Solitary chicken - need advice

[ruth1]

well not long back from the vet with ella who took a bad turn on sat and has been living in the house since then.

With a bit of extra TLC she seemed brighter on sunday and her usual cheeky self yesterday but she had a really mucky bum and her feet were looking really bad again so of we went to the vet again and i'll be honest I wasnt expecting to bring her home However

 

At the surgery the vet announced that she was covered in lice Mortified! Im a bit fanatic about checking for crawly things but id missed them on her but he did say it could have been the heat in the house that had triggered it of( not that that made me feel any better) and id done the right thing on sat by bringing her into the warmth.

So now shes dosed with treatment for lice has has scabs snipped of her feet with new cream to try and contrary to all advice ive been given about Bumblefoot I have been told to pick the scabs of a bit at a time.

So tomorrow Im going to try to finish work early and cover everyone in DE just in case.

I still feel bad about it poor little girl.

[chelsea]

please dont feel bad.

 

Our chooks live the life of reilly here and we found lice on our Ella a few months ago, we do everything we possibly can for them and the blighters (lice) still found a way....

 

lice are a common problem. She will be fine.

 

Johnsons mite spray worked a treat on Ella.

[eggalp]

how often do you spray your chickens with johnsons anti mite spray? i have used this for the first time tonight and as i find it difficult to catch my chucks i just threw some sunflower seeds on the floor and sprayed them all round the bum whilst they were eating. Do you think this will work?

[blackgold]

Does anybody spray or dust as a precaution?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Don't feel bad about them getting lice! They get them from wild birds not from any neglect on our part!

 

Molly had them a couple of months ago. The Johnsons spray worked a treat. I think you spray them for 3 days but you have to withdraw eggs during treatment and for a couple of days afterwards (can't remember the details & the can's in the shed!)

 

I wouldn't spray as a precaution as you'd then not be able to eat the eggs.

 

Here's a thread which may help:

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=24048&view=unread#unread

[Gamebird]

Hi

 

Sorry to hear about your problems with Ella.

 

For the prevention (and treatment of) lice, scaly leg mite and some worms I use Xeno 200.

 

I put 7 sprays on the back of each chicken's neck in the evening after they have gone to bed. They are quite sleepy it this time and easy to handle without stressing them.

 

However, this product is not licenced for use with chickens and there is supposed to be a 7 day egg withdrawal period. Personally I have eaten the eggs during this time and I have as yet not felt any ill effects.

 

So far (touches wood) my girls have not had any problems with lice.

 

You might also find this thread useful.

[ruth1]

Thanks guys I usually dust the girls with DE every so often and puff some in the cube every week. Ive been out and looked at the big girls already and cant see any signs but ill DE them later anyway, Just got the Bantams to check and they are more likely since they've been with Ella over the last few weeks.

I'll nip out and get some Johnstons stuff later for them, I'll keep Ella seperate until im sure they are all gone.

I felt itchy all last night and couldnt sleep as I felt so bad,Thank god ive got a good vet. It was Xeno that he treated Ella with, didnt mention egg withdrawal but she not laying anyway.

[chelsea]

Does anybody spray or dust as a precaution?

 

Yes we dust as a precaution every time we worm the chooks (approx every 3-4 months) and we probably do it a bit more in the summer (if its hot).

[Egluntyne]

I always add a dollop of diatom to the Aubiose in the nesting box as a precaution.

[mostin]

Hi

 

Sorry to hear about your problems with Ella.

 

For the prevention (and treatment of) lice, scaly leg mite and some worms I use Xeno 200.

 

I put 7 sprays on the back of each chicken's neck in the evening after they have gone to bed. They are quite sleepy it this time and easy to handle without stressing them.

 

However, this product is not licenced for use with chickens and there is supposed to be a 7 day egg withdrawal period. Personally I have eaten the eggs during this time and I have as yet not felt any ill effects.

 

So far (touches wood) my girls have not had any problems with lice.

 

You might also find this thread useful.

 

I do justy the same, I use it as a precaution and a treatment. I also use so much Diatom in the eglu each week I'm suprised their not athmatic, and the bedding straw is treated with tea tree which is also supposed to keep mites away.

[sandyhas3chucks]

I thought the invermectin in Exeno isn't licenced for poultry but the box says for birds. I also thought that recommendation was for permanent egg withdrwal? (AnY one?) My vet said it's not to be used on animals for consumption & thougt that would go for eggs too. so am off for that Johbsons stuff tommorrow!

[Chicken Licken]

DE although it is meant to be effective for lice has very mixed results. Barrier lice powder is a good preventative but not such a great cure. Many vets will offer products not licenced for use with birds like frontline and Invomec Eprinex - all of which have an egg wihdrawl period, but folk seem to get on really well withthe Johnsons spray. I had a bit of a louse trauma last summer - touch wood they have not returned!! I still frontline the eglu periodically just in case and always add barrier powder in to their bedding, Good luck getting rid of the little menaces

[Chicken Licken]

DE although it is meant to be effective for lice has very mixed results. Barrier lice powder is a good preventative but not such a great cure. Many vets will offer products not licenced for use with birds like frontline and Invomec Eprinex - all of which have an egg wihdrawl period, but folk seem to get on really well withthe Johnsons spray. I had a bit of a louse trauma last summer - touch wood they have not returned!! I still frontline the eglu periodically just in case and always add barrier powder in to their bedding, Good luck getting rid of the little menaces

[Chicken Licken]

DE although it is meant to be effective for lice has very mixed results. Barrier lice powder is a good preventative but not such a great cure. Many vets will offer products not licenced for use with birds like frontline and Invomec Eprinex - all of which have an egg wihdrawl period, but folk seem to get on really well withthe Johnsons spray. I had a bit of a louse trauma last summer - touch wood they have not returned!! I still frontline the eglu periodically just in case and always add barrier powder in to their bedding, Good luck getting rid of the little menaces

[ruth1]

Well ive DE'd and used the Jonhsons on the Banties and I cant see any sign of anything now( but they are so fluffy its unbelievable), Ella looks clear to, Gave her a bath last night which she loved, not that shes got a lot of feathers as she's still quite bald after the big girls plucking her, and De'd her again once she was dry ( bit overkill perhaps) but im taking no chances that there are any lingering.

So I Think Ellas on the mend, compared to last weekend when I thought I was going to loose her today shes been strutting around the living room eyeballing the cats,shes a real people chicken and i think shes loving the attention.