New to the forum from Mississippi

[Anonymous]

Hi, I am new to this forum and wanted to stop by and say hello to all of you. We keep about 16 hens for egg production. I love my girls, they are a joy to keep.

I am not sure, but think a couple of my hens may have lice or mites. Today all I had to treat them with is 7 dust, so I dusted the hens, put 7dust in the holes they dust in and dusted their perch. I hope this will help until I can get some Diatomaceous earth. What else should I do? Would worming my chickens help with this? I have had chickens for several years and have never had a problem with this. Am I doing something wrong, or neglecting doing something right? Appreciate your responses to my many questions. Thanks.

 

[Sue]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Worming won't help with lice or mites, but dusting them and their bedding/dust baths etc. will. You can also get sprays and spot on treatments in the UK (not sure about Mississippi). You will need to repeat the dusting at regular intervals to make sure you get rid of any newly hatched. If it's red mite they have then you will also need to treat their house as they don't live on the birds but come out of hiding at night. We have various products to use in the UK, but you will need to find something to spray into the house as this is the only way to kill red mite.

 

[Tim]

Welcome to the forum, thanks for joining us

Sue's advice is great, I'd do just that. The only product we have here that kills worms and lice / mites are products that contain ivermectin. They are usually sold as spot on treatments but aren't licensed over here for poultry and you need a vet to prescribe it in order to use it on chickens (legally!)