What is the best way to get rid of bird lice?

[Picklestix7866]

I just discovered my chickens have lice.

They are the little yellow crawly kind. What is the best way to get rid of them? What product do you suggest using? I see a lot of people say "Seven' but I have no idea what that is or where to find it. I have about 10 Silkies and 6 laying hens, plus four wyandottes in a different pen that also have lice. Ugh!

Also, do lice not live as easily on Silkies? I never seem to see lice on them, just on the laying hens.

Please please give me any suggestions you may have!

 

[Imp]

Sorry picklestix that your chicken have lice.
The 4 most often measures I've seen posted with success are using Sevin, Poultry dust, Adams flea & tick shampoo, and Frontline spray.

Sevin is a garden dust, You can find it at your garden store

Poultry dust at the feed store

Whatever you use you will need to retreat in 10-14 days

I don't know about silkies- maybe lice doesn't like the soft feathers?

You will also need to clean and treat the coop/roosts etc.

Good luck

Imp

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

5% Sevin dust. Sold at Wal-mart, feed stores, plant nurseries, Ace hardware, etc.

 

[Dylan's Silkies]

You can wash them with human lice shampoo. It'll kill the lice on the birds within minutes. Be careful to not get it in their eyes and wash thoroughly on their heads and vent area. Let it soak in the bird for a few minutes before rinsing.

This will kill any live ones but you'll need to wash them again with the shampoo in 14 days once the eggs hatch since the shampoo doesn't kill the eggs.

Also, you'll need to clean the coops by doing what others have suggested.

To prevent lice/mites in the future, use Frontline spray. Spray directly on the skin on top of their head, spray near the vent area about 2 inches below it (BUT not in the vent because it'll make the bird sterile), then spray under each of their wings. This should keep the lice/mites away. When you spray, it should be directly on skin so make sure you hold the nozzle close to the skin area so it doesn't spray all over their feathers. You want contact with the skin.

 

[Kovalciks Chickens]

Take a large paper brown bag put some 7 garden dust in there, add the chicken, close the top, shake the bag....gently. They close their eyes and the dust rubbs against the mites cutting their skin and killing them. Or you can sprinkle some on their back and rub it in. The first way is more effective though.

 

[Picklestix7866]

Thank you all for your suggestions! I think I will probably go out and buy some Seven dust when I can find it. In the meantime I have some Permectrin dust. Do any of you know if I can mix it with water so I can spray it? I absolutely hate dealing with the dust. It just flies everywhere and gets in my face and on my clothes.

Keep the suggestions coming!!

 

[Imp]

Make sure you are wearing a mask if you use dust. Can be nasty to the lungs

Imp

 

[888]

Hi
I have used several ways to treat my chicken from lice
and that is a pesticde that is used for kiling Ants and Insects
which we have in our area but I dont know if iot is available in the
States and that is in the form of powder which can be rubbed into their
feathers and it will sur kill the Lice.
Another way is to buy this product that has some kind of a Chemical
that is specialy made to kill Lice " 8-1 Bird protector " which protects them from Lice and Mites
which I think you can find in your pet store but you will need more than one
depending on the size of the cage you have
All the Best