Treating Flock for Lice/Mites

[Critters_in_a_CrowsNest]

Good advice on this post! For my issues, coop is cleaned out and bedding was burned. I sprayed as many of the cracks and crevices in the coop with Poultry Protector because I forgot to buy a sprayer when I was at TSC . Tomorrow will treat the coop, perimeter, and hens with Permethrin. A shower later and I still feel like I have things crawling on me

 

[Backyard Bruce]

Does anyone spray their birds as preventative maintanance.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Does anyone spray their birds as preventative maintanance.

No, that kind of mind set means you might be treating for what you don't have, and think your prevention is working. Which aside from being a waste of time, money, and energy... can cause resistance so that when it is needed it may not work.

So I check at regular intervals AFTER dark since it is so easy to miss many things during the day plus then I don't have to chase anyone. I treat ONLY if I see evidence that I need to.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

True it's not labeled for use in poultry, but it can be used and it is *very* safe when the correct dose is used. I use ivermectin to treat peafowl lice because it's too much work to spray or dust them.

Would you use it on a hen that had been sitting that long? Or are there other considerations you take before making that decision, flock wide? Do you have to treat a second time when you use it?

And can someone please tell me... after you have treated the birds, and even your second permethrin treatment... to the nits actually go away or not without manually removing them? Or HOW can you tell for sure? If you still see nits do you still have an issue? Doesn't seem like they will just fall off.

 

[elaineinspain]

Following this post and don't mean to hijack...I just thought we may have the same questions, OP.

I too found mites- I think they are Northern Fowl Mites, last night. I have a setting broody who is due to hatch in about 5 days. I am concerned about her eggs. Is there a dry time if using a Permethrin spray before allowing her to get back to her eggs (I know to spray under wings and around vent, but am worried about residual dampness getting to the eggs). Would Ivermectin as a spot on be better?

I just had a similar challenge with my broody. I used ivermectin 1% spot on. 6 drops on the back of her neck (She is over 2kg hence 6 drops) and then repeat the procedure in 1 week to 10 days. If the chicks hatch and they are suffering with mites you can also put 1 drop of ivermectin on the back of the neck.
If there is ever a next time though I'm going to use the ivermectin injectable and use it orally and treat the whole flock. I'll put it in their fermented feed, that way I know they've actually taken it. Our cat sometimes drinks the water from our chickens waterer and ivermectin can have fatal results on some cats and some breeds of dogs, particularly Collie types.

 

[casportpony]

Would you use it on a hen that had been sitting that long? Or are there other considerations you take before making that decision, flock wide? Do you have to treat a second time when you use it?

Ivermectin? I would use it on any bird, sitting or not, even on hatching day. What are your concerns about using it on sitting hens?

No considerations really... If they have lice and if ivermectin is easier to treat with, I treat them. Oh, just thought of one consideration... If said bird is going into the "human consumption" sale pen I will not treat that bird.

I have not had to treat a second time, but if people do decide to use ivermectin they should check for lice every 7-10 days until they are sure the problem is under control

 

[EggSighted4Life]

What are your concerns about using it on sitting hens?

Well, I learn something new every day. Seems what might have been my best choice yesterday could be different today!

And since I have heard basically that it is hard on the system and many people consider broody's to have "lost condition" already, I just wondered what impact it might have on her immune system, I guess.

But I personally don't think the broody shaking is a result of lost condition anymore since it develops very early on. I now think that's part of how they maintain broody temp and not muscle weakness shaking.

And now this thread impacts me personally even more after yesterday... I do need to treat for lice. The permethrin spray seems easy enough but... the flock IS getting big this time of year and retreating stinks, it gets time consuming.... About two months ago I had a fecal ran at the vet and came back negative, BUT yesterday I saw one of my broody (sitting) hens passed a large round worm. I'm sure a lot of birds have visited my yard since then and conditions can change. It's the first one I've seen in about 9 years of keeping chickens. And I happen to have Ivermectin on hand because I bought it last season when I was worried about depluming mites but didn't end up having. So I didn't treat and still have the med, it wasn't cheap. If I can treat both lice and round worms with something less harsh, I will. But administering wormer orally by weight seems very challenging with no experience. And using one in the water seems irrelevant to how much a sitting broody might consume.

I do understand what you are saying about just because it isn't labeled for use not making it totally unsafe. And that your personal experience is actually VERY good. I value your knowledge and experience in addition to your willingness to share! It seems like ivermectin might be a good choice for me to treat lice and round worms all at one?? Do you mind sharing dosage info (probably again) please? I notice another poster says theirs is 1%. I couldn't find that but it says it contains 5mg/ml. Also egg withdrawal time?

If said bird is going into the "human consumption" sale pen I will not treat that bird.

Within a certain time frame or ever? TIA

 

[casportpony]

BUT yesterday I saw one of my broody (sitting) hens passed a large round worm.

Ask @KikisGirls about her most recent fecal, you might find what she says interesting.

 

[casportpony]

Within a certain time frame or ever? TIA

According to a vet on a FB chicken group that overseen by vets, the withdrawal time is over 4 weeks. I can't remember exactly what they say, it might even have said 8 weeks. I will look that up. Keep in mind that I have no way of verifying that, and that group does tend to do lots of drug fearmongering, so it's quite possible that that is longer than it needs to be.

 

[casportpony]

isn't labeled for use not making it totally unsafe. And that your personal experience is actually VERY good. I value your knowledge and experience in addition to your willingness to share! It seems like ivermectin might be a good choice for me to treat lice and round worms all at one?? Do you mind sharing dosage info (probably again) please? I notice another poster says theirs is 1%. I couldn't find that but it says it contains 5mg/ml. Also egg withdrawal time?

The max dose of the pour on *I* use is 0.09 ml per pound, so 0.45 ml per five pounds.