The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Izzy on July 03, 2015, 03:04:28 pm
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I got new hybrid layers about 3 months ago. They came with lice (no eggs visible) and I have dusted them twice with Permethrin based powder. I have just noticed that the plumage on the undercarriage and flanks of one girl looks not normal and I suspect the treatment has not worked and she has a major lice and louse eggs infestation. She appears very well and is too lively to catch until bedtime (everyone has gone to the game fair so no helpers!)
Is there any point in giving her a warm water bath to physically get lice and eggs off her? She could then dry overnight next to aga and then get dusted with the others at breakfast time.
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I thought the powder only killed the lice but not the eggs, so you may be caught in the cycle and need to do more regularly to stop new eggs being laid. Not sure how often you can actually powder them though. I know I used to pluck the majority of the eggs off the chicken to reduce numbers and bring the lice under control. Others may correct me
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Diatomaceous Earth punctures the casing on the eggs and they dry up. You could give her a real good dusting in it and give all the hens access to a DE dustbath so they can treat themselves. Make sure you get food quality DE though in case they ingest any of it.
Picking off a heavy infestation will take you forever and be uncomfortable for your hen.
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I have used neem oil successively in washing egg cases off bottoms. I got it off Ebay. Could'nt say the same about the Xeno range of insecticide. You can get vials of this from the vet for about a fiver each which is quite expensive and goes on the back of the neck. Check again after a couple of weeks and do again if need be. I do worry however, about excessive use of this and there is an egg withdrawal period of a week. Diatom powder is probably better although wore a dust mask
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Thank you all for your suggestions
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Check and treat at weekly intervals until you're satisfied there are no more lice or eggs, to break the hatch-grow-breed cycle. If one has them all are very likely to have them and they can be seriously debilitating or fatal if the bird is old, unwell or challenged by something like moulting or broodiness.
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The good news is that the situation is not nearly as bad as feared. I think the clumpy plumage that I'd noticed was just wet and not infested with nits. Quite a few girls had no lice, a few had some visible and only one had lice and a small number of eggs on the feathers near the vent. So they have been dusted with DE and I will do them a few more times in the next month. Thank you all for your advice
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well done. You seem to have got on top of it now and you have a good plan :thumbsup: