Hens have lice; concerned for pullets!!

[chickenjones]

Ok, we just started keeping chickens last July so we are definitely new to the pest situation. We have figured out at least one hen has a lice problem. I know that if one does they all do. My question is about our pullets. We have 6 almost 3 month old pullets. They do not house with the hens but their mini-coop is outside the the regular coop about 4 feet off the ground. They don't interact with the older chickens. However when I get home from work we let the adults free range and put the chicks in their run for a while- which is attached to the adult coop. Does this mean even if we see no sign of lice on the chicks or bugs for that matter that they have them too? Should we treat them as well? Thanks for any info or advice!

 

[artsyrobin]

i would treat them as a precaution- i had a silkie that had it real bad- was clueless till i saw them walking up my arm! so i doused him in vegetable oil, and bathed him(in dawn) about 6 times that day, then powdered with poultry dust- then a bath weekly till i was sure they were gone- i would also suggest getting some diametous earth (DE) and sprinkling the coops and runs with it- a bad lice infestation can kill a hen

 

[chickenjones]

I feel horrible that I have put my ladies in danger! I have heard lice/mites can kill them. The only reason we saw anything is one of our hens had a poopy rear so we got some scissors to clip it off. We saw these clumps of white "stuff" on the end of her feathers around the vent. I thought they were more clumps of poo....that was two weeks ago!

Yesterday the same hen had some poo clumps on her fuzzy butt so we collected her again. This time we saw more white clumps and a lot of little bitty bugs running around her vent! ARGHHH!!!

So my and DH feel horrible. He is taking off work ASAP today to come home and treat everyone. I wouldn't have a clue how to treat them if I hadnt had this forum last night- everyone hear rocks!!

I will have him treat everyone. Thanks.

 

[artsyrobin]

oh i know how you feel! i had never seen lice like that, it was on a silky cockeral- he had really pretty 'fluffy' cheeks.... uhhh.... that wasn't fluff!

since then i've been real paranoid about it... it happens, now you know what to look for.... by the way, those clumps of fluff are really hard to get off, but i would brush him with a toothbrush to try to get them off, that was last summer and he still has some there, they are dead, but cemented on! so if you can't get them off, make sure you have killed them- you can use flea shampoo on them too..

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Here's a link discussing treatment of lice: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3181262

Do a search and you will find even more on the topic.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Treat all your poultry.

 

[theFox]

Don't forget the run and coop or they'll be right back on the birds.

 

[chickenjones]

Hi All,
well my DH has been working on the coop ALL DAY and all he has left is to change out the nest boxes. I think we have covered everything, including the pullets. Thanks for everyones help. I sure hope it works. After checking all of the chickens only two had them really bad but all of them had a few. The pullets still didn't have any. Thanks again!

 

[artsyrobin]

that is great- you have an awesome husband!!

sounds like you caught it early- thanks for posting!

 

[chickenjones]

Yes, he is quite a guy! BTW a vet tech told him an interesting tip about keeping pesty bugs away. She says she hangs a sock with 7 dust from her chickens coop door (I am guess like a small doggie door size) and everytime they go in or out they are lightly dusted with it. Got my DH thinking!