[newChickenMummy]

Hi guys

Hope everyone had a good new year and is enjoying the snow! 

We've just noticed that our girls have what looks like northern fowl mites  They all have dirty bums and on further inspection I noticed loads of eggs and little grey mites on the base of the feathers around the vent. I checked all three of them and they all have them.

After reading some of the posts on here I've ordered some Duramitex plus and about to go and buy some Frontline drops but not sure what to get and how much to use? Should I get the one for dogs or cats?

Also not sure what to do I read somewhere that I should bath each of them in a diluted solution of poultry shield (their back ends are filthy) but I don't want to stress them out and they don't particularly like being picked up or handled. Also not sure how much they will like being hairdryed!

They seem to be ok at the moment, still laying but a little bit quieter than normal. Going to get them some fishy cat food and ordered some poultry spice and acv. Anything else I should get for them?

Any advice on how best to handle this would be appreciated.

Many thanks
Liz x

[chickenlady]

Hello! I have never used frontline on my hens but i do believe it is the kitten strength frontline and just a couple of drops on the back of the neck.
My vet advised that if i used it and as its not licensed for poultry that a 7-14 day egg withdrawel should be observed! I am contemplating getting some for my amberlink who has a really persistant bout of scaley leg which im told frontline is fantastic for.

Debbie

[joyfull]

My vet prescribed the spray on frontline and never mentioned egg withdrawel so we ate them  , mind you I don't sell my eggs so only had us to worry about should we develop any illness from eating them. However you will have to sign for it as like chickenlady says it is not licenced for poultry.

[Foxy]

sounds like a simple case of lice. Don't worry too much. Just use the duramitex plus, then again in 6 days to sort out any hatchling lice from those eggs.

You don't really need both products right now.

Bathing is fine, but a watchout is the very cold weather. They need to be absolutely dry before taking them outside again.

Chooks dont really mind being bathed too much, if they are used to being handled.

For scaley leg use the drops not spray, and make sure that vaseline is also used on the legs to cover. Benzyl Benzoate(from chemists) is another good treatment for leg mite, just paint on twice a day for a week or so.

[newChickenMummy]

Thanks everyone, I feel a bit more relaxed about it now 

Thanks Foxy I really hope it is just lice These things were white grey colour and lots of eggs the same sort of colour? They were quite bit as well bigger than the red mite which they had earlier this year but we got rid of in the end with diatom.

I have the Duramitex on order so I'm hoping it'll come quickly. Silly question but do I spray all over the girls or just around the vent area? Think I'll leave bathing them for now as bit worried in this weather that I won't be able to get them dry if they don't like the hairdryer!

Thank heavens for this forum, I really don't know what I'd do without it!!

[Foxy]

When I have used a similar spray,(I have used Johnsons lice spray, and Frontline spray both are good, Frontline more effective just not studied in poultry) I just did vent, back of head, shoulders, vent and sort of rubbed it in. I then changed bedding, and placed diatom in nestboxes and on the perches. It was only a couple of birds this time last year actually.

About 5 days later I did them again, but the lice had gone, although the eggs took a bit of removing, they look glued to the feather shaft like white/grey icing sugar.

It does seem that birds under the weather are more prone to lice, not sure if that is true, but it is worth a thorough check and maybe a little poultry spice if you are worried, plus garlic in the water as a bit of a pick me up

[dizzylizzie]

i have used frontline drops for cats on my hens. Its fab, i didnt observe an egg withdrawal, ate all the eggs and lived to tell the tale
i use 2-3 drops on the back of the neck for smallish birds and 3-4 drops for my marens/bigger girls. NEVER put the drops under their wings!!!!
it will kill everything, including scaley leg mite-you may have to repeat in a few weeks time. One thing, my local pet stuff store are registered to sell it, but if they know its for hens, they wont give it to me

[newChickenMummy]

Thanks I've been searching the net for pictures and been out and looked at them again and you're right they are definitely lice and not northern mite - thankfully!

Just dusted them again with diatom although now run out but have some on order. Already add garlic to their water and have ordered some acv so will add that also.

Will try with the spray when it comes.

Thanks for your help  

[joyfull]

Wher abouts in the country are you newchicken mummy - I have lots of diaton and if you are local could let you have some to tide you over 

[newChickenMummy]

Ah bless ya joyfull but I'm in Suffolk so a bit too far  nice of you to offer though, I ordered the diatom on Saturday so I'm hoping it shouldn't take too long to arrive.

[PhyllsFarmFamily]

When you put the Frontline drops on their neck do you also put it on in the vent area or will doing just the neck be ok?   

[beulah59]

The drops are absorbed so it's a systemic treatment ... the neck will do it all!