My ‘Whitey’ is bald!

[WildBird]

You said to use clay dust for the dust bath...I have been using play sand...where do you get clay dust? Was my other reply in here? I don’t see it...hmmm

My chickens just dust bathe in normal dirt in the chicken yard. They have a few sunny places they prefer that are scratched into dirt "wallows".

I would direct you to BYC but it looks like you've got plenty of info here (great work @Beekissed)!

Good luck and have a great day!

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

My chickens just dust bathe in normal dirt in the chicken yard. They have a few sunny places they prefer that are scratched into dirt "wallows".

I would direct you to BYC but it looks like you've got plenty of info here (great work @Beekissed)!

Good luck and have a great day!

I’m on BYC too, but, sometimes, they are......how do I say it, politely? Snippy? You guys are not . My girls use the dirt in the summer for bathing..but it’s not available now..ugh...using the play sand...just was curious about’clay’ sand?

 

[Beekissed]

Yes...it's not likely you'll find reliable information on BYC to the degree that you can sort through all the nonsense. And there's a LOT of nonsense on BYC. Most of the old retainers who have kept chickens for most of their lives are gone from there now.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Yes...it's not likely you'll find reliable information on BYC to the degree that you can sort through all the nonsense. And there's a LOT of nonsense on BYC. Most of the old retainers who have kept chickens for most of their lives are gone from there now.

Ok...my chickens DO have lice..ugh..saw them with my own eyes...but, I didn’t see them on our new pullets...weird...anyway..I got DE because it was on sale, I’ve heard good things..and I want to be double protected!! I found this stuff..it has to be too good to be true...it says it’s for cattle, and livestock, dogs and cats..then gardening, etc...nothing about chick...I can’t see ingredients..but it cam up with my search for permethrin...it’s only $5 for 4 lbs...this is the site I found it....can you recommend a good brand that I can buy off the net? You have to order it at Walmart, so I figured I’d look around...permethrin powder for chickens...ok..thanks for all the help....not sure if you sa...but my goats have lice too...obviously a different kind..but, geez, winter is tough on these guys!!

 

[Beekissed]

.but my goats have lice too...obviously a different kind..but, geez, winter is tough on these guys!!

This is one of those times when you may really want to review your management style, housing, bedding, etc. of your livestock. It's a learning time and everyone has to go through it sooner or later. I'm always learning from mistakes I've made or learning about something someone else is doing that could improve on what I'm currently doing. The day I stop learning is the day I will get rid of all these animals and put my muck boots out in the trash.

The only time I've had birds that had lice were birds brought in from being kept by someone else in too crowded housing/penning conditions, no culling program, no healthy litter and not enough fresh air where they sleep, crowded roosting, etc. If any of those conditions apply to your animals, it may be time to change things.

Those birds were treated and moved into a better life and never had lice or mites again. All new birds from somewhere else get dusted and oiled with CO, which prevents it from coming on the land and into the coops. No matter what BYC tells you, parasites are not inevitable~no matter where you live or the seasons~ and are much preventable.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

This is one of those times when you may really want to review your management style, housing, bedding, etc. of your livestock. It's a learning time and everyone has to go through it sooner or later. I'm always learning from mistakes I've made or learning about something someone else is doing that could improve on what I'm currently doing. The day I stop learning is the day I will get rid of all these animals and put my muck boots out in the trash.

The only time I've had birds that had lice were birds brought in from being kept by someone else in too crowded housing/penning conditions, no culling program, no healthy litter and not enough fresh air where they sleep, crowded roosting, etc. If any of those conditions apply to your animals, it may be time to change things.

Those birds were treated and moved into a better life and never had lice or mites again. All new birds from somewhere else get dusted and oiled with CO, which prevents it from coming on the land and into the coops. No matter what BYC tells you, parasites are not inevitable~no matter where you live or the seasons~ and are much preventable.

