A question about lice

Eggcessive

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@Eggcessive I was wondering if you could give an opinion on my original question? It would be really appreciated, but don't worry if you're busy.
I would try to treat them at least twice or 3 times 10 days apart to get the live lice and then the newly hatched eggs. Permethrin spray or dust is very good to use. Spinosad, in some products is probably even better, but expensive. But the coop must be treated when all bedding and nest material is removed. Ivermectin which comes in oral or pour-on topical can be used as well. Nothing is easy when medicating chickens because the best treatment is individual. Lice are very bothersome, and make them jumpy and nervous from constantly itching. They will eventually spread to all chickens in the coop. I had chickens for years without lice, and then a good friend brought over a young cockerel of a breed I wanted. Unbeknownst to me, he had lice, and eventually all of my chickens had them.
 
Nov 11, 2020
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I did treat them ones a week for 3 weeks, I think (it was a little while ago) and they still came back.
They don't seem to be building up, it's only if you're really looking that one finds them, which is why I thought it might not be to much of a problem.
"it's only if you're really looking that one finds them"

Clean & remove bedding then treat the coop, nest box & chickens with products that kill lice & eggs both.Searching & treating the chickens you find it on won't get rid of them.
 

Sussex19

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I would try to treat them at least twice or 3 times 10 days apart to get the live lice and then the newly hatched eggs. Permethrin spray or dust is very good to use. Spinosad, in some products is probably even better, but expensive. But the coop must be treated when all bedding and nest material is removed. Ivermectin which comes in oral or pour-on topical can be used as well. Nothing is easy when medicating chickens because the best treatment is individual. Lice are very bothersome, and make them jumpy and nervous from constantly itching. They will eventually spread to all chickens in the coop. I had chickens for years without lice, and then a good friend brought over a young cockerel of a breed I wanted. Unbeknownst to me, he had lice, and eventually all of my chickens had them.
Thanks very much!
We're got Permethrin based dust, so good to hear that works well.
I think what I'll do is wait until the flocks a bit smaller (there's quite a lot of cockerel in the moment) and then treat them all and clean out the coop.
Does the coop need cleaning every week too, when the chickens get treated, or is just ones enough?
Also it's a wooden coop, with quite a few nooks and cracks, I can pressure wash it which works well, and then should I sprinkle the dust around the cracks?
 
Nov 11, 2020
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Your chickens may be gotten lice thru a friends or neighbors chickens or even wild birds. Lice and mites both can also be carried on peoples shoes and clothes and spread quickly untreated. If you're getting rid of the cockerels please do so with full disclosure .
 

Sussex19

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Jul 3, 2022
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Your chickens may be gotten lice thru a friends or neighbors chickens or even wild birds. Lice and mites both can also be carried on peoples shoes and clothes and spread quickly untreated. If you're getting rid of the cockerels please do so with full disclosure .
I think the lice came with the chickens when we first bought them, and were pretty much though all the birds by the time we noticed them.
There isn't any neighbours with chicken for at least a few kilometres.
And I meant to say we're not selling birds at the moment so the cockerels go to the freezer.
 
Nov 11, 2020
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If you're not willing to treat all the birds at the same time and the coop you will keep lice.
No parasite is good for a flock, internal or external. Having lice robs them of vital nutrients and causes pain and suffering which leads to disease.If having them since you got the chickens hasn't convinced you to get rid of them I don't know what will.
 

Eggcessive

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It is hard to do a complete cleanout and treatment of the coop at 10 day intervals. I cannot say weather it would be better to do it after the first treatment or the second. A lot of chicken keeping comes from your experiences.
 

Sussex19

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Jul 3, 2022
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NSW Australia
you're not willing to treat all the birds at the same time and the coop you will keep lice.
No parasite is good for a flock, internal or external. Having lice robs them of vital nutrients and causes pain and suffering which leads to disease.If having them since you got the chickens hasn't convinced you to get rid of them I don't know what will.
Oh, I am going to treat them all, it's just I had read, with some parasites like worms in horses that its actually best management to tolerate small populations; they don't do the horse harm unless they get out of hand and then you treat them.
So I was wondering if it's the same with external parasites in chickens, it seems its not so of course I'll treat them.
 

Sussex19

Songster
Jul 3, 2022
165
356
100
NSW Australia
It is hard to do a complete cleanout and treatment of the coop at 10 day intervals. I cannot say weather it would be better to do it after the first treatment or the second. A lot of chicken keeping comes from your experiences.
I'll see what the weather's like, if it's good drying weather I'll do it twice; ones the first time and ones the last time.
 

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