4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[jill the potter]

Hi, I know this question has been asked before on other threads but I would like to know fairly quickly as my poor little Korma is crawling with lice. Have been using louse powder on the bedding and in their dust bath, but never managed to get much on the chickens themselves. Korma seems to be excessively preening so got OH to hold one end and checked her rear end - hmg!!!! she is crawling with them (strangly Tikka seems clear) Gave her a good coating of powder - jet washed eglu etc, but this morning she's still covered in them.

 

Local vet has suggested Frontline spray, but after reading up yesterday that won't kill lice as they are not boodsucking, so I'm really confused and want to get rid of the little b's a.s.a.p. She seems ok in herself and is still laying, just cant bear the thought of them crawling all over her. Have read that Ivermectin works on all parasites and worms which on the face of it would be a good all round solution. Anyone got experience of this product as I would like to order some today! Thanks,

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Nip down to the pet shop and get some Johnsons mite spray works a treat one spray and they should be gone. Any decent pet shop should stock it- the liink below shows the product.

 

http://www.seapets.co.uk/product-details/stkcode/456550/category/442.html

[jill the potter]

Hi, Thanks for that - will get some this morning! Would still like anyone's views on Ivermectin as I'm sure they're overdue being wormed and thought this would sort out more than one problem, but as it's quite expensive I don't want to waste my money on something that doesn't work!

[Egluntyne]

Xeno 200 will do the trick too. *not licenced for use on poultry in UK

[Alfred]

I would have thought frontline would work as it acts through contact rather than via the blood? Its not licensed though.

[Gamebird]

I would agree with Egluntine. I use Xeno 200 and I have never had a problem with lice or worms.

 

It's a good product and very easy to apply.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I treated Milly for lice with the Johnson's spray and the wee blighters were gone instantly (couple of days withdrawal for eggs though ).

[jill the potter]

Hi, thanks everyone for your replies - have ordered some Xeno 200 but had a bit of trouble with my internet connection so don't think it will arrive before the end of the week. Meanwhile bought some Johnsons and gave Korma a good spraying with that (not easy on your own!!!) She was really good and didn't complain at all. Made me feel even more sorry for her, poor thing...with all those things crawling all over her. Even if this works I will still use the Xeno 200 when it arrives on both of them as I think it's time they should be wormed anyway.

 

Have been reading up on parasites and free-ranging birds and feel like this will be a continuing problem unless I can keep them seperate from wild birds, and dont like the thought of having to apply stuff every month or so and loosing a week's eggs every time!!!!

 

Have to admit - even though I know these things don't live on humans - I haven't stopped itching and scratching myself since I found the horrible little creepies!!!!! It's like the first time you discover your children have nits!!!!!!

[Hen Watch]

Be interested to see how your poor girl is getting on 2 days after the Johnson's treatment. Is she OK??? Did the Johnson's do the trick?

[jill the potter]

Well, I'm pretty sure they're gone! OH away till tomorrow so dont have anyone to hold 'the head end' Will give her a more thorough check when he gets back. Will still use Xeno200 when it arrives, but so far so good.

 

I see you're a 'night owl' too henwatch!

[The Dogmother]

Might be worth checking her general health Jill as bad infestation often means that the hen is ailing in another way.

 

Did you check the others too? If one has them, then the rest are likely to.

[jill the potter]

Yes I was worried about that, but Korma is still laying beautiful eggs and doing all her normal chickeny things and is quite lively. I can see her now from the window in the office rolling around in her dustbath!

I was a bit confused why I couldn't see anything on Tikka, but plan to do them both when the Xeno200 arrives (hopefully tomorrow!!!) Just wish I could stop scratching !!!

[sandyhas3chucks]

just wanted to put this out for opinions.

I was talking to someone with lots of chooks, who's vet is an avian specialist (apparentrly)

This guy said that INVERMECTIN (spot on treatments) are designed forcats & dogs ( I know I've read rabbits & G Pigs too) well it works ststemically in the fatty layer under the skin & he sayys that as chickens don't have a fatty later they are useless.

Ok....... thoughts back???

[ruth1]

Ive just had this problem and the vet dropped on some Xeno, and i treated the others with johnson's which worked a treat and followed it up with some DE, all gone within a few days.

 

Horrible little things

[bluekarin]

I managed to pick our Daisy up and sit on a chair with her on my lap! While she was there I thought I'd have a look at her skin just to see. And what do I find? A louse!! They don't half look like headlice! I am in town tomorrow so shall get some of this Johnson's spray and see if that does the trick. I've had a look at the other two but can't see anything. I don't know if this is because their feathers are dark (Daisy is a creamy white hen) or if they have none. But I know what you mean about them making you feel itching. My skin has just started crawling now! Eurgh

[Hen Watch]

I see you're a 'night owl' too henwatch!

 

Oh yes, reallly, really need to go to bed, but get sucked into this forum late at night.

