Lice in New Zealand - which product to use....

[buttersbrood]

Hi all,
Our chickens have lice. Not many, I can’t see big clumps of eggs, but I can see them wandering around on the bird, on the feathers close to the skin. ( I’m certain it’s lice)

I can’t buy permethrin here in New Zealand, nor invectin- its not available over the counter and will be stopped at the border if ordered from overseas. I’ve added DE to the birds’ coop, dust baths and dusted it everywhere on their skin, but to no avail.

What do I do?? I have a broody with eggs hatching in the next few days and keen to get rid of these lice.

Does Neem oil work if I dilute it and spray it on the birds? Is there a withholding period for neem oil?
What about a tiny amount of dog flea and tick liquid?

Thanks so much, I just don’t know how other kiwis deal with this?!

All suggestions welcome

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry you're having a hard time.
I'm not that familiar with what you may be able to find.

Google search of New Zealand Poultry Lice Treatments shows some results. Not sure of the effectiveness of these products. I do know that Pestene is used in other countries though.
Look for Pestene which can be used on the birds.
Extenosad can be used to treat housing, but not the birds.


https://www.vet111.co.nz/companion-...powder such as,used to treat individual birds.

A couple of other things I found...maybe you can try these too. Hope these help!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/67369073/a-guide-to-parasites-and-hens
https://www.rangioravetcentre.co.nz/fah-poultry-lice

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Hi I'm in New Zealand. You can get ivermectin, you need to get it from the vet, a rural vet/farm vet. They will dispense you cattle drench that you drop onto their combs. You can also get pyrethrum at garden stores for plants and that will do the trick too, just check that it doesn't have other things that might be toxic to birds in it. Organic ones are usually fine.

Smite for mites should also take care of lice, to treat the coop. You can get it at Farmlands in South Island, or online from chooks.co.nz or chookmanor.co.nz

 

[buttersbrood]

Thank you so much for your great replies @Wyorp Rock and @TheFatBlueCat ! Super helpful.

I already had some vetmax louse powder (one articles in one of your links talked about it), so I've used that for now. The hen hopped off the nest to eat this morning, and I quickly and carefully changed the bedding and made a new nest. She hopped back on as if nothing had changed.

I'll get in touch with a vet to buy some invermectin. Have you used organic pyrethrum directly on your birds before @TheFatBlueCat? How long did you kit eat eggs after?

Thank you so much again!

Ps the chicks are peeping in their shells this morning. Exciting!

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Thank you so much for your great replies @Wyorp Rock and @TheFatBlueCat ! Super helpful.

I already had some vetmax louse powder (one articles in one of your links talked about it), so I've used that for now. The hen hopped off the nest to eat this morning, and I quickly and carefully changed the bedding and made a new nest. She hopped back on as if nothing had changed.

I'll get in touch with a vet to buy some invermectin. Have you used organic pyrethrum directly on your birds before @TheFatBlueCat? How long did you kit eat eggs after?

Thank you so much again!

Ps the chicks are peeping in their shells this morning. Exciting!

I haven't used the pyrethrum directly on the birds but I keep it as a backup. I've sprayed nest boxes/perches with it as part of my mite prevention. I'd be happy to spray it on the birds though, although I probably wouldn't spray chicks. I've got this one: https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/yates-nature-s-way-pyrethrum-200ml/p/138334

I don't bother with withholding periods for anything, I figure the amount that goes through to the eggs is so insignificant it's really not even worth thinking about. If I was worried about thst I'd have to worry about everything in the world. I even tasted their wormer once to see why they wouldn't eat it (it was terrible, I don't blame them). I don't sell eggs currently though.