chickens roosting in trees

[green]

I couldn't find any of the more widely used sprays recommended on the forum for lice and mite in my local horsey shop, instead I came across a 'harmless insecticide spray for racing pigeons to destroy lice, fleas, ticks and red mite'. It can be used to treat birds and housing and it's got 0,25% Pyrethrin. Is this ok to use on chickens? Is there an egg withdrawal period?

 

I had a look online and read that Permethrin (which seems to be more widely used on chooks) is a synthetic version of Pyrethrin and has much greater potential for causing toxicity. Surely I should be quite safe using Pyrethrin? Has anyone else used it?

[The Dogmother]

You are quite right, they have the same action according to my vet.

 

While it is not licensed for use on poultry in the UK, and normal egg withdrawal periods would apply, people use it for the treatment of lice/mites

[green]

Thanks for replying.

 

I presume the egg withdrawal period is 7 days? What a shame, my Bluebelle has only just started laying and I probably need to treat the chooks again after 7 days to make sure all the lice are gone, so that means binning her lovely eggs for two weeks.

 

According to Wikipedia Pyrethrin is 'probably the safest of all insecticides for use in food plants' and that 'a pyrethrum formulation is approved for use around foodstuffs', so maybe it's safe to eat the eggs...?

[Snowy]

If you look at the hazards of pyrethrum ingestion, you probably wouldn't want to knowingly ingest any! I know the amounts in an egg are likely to be minute, but it can cause convulsions, respiratory problems, allergies, reproductive problems and is carcinogenic in animals (not been tested on humans yet). These risks are increased in children as their systems are not mature enough to break down the toxins.

[The Dogmother]

... yet it is used in some headlice treatments!

[Snowy]

I was quite surprised when I read it! I think you have to ingest quite a lot for it to be toxic, and the amount that gets through into the egg would probably be miniscule. Plus absorbing it through the skin does change the way it acts as opposed to ingestion. I probably put enough junk into my body already without adding to it! (I don't use headlice treatments either - comb and conditioner only here!)

[green]

Thanks for your replies. I had another look at the stickies, and found this quote on Johnson's Anti-Mite Spray which is also Pyrethrum based.

 

I've spoken to a very nice lady on the other end of the Johnson's Veterinary health line and she says that

* if the eggs are for your own consumption, withdraw them for 48 hours after treatment

* if you are selling your eggs to the general public, withdraw them for 7 days

 

Here's the thread. > viewtopic.php?f=41&t=24048

 

I'm quite happy doing that, so I'll throw away the first two eggs and keep the rest.