It was lice!!! Have a few questions

[Kelllynnl]

so I finally figured out what was wrong with my 11 chickens. I had checked a few of my girls and didn’t see anything so I dismissed the idea of external parasites but they kept twitching, ruffling their feathers and over preening so I knew something had to be on them. I decided yesterday to buy poultry dust and dust them anyway upon doing so I saw lice crawling on my one roo. They all looked better this morning. I gave the worst roo a 30 minute bath with Espom salt, vinegar and dawn. I kept rinsing him and kept him mostly submerged. Also pulled out about 8 egg sacs. Blowed dryed him about 85% and rubbed coconut oil on his legs and all around his vent. He’s inside a cage in the house now to finish drying before he goes back out. Question- should I dust him again before putting him back out? I know I should dust them all in 7 days?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would dust him at the 7day interval.

Did you clean out your coop, treat it and replace the bedding? If you haven't done that, it would be a very good idea. In 7-10days, do it again

 

[Kelllynnl]

That’s what I was thinking... around his vent looks red and irritated. Poor boy. I’ve removed the majority of bedding I can right now and sprinkled the poultry powder and de everywhere. I also emptied their dust bath bin and put new dirt, sand and de in there. He is still preening like crazy in the cage but now I see a ton of dead bugs on the bottom

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That’s what I was thinking... around his vent looks red and irritated. Poor boy. I’ve removed the majority of bedding I can right now and sprinkled the poultry powder and de everywhere. I also emptied their dust bath bin and put new dirt, sand and de in there. He is still preening like crazy in the cage but now I see a ton of dead bugs on the bottom

Check him again, if you see any crawling, you may want to lightly dust him around the vent and under the wings.
What type of poultry dust do you have - is it Carbyl or Permethrin based - I know you are in Canada, so your products are a bit different. You dusted once, gave a bath, so....most likely it would be o.k. to re-dust lightly, then repeat as instructed on the label.

 

[Kelllynnl]

It’s the carbyl. Is it better to put some in my hand and rub it in?(wearing gloves and a mask of course)Last can the store had...he said after March 31st they are no longer allowed to carry it. Is it a good idea too to bathe one of the hens to see how bad she has it? Someone pooped on her so she really could use one lol

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It’s the carbyl. Is it better to put some in my hand and rub it in?(wearing gloves and a mask of course)Last can the store had...he said after March 31st they are no longer allowed to carry it. Is it a good idea too to bathe one of the hens to see how bad she has it? Someone pooped on her so she really could use one lol

It might be easier that way.

Oh dear, they are not going to carry it anymore! Did they say what would replace the Carbyl?

LOL If your weather is agreeable, give your girl a bath. She may enjoy it, especially if someone pooped on her.

 

[Kelllynnl]

I asked and he said I guess you would have to get the vet to dust the birds. Really??? I’m kinda freaking out thinking about what I will do in the future if and when I encounter this problem again.
Bath for miss paprika it is!! Thanks for the help. Hopefully I can get this cleared so my babies feel themselves again

 

[Mraya]

Here is a tip put wood ash in their dust bath bin along with the dirt, sand and DE.

 

[Kelllynnl]

Thanks. I forgot I actually have a pail full I brought back from camp for that reason! My memory is very bad :/

 

[Mraya]

I don't have a fire place so I burn wood in my fire pit out side so I can add it to my chickens dust bin. I use dirt, DE, wood ash, fine gravel and sometimes sulfur power.