[matilda duck]

For the last 3 weeks I have been treating my chickens for lice.  Now I know these arn't the biggest problem in the world..... but my girls bottoms are now bare. 

They are laying fine, eating and drinking.  They are happy hens in all other areas.  They have access to a dust bath and have been covered in this powder (the black ones look white by the time i've finished)  any other ideas.  I can see the lice running on them.  What am I doing wrong or should I use something else???
This is what I have been using
http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Barrier_Louse_Powder.html

[Aunty]

Try some frontline (cat type) 

Read about it here :

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=5250.0

[Foxy]

ahhhhh the other thing is there is a difference between "barrier" louse powder as it is a repellent, so if you already have a few lice it will do diddly squat. Try diatom or as auntie suggests a quick spray with frontline drops or spray will very quickly sort them out. I would use in future diatom as this will actually kill the mite.

[matilda duck]

Ooooopps should have realised that     sorry

Will order some straight away....thankyou   again

[Aunty]

I've only ever used diatom and have never seen a louse or a mite so I think it works well.

[karlooben]

i used  louse powder an diatom and i still stuggled to get rid of them but i got there in the end .
and i was warned to not even consider using frontline on any bird and that was from my vets as i asked them if they had ever heard of anyone trying it i really dont think they were amused that i suggested it ,i know one vet actaully emailed defra  who  bascailly said it was a total no go zone as its not even ever been tested on birds and never will. i think they was talk of contacting the maunfactures but i havent heard anything back since although i am going back there monday so i could ask.

[Aunty]

There are very few medications which have been tested on poultry but a vet is quite at liberty to prescribe them as long as they explain it to the owner and gain the owners permission.

I had one of my chooks at the vets yesterday.  She had to have an anaesthetic so she could have an x-ray and is now on an anti-inflammatory.  Neither drug is licenced for poultry.

[karlooben]

that is true , i suppose though if it works try it . i must admit that if i had some frontline spare then i would of tried it but now my cat has gone to her new home i doubt i will ever need to buy it again .

[chooknewbie]

you would be suprised how much people medicine is used out of license, by us, and by doctors alike... I used to work in a chemist and the amount of times we had to dispense Salbutamol Liquid to children under 3 because a certain doctor was happy to prescribe it... totally out of license... we had to ring every time and let them know that it wasnt licensed for that use, but we were always told to go ahead..

[Aunty]

I would rather put my faith in a Dr or Vet than in a government department who won't issue a licence only because the boxes have not been ticked by the manufacturer because of the expense of carrying out the specific trials to tick said boxes.

[karlooben]

i am with you on that one , but it shows how different vets are as some would prescribe it and others wont .

[chooknewbie]

quite agree Aunty, used to make me so mad, and still does, that you cant buy stuff over the counter unless you tell them a fib and tell them you are going to use it for the reason it was "created"...rather than for something it really does work for...

[matilda duck]

You are so right there chooknewbie... I too used to work in a chemist and I remember having a discussion about canestan cream....apparently it was fantastic for atheletes foot due to it being a fungal cream..... but we were only allowed to sell it for thrush Same thing in my books.   . 

[chooknewbie]

drives you mad doesnt it!! although people using annusol on their face used to make me laugh!! apparently brilliant for wrinkles!   :blink: :blink: :blink:

[karlooben]

i aint got none to try it