Groovychook Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Well, it had to happen sometime... I feel guilty though as I've been checking the girls regularly, but only under the wings, around the neck and the vent. I've never seen any creepy crawlies on them before now but yesterday, after washing Phyliss' mucky bum feathers, saw that she had a few scabby patches around her vent. I'd noticed one patch a couple of weeks ago and put some sudocreme on it. Phyllis has been off lay for the past week too. I should have noticed the signs! No sign of anything around her vent, but had a look at her tummy to see lots of little tiny crawlies on her skin. I dusted her with some red mite powder and sprinkled the roosting bars with it. Went out after dark with a torch to inspect the cube and couldn't see any mites anywhere, so I'm presuming it's lice and not red mite I'm going to go and get some nettex total mite kill solution in a minute and going to give the cube a good scrub. I'll look for some buzz busters too to dust with afterwards. My question is, I've already got some Johnson's 'Anti-mite extra'. Should this kill the lice on it's own or do I need to go to the vets to get some ivomec eprinex straight away? The other thing I'm not sure about is where to spray... it says on the container to spray 3-5 pumps from the rear but do I not need to aim at her tummy to directly hit them? Also, should I spray the others as a precaution? I couldn't see any nasties on them but they tend to huddle together at bed time so I'm worried that they'll spread! I've also got 4 small 12 week old bantams in their own enclosure within the run... they have red mite powder in their dustbath, as do the big girls. Just wondering if I need to do anything extra? Sorry for the long, rambling post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Have a look at the lice and mite thread at the top of this forum section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted June 24, 2011 Author Share Posted June 24, 2011 Sorry Claret, should have said that I read through it last night... just me just panicking I'll order some meds from vet anyway and in the meantime, I'll spray around her rear end and hope that the johnsons stuff zaps them until then. I was just concerned as my vet never seems to have the meds I need for the chooks in stock so didn't know if the Johnsons would be effective until I could get hold of anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 The Johnson*s will help get rid of the lice that you can see, and you will need to spray again a week later but it's best used in conjunction with a quarterly preventative such as Ivermectin* or Ivomec Eprinex* *Not licensed for use on poultry in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted June 24, 2011 Author Share Posted June 24, 2011 House cleaned, sprayed and dusted. Big chooks all sprayed with anti mite extra & dust baths diatomed. I took my broody girl out of her cage, sprayed her and put her straight back in... hoping that the fumes from the spray on her behind won't contaminate her food & water I've checked over the babies as best as I can and can't see anything on them... have put some diatom in their dustbath and in their sleeping quarters just in case. Shall spray again next week and get some meds ordered. Phew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 Well, my vet has just rung me back and told me that the stuff I need to use is Frontline spray. When I suggested the Ivomec Eprimex, she said that it would be a bit harsh as it's a cattle wormer I'd rather use something that other chicken keepers can recommend and have just found this online; www.chicken-house.co.uk/acatalog/Harkamectin__ivermectin_Drops.html I'm obviously not going to get anywhere with my vet but wondered if this it worth trying this or is it a poor substitute? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 It's just a different combo - it isn't as successful in treating NFM as the Ivomec Eprinex* *Not licensed for use on poultry in the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 Thanks Claret... I think I'll give it a go. I'm just a bit wary now that I have some feathery legged chooks. I'll have to be extra vigilant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Just dose them quarterly and spray their legs once a month and you ought to be alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 A week after the second dose of Johnsons and the application of harkamectin* drops, I have found creepy crawlies on Phyllis again . Not many in number but as a precaution, I've sprayed the lot again with the Johnsons and am going to get some Frontline Spray* from the vets on Monday. My question is, as it is only a week since the last application of Johnsons, plus the fact I'm going to use the Frontline as soon as I get it, will I still need to repeat with the Johnsons in a weeks time? It's just that I've had one day- yesterday where I could consume any eggs laid and I'm trying to avoid another 2 week without! I was hoping that I'd be able to eat them in a weeks time and avoid the second dose of Johnsons? I'll also be doing a thorough clean and dusting in the house today, but should I be changing the contents of the dustbath too? I've been adding diatom, red mite powder & buzz busters, so I'm sure nothing nasty could be lurking in there *not registered for use with poultry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 You really only need to do two treatments a week apart - the bugs you saw were probably just those hatched from any lice eggs which escaped the spray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted July 10, 2011 Author Share Posted July 10, 2011 Thanks again Clare, Have just re read the sticky about lice & mites and found this that you posted; The lice/mite eggs will stay cemented onto the feathers unless you cut them off (the feathers that is). Provided your spray weekly for 3 weeks and use the