frogprincess Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 Today was the first day I have managed to hold the chickens for long enough, and still enough, to give them a reasonable (but not thorough - they always manage to get loose) going over. One of my babies, Tibshelf, has a couple of long, light brown lice (that I can see) and what looks like lots of eggs on the feathers on the back of her neck/head. I also saw something smaller and fast-moving near her bum. The other two seem all right. Tibshelf seems to have had her beak trimmed before we got her, and I wonder if that makes it more difficult for her to sort herself out. Anyway, she has seemed out of sorts for a while - now I think this must have a lot to do with it. I don't have any powders or sprays here, though I'm expecting diatom and anti mite powder from the Omlet shop to be delivered on Thursday. What should I do in the meantime? Should I take the poor girl to the vets? I suppose I'll need to sort them all out at the same time. I have read the sticky on mites and lice, but there are so many products that I am quite confused. You may have seen in another thread that we have had moorhens in the garden since the snow - I imagine they must be the most likely lice-bringers. I feel like I have let her down. Please help me! Thanks, Lesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 I got Barrier Louse Powder from my local Pets at Home store and then took all 3 of my hens to the vets as soon as I could get an appointment with the chicken vet where they had Xeno spot on; this was last week and the one hen on which I could actually see lice has started to show improvement very quickly and when I checked her yesterday there didn't seem to be any live lice on her. My vet only charged £8.26 for this but obviously this depends on the vet, worst is he says 28 day egg withdrawal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogprincess Posted January 3, 2010 Author Share Posted January 3, 2010 I'm off to Pets at Home right now - it closes at 4.30pm and it's 35 mins away! I'll call the vet first thing tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogprincess Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 Lovely vet has ordered some Xeno 200 spray and some Tylan soluble (they have an upper respiratory infection, which I have posted about elsewhere). I should be able tp pick the medicine up on Wednesday. Not cheap at all - the Xeno stuff was more expensive than the consultation! He was very good with Tibshelf, but he wasn't an expert in chickens, so he says he's going to have to find out about egg withdrawal and let me know. In the meantime, I think I'm going to cover them liberally in powder, and I may have to keep them confined to their cube run until the lake thaws and the moorhens go away. They won't like that. The man at the pet shop couldn't believe they had lice at this time of year - apparently they should all die off in the winter, but Tibshelf is teeming with the nasty little things. The vet says she's underweight (1.75kg), which I had noticed compared to the other two. I'm pretty sure she's bottom chicken, but I don't see the others stopping her from eating. Perhaps, once the lice are gone and they have finished the antibiotics, I'll wait a couple of weeks then worm them all. Does Flubenvet have to come from the vet, or can I get it online? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Glad to hear you are sorted. I am suprised also that lice are about this time of year when it's so cold (which reminds me to check my girls!) it could possibly be that because she's been poorly they have come on because she is under the weather. I bought flubenvet online (google it - loads of places sell it) and a tub will last you years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 You can get Xeno on line I think I paid £20 for mine, check to see if thats cheaper than the vet and consider it for next time Flubenvet can be bought on line (look for places that dont need a prescription) or from a place like Countrywide/Mole Valley Farmers/CWG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogprincess Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 The Xeno 200 was £30! I'll get it online next time I need it. I can't move my chickens around, so I suppose they are going to get worms at some point. Thanks for your advice x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
