Single hen

[The Dogmother]

Just a reminder to check your birds as there seem to be a lot of lice about at the moment.

 

I hadn't done mine as much as I'd like because of the cold weather, and found yesterday that 3 of the girls have crawlers, so out with the lice treatments and wormers! As they had lice, rather than just a preventative treatment, I will dose them again in a week's time as well to really knock it on the head.

 

Make sure to check your girls, dose if necessary and top up their dustbath with some Diatom and/or Red Mite powder to help combat the little crawlers.

[PurpleTree]

What lice treatments do you use?

[The Dogmother]

Personally, I treat with drops on the neck of either Ivomec Eprinex or Xeno 200 and spray topically with Johnson's Mite Spray.

 

I also topped up their dustbath in the run and added some Diatom and red mite powder to that .

 

*none of these products is licenced for use on poultry in the UK, but are recommended by most vets*

 

There is a lot of advice in the FAQ section re lice treatment.

[Cinnamon]

Funnily I dosed half my flock yesterday for the first time this year too.

 

I didn't check for lice, but have dosed them anyhow, as I will every couple of months until winter comes back now

[The Dogmother]

I usually do it religiously too, but somehow, the idea of standing out there in a snow storm, dosing dozy chickens didn't appeal

[chelsea]

thanks for the reminder , will nudge OH to do it right now! Was horrified the first time I found lice .....it will be the last time!

[PurpleTree]

could anyone post a link to a good place to buy lice treatment, eg xeno 200 or the other one Claret mentioned? I honestly can't see anything on them, but Squeak's preening of her neck area is worrying me. I've been puffing DE powder all over the place already.

[fluffyknickers]

I would like to buy some too.

 

Do they have to be a certain age to do it and should i take them to the vets to do it?

 

Thanks

Michelle

[fluffyknickers]

just spoke to my vets - asked me LOADS of questions - about the breed of them, what I use at the moment, where the diatom is, how often (I got a bit flumoxed at the interogation, being a novice ).

 

Anyway they said they have xenox (sp) and going to phone the manufacturers to find out how much I need and the cost!

 

They also have a Vet that specialises in poultry and I am going to register with them and the nurse said I could always bring them in for the vet to have a look at when i get the lice stuff. At the same time I could talk about worming.

 

Will post on here soon as they call me and tell me the cost and see if cheaper on line or something.

x

[fluffyknickers]

The one they reccomend is Xeonx and for 6 tubes its £27.05 and the nurse said a tube each so i would have another three tubes for the next time.

 

However she also said that the Vet who specialises wasnt there at the time and he would give me lots more info and help (like if they need it yet, how much, how often etc).

 

Also i am bringing them in for a consulation and a check over and advise on Thursday - didnt think it was a bad price of £18.33. Thought it would be good to meet the vet, let him see the girls and have a chat about worming, lice, mites etc.

 

M

[Cinnamon]

The Eprinex I got was about £25 for a huge bottle, & will last for years I reckon

 

They only need a couple of drops per dose, as its cow strength, apparantly.

 

You can only got it via vet I think, & likewise for the Xenox.

[Daphne]

We found crawlies on one of the girls at the weekend so treatments all round. Quite glad to hear theres a lot of them about; you always feel you've been negligent somehow, even though rationally you know its almost inevitable at some time or other!

[PurpleTree]

I went into my local vets soon after getting my girls, just to enquire if they treat chickens. The girl behind the desk looked like she'd never heard of a chicken, and I thought I must've had two heads the way she was looking at me. She went off and asked the vet, came back and said they can 'do the basics'. Not sure what that woud be, but they didn't fill me with much confidence. Just really hope my girls never have anything wrong with them.

 

I did a quick search for Xeno yesterday, but got a bit confused, seemed to be a few different sorts.

[The Dogmother]

I can get Xeno 200 from our local pharmacy, but it's £25 for a spray, so it's more economical to stick to the big bottle of Ivomec Eprinex that Sarah and I use.

 

If you don't already do so, then now's the time to start a regular worming and lice routine, remember that the vet recommends 7 days egg withdrawal with both these products.

 

*these products are not licenced for use on poultry in the UK, but most vets recommend them*

[PurpleTree]

Is this the right stuff?

 

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1502&currency=GBP

 

Did you weigh your chickens before dosing them?

 

I did a search for Ivomex Eprinex but got a bit confused and couldn't really find anything.

 

The more I read the more confused I get

[Cinnamon]

You really need to speak to your vet I think.

[The Dogmother]

That's the stuff

 

I got the Ivomec Eprinex from my vet, they ordered it in

 

Check with your vet before you use them though.

 

I don't weigh my girls, but then I have got used to estimating their weight over the years.