Omlet Smart Autodoor - New in box

[catherinedon]

My girls keep getting lice. This time I have to admit not checking them properly for a while as am busy going through the statementing process for 2 of my 4 children. When I finally had time to look properly as the weather is getting nicer I was horrified. THe majority of the girls have really bad lice. obvious lice moving around and huge huge clusters of grey white eggs at base of feathers. I sat in the garden for far too long pulling out the feathers with the eggs attached and I think I got rid of most I then sprayed with a lice treatment. One thing that worries me is the bedding. Im wondering if this is a problem. I have an eglu and a cube in a home made roofed run. As recomended by my hatchery the floor is covered with a wood chip that they sell and in the nesting boxes I put an inside wood chip which I change weekly. The hatchery have said to only change the ground wood chip every 6 months or even less. It seems such a long time to me but is a big job as there are approx 6 large bags at a time in there. This winter we covered the outside(mesh) wals of teh run with clear tarpaulin and have now taken it off. It really smells bad in there now and I will change very soon. Am I now looking after these girls well enough I have also noticed that although they have plenty room and are allowed in the garden approx 2 times a week their self caring is very poor. I have had to clip all of their nails and they never dirt bath like they used to when I first got them. THey often look boared One of my girls is a silky and has the most awful feet. I presume it's scaley foot but she has had it for ages and none of the others have it. should I put a bag of pebbles/stones in their run so their nails wear down? At a loss but feeling bad as they just dont seem right although they are well fed and have lovely shiny feathers and lay well. They are fed on garvo and a weekly cabbage

[Egghead68]

Others will know more than me but I didn't want you to go unanswered.

 

There is lots of information on lice and mites in the sticky at the top of this page.

 

For scaley leg mite one of many possible treatments is ivermectin. You can order it from the Internet. I have used Easymec in the past - put 4 drops on the skin on the back of the hen's neck where she can't preen.

 

Don't pull feathers out - this must really hurt. For lice you can dust them with louse powder.

 

Put a ground sanitiser down on the floor of your run weekly. There are lots but Stalosan is one.

 

If the ground smells bad I would dig it out first.

 

Don't leave mouldy food in the run - it can cause problems.

 

You need to worm them with flubenvet every three months.

 

I am concerned that they are not dust bathing and their nails have grown long. Maybe you could take the worst affected to a chicken-friendly vet to be checked over.

Edited May 25, 2012 by Guest

[angeluk69]

My girls keep getting lice. This time I have to admit not checking them properly for a while as am busy going through the statementing process for 2 of my 4 children. When I finally had time to look properly as the weather is getting nicer I was horrified. THe majority of the girls have really bad lice. obvious lice moving around and huge huge clusters of grey white eggs at base of feathers. I sat in the garden for far too long pulling out the feathers with the eggs attached and I think I got rid of most I then sprayed with a lice treatment.One thing that worries me is the bedding. Im wondering if this is a problem. I have an eglu and a cube in a home made roofed run. As recomended by my hatchery the floor is covered with a wood chip that they sell and in the nesting boxes I put an inside wood chip which I change weekly. The hatchery have said to only change the ground wood chip every 6 months or even less. It seems such a long time to me but is a big job as there are approx 6 large bags at a time in there. This winter we covered the outside(mesh) wals of teh run with clear tarpaulin and have now taken it off. It really smells bad in there now and I will change very soon. Am I now looking after these girls well enough I have also noticed that although they have plenty room and are allowed in the garden approx 2 times a week their self caring is very poor. I have had to clip all of their nails and they never dirt bath like they used to when I first got them. THey often look boared One of my girls is a silky and has the most awful feet. I presume it's scaley foot but she has had it for ages and none of the others have it. should I put a bag of pebbles/stones in their run so their nails wear down? At a loss but feeling bad as they just dont seem right although they are well fed and have lovely shiny feathers and lay well. They are fed on garvo and a weekly cabbage

 

Im a new chicken owner, so maybe my suggestions are wrong (if so I am sure we shal both be corrected)

 

Are you making sure that you disinfect the eglu and cube every so often? I don't have an eglu I have a wooden coop and disinfect it fully and then when dry dust with DE, making sure that the perches are scrubbed clean and dusted and that the nooks are coated in powder. I got the shock of my life when I saw red mites last weekend, am now extra vigilant about powdering.

 

Have you been advised to pull out the feathers? I was told not to do this as it causes unnecessary pain and stress to the hen... Dusting regularly with lice powder and making sure it gets to the skin should be enough.

 

Do you regularly poo pick? If not doing regular pick ups you will get some bad smells. I would recommend Stalosan F for ground sanitising, and use as per the directions...as has already been suggested give the ground a really good dig and use the Stalosan F for a couple of days and then weekly. This should help.

