Warm boot recommendations please

[The Dogmother]

Speaking to lots of chickeny people on Sunday, I have heard that this year seems to be a record (so far) for lice and mite infestations in poultry. More worrying is that Northern Fowl Mites are on the increase - they are hard to shift and a heavy infestation can make the bird poorly and run down. Lice and NFM require diferent treatments to get rid of them:

 

Lice: Little brown critters running around at the base of the feathers; easily treated with Xeno200 spray or any other Ivermectin based product *not licenced for use on poultry in the UK*

 

 

Northern Fowl Mites (NFM) are harder to see, mainly because they are tiny. The first sign of an infestation will be a chicken with dirty knickers, as they tend to congregate around the vent. The accumulation of mites, mite poo and eggs sticks the fluff feathers together and then the chooks own poo gets caught. They are tiny grey critters which move quicker than lice and are about half the size. Ivermectin doesn't usually work with them, although I always recommend it is used anyway (Ivomec Eprinex does work though). The chickens will need bathing carefully in a solution of Poultry Shield, diluted at a ratio of 20:1, dry them off then treat with Ivomec Eprinex and spray with Johnsons Anti-Mite Spray, which is pyrethrum based. I have also been told that it is OK to use a pyrethrum/permethrin based powder sold as an ant killer! *not licenced for use on poultry in the UK*

 

NFM can also live in the housing for up to 3 weeks, so the house will need to be cleaned carefully and sprayed with Poultry Shield once a week for 3 weeks.

 

 

Please take care to wear gloves when handling hens with NFM as they can bite humans and cause a nasty rash. Any bird which has had NFM will need building up afterwards with high protein feed and a poultry tonic.

 

Good luck and be sure to check your birds regularly.

[ClaireG]

Thanks for the heads up Clare. One of mine had lice so i treated them all just incase, doesn't help that broodies are more prone either

[dancing cloud]

Can you use the xeno/xenex spot-ons on hens? I know none of it is licensed for use on poultry in th UK, but was wondering if anyone had tried this?

 

I noticed this morning that Chance seemed to have a wet and dirty bottom, so will have to try and grab her to give her a check over. I usually can't grab her at all, so this may be something of a challenge and giving them all a daub with a spot-on while they are asleep may be much less traumatic for all concerned !

[The Dogmother]

Can you use the xeno/xenex spot-ons on hens? I know none of it is licensed for use on poultry in th UK, but was wondering if anyone had tried this?

 

Looking at the list of active ingredients, I don't see why not. But it's best checked with your vet to be sure.

[Falkor]

Yep......sleeping chooks are much easier! I had to do my lot last week cos the orps had mites and I gave up trying to do them in the day time

 

I used the Johnson Anti-mite spray and seems to have worked

[Jules.]

Thanks for the very useful heads up, Clare.

 

The bad news is I have literally just discovered Petra has lice ewww

The good news is that I didn't discover the lice this coming Saturday during my hen party, like I did last summer

 

I need to go to the horse shop tomorrow anyway to get grit, red mite powder, stalosan type powder & layers pellets, and as my friend B currently has my lice spray I'll get some more of that, too.

 

*digs deep & finds credit card*

[The Dogmother]

I am bumping this up after two more PMs re lice and mites

[Budgies]

Would it be possible to make this thread sticky as it's going to be such a bad year for all the beasties that chooks suffer with?

[The Dogmother]

I don't see why not, we can always unstickify it when it's no longer needed

[mostin]

I haven't found any lice on my girlies yet but my light sussex who once had scaley leg was nibbling at her leg scales last night, so all 11 girls got dosed with xeno 200 (not licensed for poultry in the uk) and I will be doing them again in a wekks time, and then in a month.

 

These warm humid conditions are prime breeding for ice and mites. I am taking the prevention is better than cure route.

[Budgies]

I don't see why not, we can always unstickify it when it's no longer needed

 

Lovely, many thanks Clare. I''ve been quoting it on threads about possible lice/mites and keep having to hunt for it - no more!

[The Dogmother]

I was doing the same Budgies.

 

Mostin, try spraying her legs with the Johnson's anti-mite spray - that worked well for one of my girls. It takes ages for the scraggy scales to moult off and their legs are never quite the same again.

[Guest]

HI

 

Probably not perfect lice treatment but a breeder suggested to me hanging a pair of tights up full of lice powder so as they come out the pop hole in the mornings they get a dusting?? UM Mind you if their house is low down I am sure mine would peck at this..I imagine the tights have to be high up. so the will be ideal

 

I am going to put some lice powder in my hemcore nest area today..just as a precaution as you all say it is damp warm and my horse looks like field mites are already starting on his legs for a couple of weeks.

 

indie

[The Dogmother]

I always sprinkle Diatom in the nest and the dustbath as a preventative.

[Budgies]

HI

 

Probably not perfect lice treatment but a breeder suggested to me hanging a pair of tights up full of lice powder so as they come out the pop hole in the mornings they get a dusting??

 

I can't quite see that working somehow. Lice don't live in the feathers but on the chicken's skin so anything you rub into them to help combat lice must be rubbed directly into the skin between the feathers with your finger tips. Would be nice if it was that easy!!