 

Glad to hear you think the Johnsons worked. I was interested, as I might just get some for my "chicken medicine cupboard" as it seems to have good reviews. I may have had my chooks 20 months now, and I observe them daily, but don't handle them a lot. Even though they have lice powder in the dust bath, I think I might give them a Johnsons spray anyway and put up with the few days egg withdrawal. They are laying less and I think they are going through the "henoupause" but I may just try the spray anyway.

[jill the potter]

It's what I had read about that these ' spot- on ' treatments too - that they actually kill parasites that are blood sucking like fleas, but might not actually kill lice which feed on dead skin and feathers. Have agonised about what is the best to do - and the fact that my girls have the luxury of free ranging for most of the day ,'cause I work at home, seems unfair that they are most suseptable to getting these horrible biddies from wild birds makes me mad!! I have to say though that the Johnson's mite spray seems to be some sort of miracle!!! as I've looked twice today and still can't see a thing!!!!!! (problem is I've just had a letter from specsavers for an apointment !!! Maybe need a thread on 'nesting box' about the price of specs!!

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I used Frontline for cats, as I was recommended by a fellow chook-mum - although I didn't tell the petshop where I bought it that it was for chooks!

 

I put a tiny drop on each of the chooks necks, and (I think) a drop at the top of their tails. One phial did all 3 chooks and I hid the empty phial in the poop tray under a handful of shredded paper. I felt that any residual liquid in the phial may as well evaporate into the eglu rather than the bin & may kill off a few bugs into the bargain!

 

Can't remember if we had a withdrawal period, but the little blighters were gone very quickly....and so far, haven't returned

 

I'm pretty certain it's not licensed for chickens though.

 

Sha x

[jill the potter]

That's very interesting.... I think we all just have to try and see what works for each of us, but it's good to read what we are all doing to help our chooks. What worries me is that OH was just starting to warm to them and now he's like ' Ew Ew Ew ' so need to buid up his trust again (aren't men so childlike!!) But must admit my skin is still crawling!!!!

[The Dogmother]

I have used both the Johnsons spray and Ivomec Eprinex drops for years now, and they work wonderfully.

 

It is important to remember though that while many of these products are often recommended by vets and are effective; they are not licensed for use on poultry in the UK, and we have to be careful to state that each time we recommend/mention their use on the forum.... just to cover ourselves. As such, we can recommend them on a personal basis only and must always use the disclaimer above.

[Egluntyne]

I used Frontline for cats, as I was recommended by a fellow chook-mum - although I didn't tell the petshop where I bought it that it was for chooks!

 

I put a tiny drop on each of the chooks necks, and (I think) a drop at the top of their tails. One phial did all 3 chooks and I hid the empty phial in the poop tray under a handful of shredded paper. I felt that any residual liquid in the phial may as well evaporate into the eglu rather than the bin & may kill off a few bugs into the bargain!

 

Can't remember if we had a withdrawal period, but the little blighters were gone very quickly....and so far, haven't returned

 

I'm pretty certain it's not licensed for chickens though.

 

Sha x

 

 

Have a look at **this article**

 

There is an egg withdrawal, but as Claret says, as many of the products aren't licensed for use in poultry, and for that reason the forum can't officially advise on them. It is best to get specific advice from your vet.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I really wasn't functioning on enough cylinders at 12.41 this morning to post a link to the info/warnings pages! I was only up whilst waiting for my daughter's school blouse to finish in the washing machine ready for this morning , and the forum makes a very good distraction from sleep as we all know!!

 

We did withdraw the eggs, but I know we didn't leave it for 28 days, probably just a week - hopefully we won't show any nasty signs later....but we haven't had lice!!! Will know better next time, thank you Egluntine for linking the info here (have bookmarked it now!)

 

Sha x

[Egluntyne]

I really wasn't functioning on enough cylinders at 12.41 this morning to post a link to the info/warnings pages! I was only up whilst waiting for my daughter's school blouse to finish in the washing machine ready for this morning , and the forum makes a very good distraction from sleep as we all know!!

I've done that a time or two myself.

[sandyhas3chucks]

I wouldn't use that poison on my dogs,(spot on treatments) unless I really HAD to, it is pretty lethal though effective on dogs & cats. I just have trouble with putting chemicals inside any animal unnecessarily. If you read the precautions for us the aadministratoer of these treatments, you might worry about using them.

I posted the other day about an avian specialist vet in Hampshire saying that as they work by being absorbed in the subcutaneause fat layer that chooks don't have, makes it useless on them.

I know poeple use them, but I wonder on the facts of the theory????

 

Pymytherium has been used for years sucessfully & is naturall.

[sandyhas3chucks]

Sorry re read... yes me onm my soap box. Afraid it is a bit of a thing like natural feeding for dogs etc etc etc. sorry if upset anyone but definately want too hear the experts thoughts, as I know vets don't agree on lots too!