 

I would treat get the scaly mite treated as soon as you can.

[Plum]

You'll get on top of it soon. When you've cleaned out your run you can use StalosanF or dig some garden lime in to sweeten the ground. If you aren't poo picking then I would sprinkle a handful or two of Stalosan every week to keep the ground healthy.

 

They are probably looking bored because they are weakened by the lice. As the others have said it needs treating and repeating until they are free. Then I would use something regularly as a preventative.

 

Scaley leg is painful and not easy to treat on a fluffy leg. I've used Scaley leg spray and repeated in 5 days which has been effective or there are other ways and the one on the back of the neck sounds ideal.

 

I'd give them a tonic like Lifeguard to give them a boost after your problems and they'll soon be up to their mischievous ways again.

 

Chin up you'll get there

[catherinedon]

Hi everyone thanks for the information. I have a manual on chicken keeping at it advised the only way to get rid of the eggs at the base of the feather was to remove feathers. The girls surprisingly didn't seem to mind this. As for poo picking no I don't do this. The hatchery where I get mine don't do this as the poo drops to the bottom of the wood chip flooring. I like the idea of sprinkling the disinfectant on the flooring thanks. yes the eglu and cube are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected weekly. I shall plough on and will try a tonic thanks again

[Henslaved]

If I see any lice on mine they all get a spraying of Johnson's Anti-Mite Spray (*not licensed for use on poultry in the UK). Then I check them again a week later and repeat if necessary. Works for me .

 

I use Stalosan in the run also, and Lifeguard in their water every so often. I also have some Johnsons Scaly Leg Cream, never used it, so not sure whether it treats it or just relieves the symptoms.

 

As Plum says, you'll get there .

[catherinedon]

have used a whole tub of barrier louse powder cleared all of the eggs and used lots of diotom and given them break and a tonic. on inspection today lice as bad as ever loads of them running around on the girls and lots of eggs again Im really fed up. I have all new bedding waiting to be put in WIR but wont do until they are clear HEEELLP what do I do now. Right on closer inspection of 11 girls . THe girls who were clear still are 2 have eggs and lice again so cut lots of feathers again as this worked to reduce last time and a couple with tiny lice but no obvious eggs. I sprayed the lice with a repellant that I have and they instantly stopped moving. Dead or stunned? Hopefully dead by drowning if nothing else Then diotom rubbed into girls with lice. Am going to check every single day for a week as I reckon the problem is I treat then dont get time to check again fora week by which time more eggs have hatched. I have just had a lovely shower but still cant stop itching and it feels like something is crawling on me

[Angie]

I have been battling crawlies most of this year and finally i can see new feathers coming out on the girls.

I clean the cube weekly now ( it was every three days at first ) sprinkle buz buster powder and i DE in nest box.

The girls had a bath in dog flea shampoo. Dried carefully with hairdrier.

They were frontlined spot treated.....then....

I have used premthrin powder and spray a week apart for three weeks,

i even used flowers of sulphur on bald areas with some calming effect ....it is good i might add.

but what has done the trick is the Ivermectin xeno 450 spot on , which i will be repeating monthly .(with egg withdrawl)

I treated them for everything as recommended by my vet, it seems we started with the nasty NFM and red mite , thought it was depluming but treated finally for lice ( despite never seeing anything crawling on them )and i have new feathers growing, but lice can live for three months between feeds so will stay on top of it for quite a while. I have been burning the nest box bedding and the hemcore from the floor of the walk in run , due to loss of bum feathers i have not seen any egg casings ever, i have put powder in the ears as lice and NFM hide in there ears so when preening the problem is into a new cycle, tricky little devils i might add.

Through all this i have learnt not to give up and keep at it as it can go on a bit. And all the omleteers are here to help.

[The Dogmother]

If you treat them quarterly with a preventative such as Xeno* or Ivomec Eprinex* and spray any lice that you find with a permethrin-base spray* (two treatments a week apart) then you'll soon knock it on the head.

 

It is also important to treat the housing every week when you clear it out; I'd recommend washing it then spraying with Total Mite Kill Concentrate and powdering with Buz Busters, as the lice can hang around in there and re-infest the birds.

 

Regular checking and being vigilant should prevent an infestation, which is always difficult to tackle once it has taken hold.

 

As others have mentioned, the hens will be weakened by the lice sucking their blood, so a good poultry tonic such as Life-Guard in the water will work a treat in restoring them to health.

 

*not licensed for use on poultry in the UK

[catherinedon]

Glad to report thhat the girls are finally free of Lice

[clucker1]

Well Done!

It seems you have been through the mill with your girls, I take my hat off to you, especially when you must have such a busy life with your children