[The Dogmother]

The good news is that I inspected my friend's flock yesterday and we can't see any signs of live mites *wooo hoo*

 

We washed (in Poultry Shield dilution) a few bottoms and removed all the dead mite eggs and layers of dead skin that were matted in the botty fluff. They're all clean now and look happier.

 

I've set her up with an ongoing preventative routine and warnings to keep an eye on it now that she knows what to look for. So she's inspecting regularly, rinsing the eglu with a solution of Poultry Shield, and using ant powder (permethrin *not licenced for use on poultry in the UK) in the dust bath and nest area

[tidygirlsuk]

The good news is that I inspected my friend's flock yesterday and we can't see any signs of live mites *wooo hoo*

 

We washed (in Poultry Shield dilution) a few bottoms and removed all the dead mite eggs and layers of dead skin that were matted in the botty fluff. They're all clean now and look happier.

 

I've set her up with an ongoing preventative routine and warnings to keep an eye on it now that she knows what to look for. So she's inspecting regularly, rinsing the eglu with a solution of Poultry Shield, and using ant powder (permethrin *not licenced for use on poultry in the UK) in the dust bath and nest area

 

Two of my girls have dirty feathers under vents and I think mites. I have ordered poultry sheild from shop but It han't arrived yesterday. I have diatom which I have dusted them both with. I have red mite powder which I use in the house. I have got xeno but i don't really want to use it if i don't have to because of the egg with drawel period. What shall I do to get rid of them ? I have ant powder too how do you use that ? And can you use the eggs. Thank you

[The Dogmother]

If they have mites then you'll see something like the picture that I posted at the top of this thread, be sure though as lice and mites look quite different and need different treatments.

 

Mites don't respond to Xeno*, but will respond to Ivomec Eprinex* which has a slightly different ingredient mix.

 

If they are mites rather than just pooey pants, then follow the regime I recommend and that should clear them.

 

*not licenced for use on poultry in the UK*

 

Any product containing Ivermectin or permethrin requires a 7 day egg withdrawal period.

[tidygirlsuk]

If they have mites then you'll see something like the picture that I posted at the top of this thread, be sure though as lice and mites look quite different and need different treatments.

 

Mites don't respond to Xeno*, but will respond to Ivomec Eprinex* which has a slightly different ingredient mix.

 

If they are mites rather than just pooey pants, then follow the regime I recommend and that should clear them.

 

*not licenced for use on poultry in the UK*

 

Any product containing Ivermectin or permethrin requires a 7 day egg withdrawal period.

 

Sorry to be a pest but I don't think it is mites. I can't see creapy crawlies, just poo stuck under vent. I'm going to bath them tomorrow. I clean their house every week and it is always covered in diatom earth, mite powder ect... and the dust bath is. I think that I'm reading chicken clinic forum to much and being a worry wart. I'll keep checking though. Thank you for the reply.

[The Dogmother]

P'rhaps they just have pooey bums and need to be cleaned off - a dry diet with Boakshi Bran and live yoghurt will help.

[tidygirlsuk]

ok thanks

[Sheilaz]

Good advice. The other thing to think of is worms, do you worm regularly with Flubenvet? Otherwise, perhaps just need a clean up, but best to consider possibilities.

[tidygirlsuk]

Good advice. The other thing to think of is worms, do you worm regularly with Flubenvet? Otherwise, perhaps just need a clean up, but best to consider possibilities.

 

I use verm x which I know people on here don't like it much, but people that I have spoken to who have large flocks use verm x and never had problems with worms. Mine are all due to be wormed next week. I might get flubenvet when my verm x runs out. Thanks for advise.

[Chucky Mama]

Can you use the xeno/xenex spot-ons on hens? I know none of it is licensed for use on poultry in th UK, but was wondering if anyone had tried this?

 

Looking at the list of active ingredients, I don't see why not. But it's best checked with your vet to be sure.

 

 

Just to clarify the position with Xeno 450 and Xeno Spray. Is it as we know "Not Licensed for use in Poultry* It is widely used however and this is 'considered safe'. Of the 2 products Xeno 450 spot on is considered the best applied on the skin between the wings. 1 dose should be enough but it can be reapplied after 1 week if necessary. Eggs should NOT be consumed for 1 week after the last application. Xeno Spray can be used but as 'self application' is considered a risk Xeno 450 is advised as the better opiton again eggs should not be consumed for 1 week after application.

This comes direct from the technical team at Genitrix and I hope that the info is helpful.

 

oh, I almost forgot to add; don't forget that if you are using Permethrin (which is not in Xeno or Xeno 450) it is highly toxic to cats

[ajayb]

I spotted lice on one of my hens a few weeks back; immediately dusted them and started the Xeno 450 fortnightly treatment (applied when they're roosting!). Like other posters, I reckon I keep the eglu extremely clean and use DE powder twice weekly, and I think mine picked them up from wild birds nesting in our straw/hay store ... Anyhow, although I don't see any adult lice (on the hens that will let me look) some do still have the grey cement-like eggs at the base of their feathers. I have one more of the Xeno treatments to go this weekend. Will the eggs - assuming they're dealt with by the Xeno - come off of their own accord or do I (horror!) have to bathe the hens to remove them?