Help with lice in the coop!

[LunaMarieWolf]

I have been trying to read up on how to treat my entire coop for lice.

The problem is, I can't clean out my entire coop.

My coop is an old home-made metal dog pen that I transformed into a coop.

Meaning it has a dirt bottom with wood shavings mixed it. The sides of the coop are metal roofing that have been attached to 2 of the 4 sidings of the coop.

The walls of the coop are thick heavy metal fencing welded to a heavy metal pole frame and a metal roof.

I am getting some Diatemaceous Earth from my grandma up the road and I can run in to town tommorow when the local feed store opens to get some Permectrin.

Is there any way I can still clean the coop even though it is an open coop? Do I still need to treat the open run as well?

Any help will help please!

Thank you so much!

 

[starri33]

I was just reading this, I hope it can help you, it makes sense to me that you could spray the whole thing with the Permectrin, others might know for sure. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/i-have-mites-help.1319212/page-3

 

[Folly's place]

Lice are actually easier than some of the mites. It will be best to remove the bedding.
DE is not very effective, I'd leave it out.
Permethrin spray concentrate is very cost effective and works great! Spray all the birds, at night when they are roosting. Spray the coop, walls, everything. I do use the permethrin dust on the floor and then add shavings, although if you are buying one product, get the spray.
Wear at least a N95 face mask, from the paint store, and gloves, and wash your clothes and shower when you are done.
Mary

 

[aart]

Lice mostly stay on the birds, not like roost mites who live in the structure.
Treat them with permethrin every 7 days for at least 2 maybe 3 rounds. Make sure to get it on their skin around vent, under wings, on belly, and around neck.
Wouldn't hurt to dust or spray the coop and/or change the bedding, but I've found it to be unnecessary.

 

[cmom]

I agree with the others. I have some coops with dirt floors. I just spray everything everywhere thoroughly. I have dusted the birds and sometimes don't. So far this year we're good but I'm still spraying because I have had some wrens trying to build nest in some of the nest boxes and they probably are what has introduced the pests in my coops before. Not taking any chances this year.

 

[adickenscoop]

So lice don't live OFF the host. They will live ON your chickens. Therefore, you do not need to worry about cleaning the environment, although I DO think it is important to keep their environment clean. Here is some good info about treating lice - http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/lice

 

[LunaMarieWolf]

I sprayed them for the first time three days ago.

I bought a spray called Martin's Pen and Poultry Chicken and Roost Insecticide Spray.

I sprayed down nesting boxes, roosts, bedding, and even the run!

Then I sprayed a fine mist over the chickens like the instructions said.

The next day. I still saw the clumps of nits and eggs under their little wattles. So I scooped up each chicken and sprayed them right under their neck and on their chests.

The next day. Some chickens look free of the nits and eggs under their wattles and I even got an egg from one of the hens!

 

[LunaMarieWolf]

Is it safe to ler the chickens eat the eggs they lay during this time?

I am not going to eat them because I don't want to ingest any of the insecticide. But can I scramble the eggs and give them back to the chickens so I don't waste the eggs?

 

[Folly's place]

What's the recommended egg withdrawal time when using this product? Is it permethrin?
Are you in the USA?
Permethrin, used as directed, has no egg withdrawal time, so the eggs are safe to use.
If you've used an unapproved product for chickens where you live, feeding the eggs back to the birds only increases their exposure to the product, so it's not helpful.
Mary

 

[LunaMarieWolf]

What's the recommended egg withdrawal time when using this product? Is it permethrin?
Are you in the USA?
Permethrin, used as directed, has no egg withdrawal time, so the eggs are safe to use.
If you've used an unapproved product for chickens where you live, feeding the eggs back to the birds only increases their exposure to the product, so it's not helpful.
Mary

It does not say on the bottle any type of withdraw period. I am in the USA and okay. Thank you.

I am still not sure if my parents would still eat the eggs though!

The bottle says it contains .50% of Permethrin.