[Sparkle]

Hi

Its been a busy few days here!

Background:One of my elderly hens died at the weekend bless her and I checked her over and she had lice. (I checked all of Aunty's advice and photos of creepy crawlies) So I treated all of the others with diatom powder  (at much distress to them my OH and me, at dead of night) and the coop with poultry shield (but there were no mites detected in coop or broody arc).

After my broody hen had a unsuccessful brood (fertilised eggs were from a friend and none hatched out after 25 days) I couldnt resist intervening and now she is the proud (and very protective/aggressive) mum to 3 1-week old pekin bantams. Before getting the chicks I checked my broody hen for lice and treated her and the broody arc with diatom powder.

BUT all my girls still seem to be scratching a bit and I could do with some advice please for both mum and others, bearing in mind that it is a huge mission to catch any of them in daylight.(apart from broody who is just stroppy)- I don't want to freak out any of them but feel I should do more expecially as I am told the chicks could die from lice infection even though they are not blood suckers

PLEASE HELP!

[Sue33]

might be worth trying johnson mite spray, I did all my chooks recently, the diatom hadn't worked even after a couple of applications and the coop being liberally dusted with it.  It says on the spray apply weekly until lice have gone, so i'm gonna give them a good check over tomorrow and maybe do them again.

Not sure about the babies though ??

[joyfull]

Broody hens are prone to getting lice. I treat mine with frontline spray that I get off my vet (not licenced for poultry so you have to sign for it). They all need treating and the coop cleaning thoroughly. Try ringing your vet up to ask how much johnsons or frontline to use on the little ones. oh and well done on helping the 3 to hatch 

[Vember]

I'd be very wary of using sprays round the little ones, they will sit under Mum all night after her treatment and I doubt very much that will do any of them any good

Just my thoughts, I would prob squish any found on babies daily until they are a bit bigger, unless they start to look ill

Really tough call in my opinion, I don't like breathing in them sprays


Sarah

[Sparkle]

Thanks for your help and suggestions

I will ring the vets tomorrow and see what they reccommend for the young uns- I would rather not use anything too toxic but I really don't want any of them getting ill with the lice - if necessary I wil pick them off by hand!

And much as I would like to take the credit for helping the chicks hatch - actually all the fertilised eggs were rotten by the end and so after day 25 i cheated and bought some bantam chicks (mum is a warren/sussex) which were a week old and too cute for words and she took them under her wing beautifully and now they are hopping all over and she is teaching them how to scratch in the grass. The only problem is that she is SO aggressive (yes really!!) and panicky when I try and check her and the chicks over - but I guess I will just have to get braver!

Thanks again
Sparkle