[PaulineM]

Hi
I did my first big clean out today. I brushed everything out and then sprayed poultry shield all over the coop, when dry I brushed on a diatom slurry in all corners and on the perches etc. I made my slurry with the diluted poultry shield a drop of fairy liquid and the diatom (Hope that was correct).
I found 3 earwigs living under the slide out floor, diatom slurry now there, but worse was I think I found 2 dead fleas at the very bottom of one of the nestboxes. I squashed one but no blood or popping sound.
When I got my chooks they were louse powdered before leaving the place but I had also used diatom powder in nestboxes and dust baths etc. Has this killed the fleas or should I just frontline them to be sure. So far we can only catch one of the chooks. If I frontline them do I have to discard the eggs.
Sorry for the long winded thread.
Thanks

[joyfull]

You could just to be sure, I use the frontline spray that was prescribed for my chickens by my vet (as it isn't licenced for poultry). There is no withdrawal period so you can keep eating their eggs 

[carolbriar]

Joyfull, do you just squirt in one area or do you have to spray the whole bird as you would if you were doing a dog?  I have frontline spot on which I am going to try for the first time.  Pauline, which frontline have you got for your hens?  Mine is the dog and cat one although you can get a kitten one.  My vet said to use half of one for each hen but I have to say that one or two drops is all I would use. 
Carol

[joyfull]

Just drip one or two drops (depends on the size of bird - 2 for large fowl) on their back between their shoulder blades, you don't want them to ingest it whilst preening. With the spray I just do a short squirt in the same place.

[Kym503]

I used the kitten strength one on my hens.  I tried to put 2 drops on each hen and ended up using a packet of three applications on my 7 hens....total price £14 from  Pets at Home.

[hillfooter]

Doesn't sound too seriuus to me and I wouldn't use any medication without being sure there's a need.  I take it that you haven't had them long.

Re diatom I assume you used dilute Poultry Shield not neat.  I use Vanodine V18 which is just a disinfectant which is usable on dirty surfaces ie it's not inactivated by dirt but if you don't have this, dilute Poultry Shield or just water with a dash of the fairy liquid would be fine.
Best wishes
HF

[PaulineM]

Hi Everyone
Thanks for the replies!
I haven't got any Frontline yet but suppose it would be good to get some and give them a spray or whatever, it protects them from red mite and scaly leg too, doesn't it?
I have had my girls nearly 3 weeks now and I did use the diluted poultry shield for my diatom slurry.

[hillfooter]

Hi Everyone
Thanks for the replies!
I haven't got any Frontline yet but suppose it would be good to get some and give them a spray or whatever, it protects them from red mite and scaly leg too, doesn't it?
I have had my girls nearly 3 weeks now and I did use the diluted poultry shield for my diatom slurry.

Although Frontline will kill RM it's not an effective solution as it just kills the adult blood sucking stages and RM only visit a chicken to feed the rest of the time they live in the house where eggs can remain dormant for months so a pesticide which zapps them in the house is the best solution as it gets all stages of their life cycle and will clean up an infestation which Frontline will only suppress or kill slowly and then won't touch dormant eggs and the nymph stages.
HF

[PaulineM]

Thanks HF
I think I will catch my one girl that can be caught and check her over for lice etc, I take it if she appears clear then they all are probably clear. No point in spending more money on something I hopefully don't need.
Fingers crossed! 

[PaulineM]

ARGHH!!!!
I've checked and ooh there is lice!
I seen one very tiny one near her vent, caught it and killed it, then checked under her wing and found one more, killed it. When my husband put her down there was one on his top! Definitely caught it, it was a bigger one. Will get some Frontline tomorrow, wish I could magic some up tonight but can't. Would they live on us? I will do the dogs tomorrow too. So do I need to Frontline every month now?
Will I need to clear out the coop again etc?

[PaulineM]

Update
Bought Frontline for Cats 3 pipettes, one pipettes did all six chickens, They were not amused, had to catch them when they went to bed! Next day I checked the one we can catch and not a thing on her, so hopefully its the same for them all now.
Thanks everyone for reading and replying to my topic.
Pauline   

[nicky d]

Update
Bought Frontline for Cats 3 pipettes, one pipettes did all six chickens, They were not amused, had to catch them when they went to bed! Next day I checked the one we can catch and not a thing on her, so hopefully its the same for them all now.
Thanks everyone for reading and replying to my topic.
Pauline   

Just give her another check in 7 days time just incase the frontline didnt get the hatching eggs.    I do my girls every 3 mths.   nickyx

[Kym503]

If I ever need it again I'll get teh cat strength rather than kitten...It seems there must be more in a pipette if you only used one for 6 hens!

[PaulineM]

Hi Kym
I don't know if there is more in a cat pipette it has only 0.5ml. I had all 3 pipettes with me when I went to do it. I just kept contact with the chickens skin and when I saw liquid on their skins I moved on to the next chicken. Mabel (the one we can catch) was last to be done and it seems to have been enough for her. Hope it has worked on all of them!
Maybe other members can say if one pipette was enough.

[joyfull]

the kitten strength one is the one recommended for chickens or the spray.