Gallina Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 My hens have fleas. What is the best product to get rid of them fast, and where do you get it? I have tried pet shops, but they won't sell me anything and tell me I have to go to a vet. Can Frontline be sprayed on hens? I have rubbed them all over with Diatom, but have doubts that will be sufficient. (I have also been dusting myself with Diatom just in case.) I have never seen so many wild birds in my garden as this year, and blame them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Are they fleas or mites? You'll need to give the eglu and cube's a good clean out. I think you can use frontline, but it is not licenced for use on poultry in the UK and there may be an egg withdrawal period. Try getting hold of some red mite powder and give them and the houses a good coating Have a look here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Xeno 200 should see them off, although it is not licenced for use on poultry. I regularly (every 2 months) treat my girls with this and so far have not had any problems with lice, fleas or mites. There is supposed to be an egg withdrawal period of 7 days but I have always eaten their eggs with no adverse symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 The hens don't have mites. It's definitely fleas: I have seen them. Would Frontline for cats be marginally better than Frontline for dogs? I don't feel very happy about using it. I am surprised that you can't get any kind of special flea treatment for hens. There is nothing in the cubes themselves. The fleas move with the hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I wouldn't use Frontline. Xeno Spot On or Spray whilst not licensed for poultry is widely used and should kill fleas. Pyrethrin which is the active ingredient in most mite treatments will also kill fleas. The eggs and larvae that complete the lifecycle will be within the house and bedding so treating this is as important as the chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 When I had a serious lice infestation on one of my girls the vet gave me frontline - it is a spray for dogs and cats and **not licenced for poultry** but did do the trick. 1 or 2 squirts under the vent and a 7 day egg withdrawal period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Frontline Spray is fine but I wouldn't use the Spot On. As Frontline Spray is prescription only you will have to take your chicken to see the Vet before you can get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 I went to one pet shop who refused to sell me anything and said I had to go to a vet. I have been to three vets, and none of them had any idea what you should use on hens. I went to a second pet shop, and they suggested I buy Johnson's Anti-Mite Extra, and ring Johnson's to ask if it was safe to use on hens. I rang them, and they said it was perfectly safe. As it has permethrin, I think it may be the solution. But when are pet shops and vets going to wake up to the idea that a lot of people have hens as pets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 That spray is very good Gallina, but be sure to use two doses a week apart to catch the newly hatched fleas. Recommended egg withdrawal is a week. An old poultry hand swears by ant powder that contains permethrin for dusting his birds and housing. It's tuppence ha'penny in Wilkinsons Note that this ingredient is toxic to cats *Not licenced for use on poultry in the UK* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I saw frontline being advertised in our chemists during the week, (Day Lewis). If you do go the frontline route make sure you use the spray not the spot on (can't remember why but it can be positively harmful to chooks) - although its not licensed for poultry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I saw frontline being advertised in our chemists during the week, (Day Lewis). If you do go the frontline route make sure you use the spray not the spot on (can't remember why but it can be positively harmful to chooks) - although its not licensed for poultry. hmm, as Frontline Spray is a Prescription only medicine it can only be supplied on Prescription which means the chemist could let you have it but only on the production of a prescription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 Thanks to everyone for their help. I did all ten hens with Johnson's Anti-Mite Extra, and it was extremely easy, as most of them crouched for me, and you only have to spray it in the area of their bottoms. I realize why I have to throw the eggs away for the next week: they will be rubbing their bottoms on the eggs (especially the two broody hens I have at the moment) and egg shells are permeable, so some of the spray will get through to the inside of the egg. But I am puzzled about how commercial breeders manage. Battery hens won't be a problem, as the egg doesn't actually touch the hen's external body as it comes out, and will go straight on to a conveyor belt uncontaminated. But do free-range breeders really throw away a week's supply of eggs every time they treat their hens? Permethrin is nasty stuff: even a very small amount can lead to changes in the brain, and it is thought to be a trigger of Parkinson's disease, according to this study: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2881431.stm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 I doubt that many large producers actually treat their hens for parasites; it probably wouldn't be commercially/financially viable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 interesting comment Claret, because I was recently wondering that thing myself. perhaps commercial outfits use something in the feed, or some kind of mass spray?? presumably if they didnt control parasites their egg production would fall, or would it not fall quickly enough to be perceived as a problem (coz the chooks reach the end of their productive life before the parasite effect kicks in?) hope the fleas are under control now gallina! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 I guess they coudl do a mass spray, but then the eggs would have to be withdrawn. My guess is that it doesn't get done in larger egg farming enterprises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
