koo2cat Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 My girls seem to suffer from lice . I was wondering how often can you and should you apply lice powder to them? Also does lice powder kill the eggs? I put it in the nest box every time I clean them out. They dust bath in the soil in their run as they won't use the lovely plastic one I bought but I do try and put some Diatom in that from time to time (it is very hard to reach as under their cube! ). Advice please would be a huge help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 What louse powder are you using? It it the lovely smelling Barrier powder? If so, apart from smelling very lovely, it doesn't do a lot I'm afraid, it certainly won't kill the lice. You will need to use a permethrin product such as Johnson's Anti-Mite spray to kill the lice. Part the feathers and spray onto the skin to kill the lice, then repeat a week later to catch any eggs that have hatched. This ought to rid you of your problem. As Johnson's spray is not licensed for chooks you need to withdraw eggs for 48 hours after each application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan08 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I dust my girls first weekend of the month with the Barrier powder, and shake some diatom in their bedding and their run covering each week. I havent had a lice problem, (yet), but would suggest that you need a specialist product once they are established to treat completely as Lavendars Blue suggests. Good Luck, horrid little things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koo2cat Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Thank you and I am using Nettex Total Mite Kill Powder which ran out half way through me dusting them today so then I used some Diatom Earth. Is it totally ineffective? It took me ages to catch them, wash them, dry them and dust them this morning (we have 7 birds). If it is ineffective then I will get some of the stuff you suggest and start again!!!! Pesky lice Grrrr! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Diatom isn't brilliant at killing the lice; I use it in their dustbath with wood ash. I'd recommend a preventative spot-on and spraying as discussed in this thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I read the thread above but am a bit concerned about which stuff to use, as I looked in a petshop at an aerosol spray for mites and in the small print it said not to use on a plastic cage. I'm assuming that it can't be used on our cubes, so can anyone tell me which is the best stuff for cubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Total Mite Kill (the pink spray, not the powder which I understand is just diatom) is what worked for me recently when I had redmite in the eglu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 The pink spray is the same as Total Mite Kill Concentrate, just more expensive! I use the concentrate when cleaning the housing and make it up into a spray, or use a watering can to swoosh it on. You're right, that powder is just Diatom, but their Buz busters contains permethrin and is brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koo2cat Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 I have received some Nettex Total Mite Kill Spray in the post today but it looks like this is just for the housing. I am assuming it doesn't go on the chicken?! Sorry if I am being a bit dumb here! If I can't use it on the birds is the Johnsons stuff the best way to go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 It isn't licensed for use on the chickens, but neither is the Johnsons spray... the active ingredient (permethrin) isn't licensed, although some folks use it successfully to get rid of lice and mites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koo2cat Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 So I can spray it on the chickens then? But just withdraw the eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 *Ummm* Technically you can, but it's not licensed to be used on the birds and you'd have to withdraw the eggs. You would need to do 2 treatments a week apart to kill the hatching eggs and then check again after a further week to make sure that they have all been nuked. You'd benefit from a good preventative routine which would help stop them getting lice and mites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Smedley Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Hi, Total Mite Kill has a bottle of concentrate or ready mixed spray that you use on hen houses, a red aerosol spray that again you use on hen houses a red tub of powder (lower concentration) - like louse powder- that you can use directly on the hens. It is all brilliant stuff. My friend sprayed her chicken's bum with the red aerosol spray as she thought it might have some bugs & it died the next day - when she checked the can it said not for direct use on hens- chicken house etc. only. She was distraught. Thankfully she'd only sprayed the one hen as she didn't have a lot left & was going to buy more the next day. Best to check the instructions just in case. I wouldn't risk using something that says "not for direct use on livestock" - it might not mean that there is an egg withdrawal issue but that it is harmful for the animal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 I have to say that while it isn't licensed for use on poultry in the UK, I was recommended by my vet to use it for lice and mites and have never had a fatality in all the years I've been using it - perhaps they just used too much or it was a coincidence and the bird was poorly anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
