Poultry lice--BIG lesson learned

[deidreg]

My Salmon Faverolles hen, Fleur, has been recovering from a hard molt and being bullied. She's almost three. She has not been able to preen or dustbathe. Yesterday, I went to clean her bottom and discovered she was infested with poultry lice. I isolated her. Fortunately I had Elector PSP on hand and treated her (and the rest of the flock) immediately. I followed up with a thorough bath for Fleur today. I was horrified at the level of infestation and kept apologizing to her while rinsing away dead lice and picking out nits. I'll repeat in a week and hope it will be less traumatic.

So what is the lesson learned? INSPECT YOUR FLOCK REGULARLY!! I could have caught this sooner if I just lifted her feathers and looked.

I hope this is the first and last time I deal with poultry lice.

 

[Jenbirdee]

don't beat yourself up. i didnt know to look at their bums until one day i read about it and looked and yup, lice. I also felt really bad. but we do the best we can for them, and it is all a learning process. thanks for sharing, this thread is helpful to others

 

[Isabella6Storm4]

I've lost a couple hens to external parasites and I feel so bad for it cuz its easily preventable.
You are not alone.
I should actually check them soon. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Debbie292d]

We sprinkle food-grade DE (diatomaceous earth) or First Saturday's Lime on the floor and in nest boxes about every other week. We never get mites, lice, and no bug lasts long in the coop. I don't have a favorite product between the two really, but have been using the DE in my macaw parrot cages for fruit flies and pantry moths for about 20 years.

We also use horse bedding pellets for the floor of the coop and brooder which keeps them bone dry, and that helps too.

 

[Sunshine009]

Also dealing with a lice infestation - luckily its pretty mild.

Unfortunately here in Canada, ALL lice treatments for chickens are completely banned. You can get Elector PSP but only for cows so you have to be careful with how you dilute it.

So far I'm treating with Diamotaceous earth in dust baths but also rubbed into their skin twice a week. Also had another backyard flock keeper recommend Bronco fly spray so they get treatment with that as well. Not sure its gotten better but I think it hasn't gotten any worse!