[Vember]

I do constant checks on my birds and I make sure the coops etc are always treated. I had left my Newbies till tonight to allow them to settle before giving them the once over. Unfortunatley for them they were riddled one to the extent she's red raw  :cry:  

Maybe I should have checked them sooner but I didn't, I have treated all now and will do extra checks until I'm sure they're ok.

 To an untrained eye they seem ok laying as normal etc... but underneath lurking in the feathers are the horrid critters that must drive them mad.


Please everyone check your hens

Sorry to go on but it made me so mad when i saw the state of them :evil:
This problem can so easily be sorted there is just no need for it.

[Bodger]

Lice are easy to check for. Simply look at the base of the feathers around the BTMs  ( bottoms) of your chickens and watch the pale yellow lice  scuttle.  I treat all my chickens witha quick squirt of an aerosol after each and every show. I squirt at the base of the feathers around the vent, under each 'arm pit' and a final blast under the feather at the base of the neck for good measure.

[Vember]

Bodger you've hit the nail on the head
They are easy to check for so there is no need for the hens to suffer!

[Bodger]

To be honest, unless there are millions of them, hens don't really suffer too much health wise with lice and they are easily sorted. The real b******s to look out for are Northern Mite. They quite literally eat the birds alive and are far trickier to eradicate.

[Vember]

I know they're not a huge problem, its just there were approx 9/10+ feathers with egg clusters the size of a sultanas and zillions of the lice running about. I just got really mad.

  Sorry

[Foxy]

vember a really useful reminder particulary at this time of year. Time to get the powder out methinks!

[Aunt Sally]

Why can't I stop scratching now  :roll:

Mine have diatom in their dustbath.  It dehydrates any critters present, but mine don't mix with other birds like Bodgers so the chances of getting lice or mites are small.

[Bodger]

Vember
That sounds like millions, zap em

[treacleminer]

Hi, New to forum, but been lurking for a while.
What is the spray you use Bodger?  I've been dosing with barrier powder but still have one chicken covered in lice - and can't stop scratching thinking about them!
  Thanks

[Foxy]

Do you mean red mite barrier powder? thats only a repellent you will need  diatom or mitex -they are the same thing and kill the mite by dessication.  See here or Mitex is the same thing just a different name.

http://www.sprcentre.co.uk/diatomandpoultryshield.htm

the spray I use is Frontline spray however, this is NOT licensed for poultry and would only use prior to and after shows too, Bodger may use something different.

Diatom or Mitex dusted on the birds and sprinkled in their dustbath, plus something like Poultry Shield to treat the henhouse paying particular attention to nooks and crannies, under the perch etc., should eradicate the lice problem. However, this is only what I use! I find Mitex sorts lice/mites out pretty quickly!
Hope this helps!

[Bodger]

I use  some really good stuff called 'Mitekill'. I swear by it. Its designated use is for the treatment of wooden surfaces but I've used it on the chickens for about six year and its great.

[Vember]

I give a zap of frontline an it kill's 'em straight away

Think the Newbies have just had the best night's sleep eva without any irritation  

[treacleminer]

Thanks for tips.  I got some diatom last week after reading about it here, so will see if it has worked, otherwise will try to get hold of the Mitekill or may try the frontline - the chicken worst affected is refusing to lay anyway!

[Vember]

Not 100% sure if true,  but I have read that having a bad infestation of mites can lower egg production  

 :?

[Belinda]

I give a zap of frontline an it kill's 'em straight away.

Do you use frontline spot on the same as I use on the dogs obviously not the same amount or something different?