# Lice/mites



## neworleansfarmer (Mar 2, 2014)

I just did my monthly coop cleaning and after removing all of the dirty bedding, spraying disinfect on all the wood, but I didn't see or locate any mites at all. I gave both of my hens a once over and around the vent of my Plymouth Rock I noticed a few yellow live or bird lice. After having chickens for almost 9 years this is my first time with bird lice. Any helpful comments 


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

commercial lice and tick treatment can work. if its a serious case you may consider sevin5 dust. its highly toxic to bugs, including honey bees... so a very judicious application is required so as not to have random insectides lingering. 
DE may be able to fix a small issue...


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Well it looks like its my turn now. I'm so angry. Just looked at Sophie's bum and there are a bunch of little clear straw color bugs running around her bum area.  Lots of blood specks too so apparently they've been eating well.  Of course I discover this after just coming home from town and the last stop having been at Tractor Supply. I have DE on hand if I can get to it. Last snow storm really got us good again. (so irritating this unending winter we've had) Safe to assume they all have lice now? Their run is nothing but a miserable mud mess because of the melting snow. They are outside right now running around. I do have an endless supply of wood ashes. They had been bathing in the bath bin I had set up for them for the winter with the wood ashes in it. Last time I had this, it was on a very sick pullet that was sick when I got her (and didn't know till it was much to late). She had already been isolated by the time they appeared. I'm assuming this is lice because of what I've read in all my chicken care books by Damerow etc. I feel like crying right now. I'm so merticulous with caring for my girls. Will a flea dip help? Thanks for your help.


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Okay so I just flea dipped the 2 that have been sickly for a long while now. Found a TON of nits on Chloe and a fair amount on Sophie. Both were caked around their vent and about 2 inches around that area. Both are dusted with DE. Both are in a big dog kennel for now to dry in my house. Do I need to worry about these gross critters getting on my dogs? Its still winter cold here yet so trying to flea dip 7 more chickens is a rather impossible task right now.


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## neworleansfarmer (Mar 2, 2014)

I think I actually responded to another one of your threads. I used seven dust in the neat box on the ground of the coop and put it in the area that they dust bath. It worked great and it only takes a little 


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

I ended up doing the same thing with garden poulty dust I bought at TSC. Has permethrin in it. I had sprinkled some in their nest boxes too and in the spots 2 of them have been sleeping on the floor besides dusting all 9 girls. We've been making sure they've been able to take their dust baths regularly too. This summer that roof on the run is going to be redone so there is no leaking inside like I had this year. Their bin I had used for them worked really well up until all the thawing we had and rain. Between that and a wild bird that had managed to get in their coop on me, I assume is how they got the lice since wild birds carry those to begin with. What a yucky problem but thankfully the dust and wood ashes have taken care of it easily and quickly too.


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