My chickens have lice!!!

MCchickies said:

I washed them yesterday after work, they’re actually really good for baths especially my silkies they really like baths (they don’t fuss at all) I made sure I blow dried them really good since it was calling for a cooler night. They’re still a little oily but I’m sure them dust bathing will help with the rest.

I have a question about where the lice came from? I have 3 fixed rabbits too that free roam in my shed (they’re not in direct contact with the chickens) I’ve checked them over and have found no lice on them - however there have been some mice living in my feed room this winter thats inside the shed, I’ve set traps and have caught 2 so far. Could the lice come from the mice?

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Acre4Me said:

Usually poultry lice (which are different than human/mammal lice) come from wild birds.

We’ve had a couple instances of lice. But, now that wild birds cannot get into our setup as easily, we haven’t had any instances.

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MCchickies said:

That’s the weird thing tho because there are no wild birds that can get into the coop, they’re currently inside fully as we haven’t set up the outdoor run yet. I take them outside after work for a bit for acouple of hours to free roam but they’re always monitored. Could they have gotten the mites from being outside?

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MCchickies said:

That’s the weird thing tho because there are no wild birds that can get into the coop, they’re currently inside fully as we haven’t set up the outdoor run yet. I take them outside after work for a bit for acouple of hours to free roam but they’re always monitored. Could they have gotten the mites from being outside?

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aart said:

Did you get them as day old chicks?

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MCchickies said:

I rescued the one silkie at 8 weeks and quarantined her for two weeks before getting more, 2 weeks later I got 4 more chicks (8 weeks old) and quarantined them. I just recently got some 12 week chicks and quarantined them before putting them with my current flock - they were the only two that didn’t have any lice which I thought was odd

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aart said:

Chances are the bugs came in with some of these birds.
BTDT.

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MCchickies said:

Oh wow even with quarantining?

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MCchickies said:

Oh wow even with quarantining?

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