chiken lice

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molliedogspabottom

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Hi everyone

I have a problem with chicken lice, I thought they just had messy bums , I have almost finished treating them for worms but today on closer inspection I found the little devils.

Can anyone tell me the best way to treat the girls,? I use total mite killer for mites in the hen house and on the birds but I am not too sure if this will do for lice.

Admitting the girls have lice feels almost as bad as admitting your kids have head lice , at least I will know what to look for next time.

All help gratefully accepted, many thanks Heather
 
Hello, yes, as soon as the weather warms the lice are active! Don't feel bad- they can come in on wild birds- there aer several options ( most of which are not licensed for poultry! :( ) You can use Frontline spray or drops for dogs or Ivermectin drops for small birds/mammals - i use ivermectin- a few drops on the back of the neck and under the vent and the lice will be gone- it wont kill the eggs- these are attached to the base of the feathers and are very hard to remove- you can cut them off once the lice are gone- there is also lice powder after you have treated them - give them a good dusting with powder- you may have to repeat after a few weeks as one application will not kill all of them-
regards, David :)
 
Hi Davidd

many thanks for your reply, if I use the product you reccomend how long do I hold back the eggs, before they can be eaten again?. I am mortified that the poor things are infested. They have seemed aggitated for a few days now and last night whilst inspecting them Colin the cockeral attacked my husband with his beak and hit a vein in his hand and we had blood everywhere, normally he is very placid.

I did wonder if it is just the time of year and he was trying to protect his harem or anything to do with two cock pheasants fighting outside the hen run yesterday, or am I just trying to jusify his misconduct ?

Either way he is not in the good books.

Many thanks for your help
 
With ivermectin you need to throw the eggs for 7 days- with the new frontline spray( you can only get it for dogs- and only by prescription i think)- because they wont give you it for poultry as its not licensed- there is no withdrawal period.- with powder - none as well.
The cockerel, i am afraid, is only doing what comes naturally- especially at this time of year, he will get worse , so just be mindful where he is when you enter the coop/pen.
regards, David :)
 
Hi David

thanks for the info. I will let you know how I get on.

As for Colin I won`t tell hubby he could get worse ( as I have just said he must show no fear and be a man not a chicken when he next enters the pen, I could hardly contain myself with laughter, but at least he saw the funny side .)

I will keep a close guard on him( Colin not the hubby).

thanks again Heather
 
Hello all

Is there a preferred powder/treatment for chicken lice, or will any of the ones mentioned do the job just as well?

My friends three old hens are covered in them. We've given them a dusting with diatom for now and we're going to blitz the hen house over the weekend. They look as though they may have scaly leg mite as well, their legs are quite crusty too :?

I think I'll invest in some louse powder as well, my hens are clean but I want them to stay that way!


Osric
 
Hi,

I dont know how PC this is- I have recently taken delivery of a 100ml bottle of Frontline spray. It arrived from France, prescription free, bought from a well known on-line auction site. Arrived in less than 4 days- before the volcanic ash saga. Havn't yet had to use it, but I feel happier knowing its there in stock......In the meantime as a preventative measure, I use Diatom in the house and dust baths, and "Barrier" Louse powder on the girls which smells wonderful.

Plus I give them the once over weekly....
 
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