evidence) presuming you are in the US with Sierra in your name.. the treatment advised would be pour on ivermectic for cattle.. which is not labeled for use in chickens, requires weighing them to the dosage correct, and does require an egg withdrawal time... I wonder if @casportpony has the dosage information and if she'd be so kind to share it when she get a chance, I will book mark for future reference. TIA!

Northern fowl mites are common. Depluming not so much. Have you experienced them before? Are you able to post a pic? I don't mean to doubt you, just trying to help.. but also hope to learn!

Poultry Lice and Mites

If you do have depluming mites I would suspect the surface shampoo would be ineffective since their feeding on blood deep inside the feather shaft... but totally understand trying whatever means you have.

my vet said he dismt see and feather mites themselves but saw their dropping

 

[EggSighted4Life]

my vet said he dismt see and feather mites themselves but saw their dropping

Feather mites and depluming mites are two separate species. Feather mites are more common and since that's WHAT your vet said, I would start there. Yes, they do come in easily on wild birds.The depluming mite.. feeds off the juice that oozes out of the skin caused by their burrowing into it. Feather mites feed off oils and debris and skin cells not blood. (This is new information for me as well) If it's indeed feather mites you're dealing with then your treatment may well have done the trick..
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/ectoparasites/mites-of-poultry

Taken from that link about Ivermectin dosage.. Merck is considered one of the most accurate resources available to us..

"Systemic control with ivermectin (1.8–5.4 mg/kg) is effective for short periods, but the high dosages are expensive, close to toxic levels, and require repeated use."

According to THIS information.. IF I was going to treat MY birds with Ivermectin (topical POUR ON) I MIGHT go with 2 minimum or 3 maximum mg per kg of bird weight. Always use YOUR best judgement. If you have more than one bird, treat them all.

Please note that once treatment is effective.. the broken and missing feathers *may* or may NOT grow back until the bird actually molts. Pay attention to the amount of scratching the bird is doing and look at the skin.. it should look like fresh pale skin with no red anger.

I'm gonna stick with my first suggestion of a permethrin based spritz, especially if you more birds... based on MY experience, which say you are NOT dealing with depluming mite but rather feather mites.. with so many different types it can be very confusing. To me it's always good to question the vet as they are not all created equal. But it is important to have a vet who's judgement you CAN trust!