preventative, you ought to catch all; the hatching lice/mites from those eggs. I can't see any eggs on the feathers so I'm hoping that last nights spraying will have zapped them all. I'll hold off on the Frontline for now then. Thanks for nipping my over-reaction in the bud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 That's OK, if you have a high incidence of lice or mites from the wild birds then you may need to spray monthly; I had to last summer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 I that the same Frontline that you would use on cats? I think that mine could all do with a dose of something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 It is (but it's not licensed for use on poultry in the UK) you'd have to check on the dosage too. I dose mine with a preventative quarterly and it mostly keeps the lice free, although last year was a bad one so I sprayed them monthly as well. That kept on top of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Presumably you have to have an egg withdrawal each time? I dust mine with Total mite kill powder every couple of months but I have run out at the moment and I have been wondering about what to replace it with. We jet washed all of the housing yesterday because we were struggling to keep the red mite under control and it has all been sprayed with permethrin housing spray can't remember which brand. we even had to unscrew the front of the eglu and do all those nooks and crannies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Total Mite Kill powder is just Diatom under another (more expensive name). I'd recommend using Total Mite Kill concentrate to wash/spray the housing, then Buz Busters powder to dust it - both contain permethrin so are very effective. It's not licensed for use on poultry in the UK, but I put some Buz Busters in the dust bath too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Arghhhh!! The lice are back! I didn't get a chance to clean the cube at the weekend because of the vile weather. I checked Phyllis over last night and found more lice than ever I called in at the vets on the way home from work and picked up some Frontline Spray*. I've washed out the house, sprayed the nooks and crannies, changed all the bedding in the run, dusted with buzz busters and re daitom'd the dust baths. The bigger chooks have been sprayed- one squirt under each wing, two on their backs and one around the vent. The littlies have been 'ruffled' with some on a glove- as suggested by the vet. I'm just hoping that I've got them this time! I'm going to get some poultry shield and bathe them in a solution on Sunday- I'm working until then so that'll be the first chance I get. I hope I'm doing the right thing by not using the Johnsons this time but my vet said that the Frontline* should be enough on it's own. Fingers crossed! *not licensed for use with poultry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Sounds like you're having a really tricky time with these creepy crawlies Can I ask what is probably a stupid question? Are you spraying the feathers or parting the feathers and spraying down to the skin? The spray needs to make contact with the skin as this is where the lice live - spray just the feathers and you will likely miss the lice. When my girls had lice, I was really thorough about parting the feathers and making sure the spray made contact with the lice. My mum held the chooks so that I had both hands free for spraying duties. I used Johnsons Anti Mite Spray and it worked a treat. If this is what you are already doing then my apologies - just keep at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted July 22, 2011 Author Share Posted July 22, 2011 Sounds like you're having a really tricky time with these creepy crawlies Can I ask what is probably a stupid question? Are you spraying the feathers or parting the feathers and spraying down to the skin? . Yes, I am! I parted and OH sprayed!! I cannot understand why they keep coming back. That's why I changed the whole of the bedding in the run in case that could be harbouring the little blighters!! I tried to get hold of some Poultry Shield in town today but couldn't find it anywhere... I'm not sure what else I could use for bathing them in... I'm feeling completely exasperated by them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Is your chicken house/run anywhere near a bird table/feeder? I'd treat the whole of the housing with Total Mite Kill concentrate then dust with Buz Busters. Treat the girls with either Ivermectin* or Ivomec Eprinex* every quarter then spray weekly with Johnsons*. Continue spraying until they are gone. There has to be some 'bank' of lice hiding somewhere *Not licensed for use on poultry in the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted July 22, 2011 Author Share Posted July 22, 2011 Is your chicken house/run anywhere near a bird table/feeder? No, but there is a tree overhanging the back of the run and a hedge down one side. I wondered if that could be a source We are going to side the hedge just in case. Our garden is full of wild birds as we live right out in the countryside. I'd treat the whole of the housing with Total Mite Kill concentrate then dust with Buz Busters. Treat the girls with either Ivermectin* or Ivomec Eprinex* every quarter then spray weekly with Johnsons*. Continue spraying until they are gone.*Not licensed for use on poultry in the UK I've used Total Mite Kill in the cube, but not in the timer of the walk in run. I've dusted with buzz busters too but again, only in the cube and the dustbaths. I didn't use the Johnsons this time as my vet said just to use the Frontline*(at £38 ). I originally asked her to prescribe me some Ivomec Eprinex* but she was unwilling to do so. I treated them with Harkamectin* last time- along with the Johnsons* but it didn't do the trick. *Not licensed for use on poultry in the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
