lice

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Anonymous

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Can anyone help? I have 14 hens but i am still relatively new to hen keeping. I seem to have a constant problem with lice on my birds. I have tried about 3 or 4 different products but none of them seems to work very well.
 
Which products have you tried?

I find the ultimate way to control them is to add (organic) powder products to dust baths so the chooks can get it into every area.

You should concentrate on their bottom area with a good puff of a louse powder.

If you get really fed up, some people use Ivermectin or Frontline - some vets prescribe these, even though technically they aren't licensed for use with poultry - they can do this under their own 'clinical judgement'.

If it was me going down this route, I would withdraw eggs for 28 days after the last treatment but I usually try to use organic methods of control first - Diatom and garlic in food / water then I would go to an insecticide product containing Pyrithium like Battles louse powder, then Ivermectin or Frontline as a last resort.
 
Hi Tim
Thanks for responding. I have treated them most recently with Diatom. I have applied this 3 times over the last 2 weeks. Before that i tried Eradicate and before that i tried one that is in a tall shaker container that is white with red writing( sorry can't remember it's name). They don't seem to be on all of the hens but i do treat them all regardless.I do also have ducks but i haven't been treating them as i didn't know if they got lice seen as they are in and out of water all day.
I would be gratefull if you have any more advice

Thanks
Sonya
 
Good luck with trying lice powder in their dust bath (if you haven't already tried this) as what Tim says makes a lot of sense.The chooks will apply it themselves a lot better.
If you do go to your vet,some vets will flatly refuse to use a product that isn't licensed for that species.I've met that 'one' :( ,then you get the 'one' who will only try it after exhausting all other possibilites :cry:,I've met that 'one'as well.By which time you've spent more money towards their new BMW or range rover,and then you get the 'one' who does prescribe it,after explaining it might not work........and it doesn't :o ,or if you're lucky it does.I've met him as well....... :lol:
As your chooks seem to be getting them a lot,are you able to work out if they are being re-infected either by wild birds,or another family pet,maybe you could break the link.
 
Hi Tim
Don't know if i sent my last reply properly, so just in case. I have tried Diatom, which i have used 3 times in the last 2 weeks. I also used Eradicate and another product that is in a white container with red writing(sorry can't remember this one's name). I clean the hens out weekly, i spray regularly with Poultry sheild and I use woodchip and straw in the houses. I have been treating them quite liberally with the powder and have been doing areas and i have payed extra attention around there bottoms. Any other ideas would be gratefully recieved

Thanks :)
 
Hi Tim
I think i may of found a product that actually works. Today i used a product from Johnsons, Anti mite spray and after using it i noticed some lice that had fallen off and were very much dead. I will check them again next week and let you know if i have finally won the battle
Sonya
 
Hi Tim
Just wanted to let you know i have finally found a product that actually works. Its a spray by Johnsons and costs about the same as most other products. I used it last week and when i checked them again today, there was no sign of any beasties. :D

Sonya
 
Hiya Sonya and Lydia,

:oops: I'm sorry, I just found this post in the Chickens Health FAQ area - so all of the replies were queued up waiting for moderator approval before appearing!

When I replied the first time, I didn't notice where it was...

Anyway, just to say - it's now in the Chickens Health Area so shouldn't have any more problems. I will subscribe myself to the FAQ sections since it doesn't actually notify the Mods when there's a post waiting for approval unless I log in to the moderator control panel.

Thanks,

Tim
 
Hi
Johnsons Anti Lice Spray for pigeons is very good on poultry. It comes in a spray can, use 2 squirts on the back of their neck, I use it as a preventative measure aswell, once every 2 weeks.

Sue
 
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