Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[chickencam]

I have a 5 year old hen who has a bad infestation of lice, she had egg clusters on her vent feathers, we have treated her with a permethrin powder twice in the past 2 weeks and cut away the worst dirty feathers. I understood that with any permethrin product that you should have a 7 day egg withdrawal, not an issue with my old lady but I was wondering about this if I treat the others. I have dusted the 2 non layers well and given a light dusting to 3 of the others the 4th wouldn't let us near her when she saw what was happening to her friends

 

Also if I bought one of the Xeno products is there an egg withdrawal with those and which one should I buy there seem to be spot ons and sprays and I am confused. Upto now we have survived by using preventative measures like Diatom and other dust treatments, but with Mother having a bad infestation I feel that I need something to make sure the others don't go the same way. I think that she is particularly bad because she is slowing down and they have gone for the weak bird.

[The Dogmother]

If you're using permethrin powder* then you may as well use a permethrin-based spray* as they tend to be more effective and easier/less messy to use - 2 treatments a week apart ought to do it. Technically one ought to withdraw eggs from human consumption as the active ingredient isn't licensed for laying hens, nor humans. Having said that, after reading that there's never been any documented trace of it getting into the eggs, I have never withdrawn the eggs and am no weirder than normal.

 

Ivomec Eprinex* (sold as a cattle pour-on) is slightly more effective than Xeno and will also deal with Northern Fowl Mites. I use this quarterly on the recommendation of my poultry specialist vet (see dosing bumf here) When I asked him about egg withdrawal he shrugged and said that the active ingredient is used to treat humans in undeveloped countries and while he wouldn't want me to sell the eggs, nor eat them if I was pregnant, that it was my choice.

 

*not licensed for use on poultry in the UK.