Ok, yes..we did, buy pullets, a few months ago..head them in quarantine..but they seemed fine. They definitely came from too cramped conditions...we were leary about buying them..but it was a great deal and they looked so healthy. They could have brought them! Not sure. They still seem fine..what do you mean treated and dusted withoiled with CO...what is that? Could be a big part of the problem right there, huh? Yes, I am learning...but I’m not afraid to admit my mistakes and learn from them and do better nexr time. That’s what this is all about. I’m very eager. This is my new life, and I have found my passion...nothings going to slow me down...so, please, help me learn!

 

[Beekissed]

Ok, yes..we did, buy pullets, a few months ago..head them in quarantine..but they seemed fine. They definitely came from too cramped conditions...we were leary about buying them..but it was a great deal and they looked so healthy. They could have brought them! Not sure. They still seem fine..what do you mean treated and dusted withoiled with CO...what is that? Could be a big part of the problem right there, huh? Yes, I am learning...but I’m not afraid to admit my mistakes and learn from them and do better nexr time. That’s what this is all about. I’m very eager. This is my new life, and I have found my passion...nothings going to slow me down...so, please, help me learn!

Dusted with sulfur dust and oiled the with castor oil(CO). When you put a bird or animal into quarantine, you may want to treat for parasites at the same time. Did the goats with lice come from the same place? If so, there could be the source of all these problems.

I've gotten chickens from other places and found them to have scale mites, lice, etc. I usually even dose those birds with CO orally for any internal parasites they have also. I learned my lesson years ago about that and brought scale mites into my flock, even though the birds I brought in didn't look like they had them at all.....so now I just oil up the scales of every bird that comes, even if they won't be in the same coop as my birds and are only here for butchering.

Did you do any research about such things before you got each species you now have? If not, winter time is a good time to get some research in about what each species parasites are, what they look like, how to prevent and treat them, etc. I spend a lot of time each winter looking up things that are pertinent to my care for the animals. Usually I'll research for several months up to several years before adding a new kind of animal or type/breed of animal.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Dusted with sulfur dust and oiled the with castor oil(CO). When you put a bird or animal into quarantine, you may want to treat for parasites at the same time. Did the goats with lice come from the same place? If so, there could be the source of all these problems.

I've gotten chickens from other places and found them to have scale mites, lice, etc. I usually even dose those birds with CO orally for any internal parasites they have also. I learned my lesson years ago about that and brought scale mites into my flock, even though the birds I brought in didn't look like they had them at all.....so now I just oil up the scales of every bird that comes, even if they won't be in the same coop as my birds and are only here for butchering.

Did you do any research about such things before you got each species you now have? If not, winter time is a good time to get some research in about what each species parasites are, what they look like, how to prevent and treat them, etc. I spend a lot of time each winter looking up things that are pertinent to my care for the animals. Usually I'll research for several months up to several years before adding a new kind of animal or type/breed of animal.

Hi @Beekissed I need your help...we live 49 miles away from any towns that have any type of shopping. We went yesterday...we searched for permethrin dust....a Walmart you have to order it online...and it’s $16 for 2lbs...all the others I’ve found are around 2lb. For around $6-7 . What did you use? Do you have one to recommend? There are sooo many on the net...and I don’t want to end up buying a bad one because it was a tad cheaper, or but another..because it was more money so I think it. Should work the best! So, any advice would be great!!

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Yes, occured to me that the goats and original chickens...who have the mites the worst...all came from the bad farm who was sent to jail. We had no clue about this kind of thing. So, that means we need to check our pot belly pi for this too? My one has been, acting funny..rubbing his belly on everything...we thought it was a male pleasure type thing, even though he’s castrated. He must just itch....I di read..I can give them ivermectin also. Great...we’re full of bugs..what great farmers we are...we’re a joke! How did we not catch this sooner? Oh, so whitey, and now the others that are missing feathers...do the lice eat the feathers, por do the chickens pull them out because they are so scratchy? Thing is, I dont see feathers around.

 

[Beekissed]

Hi @Beekissed I need your help...we live 49 miles away from any towns that have any type of shopping. We went yesterday...we searched for permethrin dust....a Walmart you have to order it online...and it’s $16 for 2lbs...all the others I’ve found are around 2lb. For around $6-7 . What did you use? Do you have one to recommend? There are sooo many on the net...and I don’t want to end up buying a bad one because it was a tad cheaper, or but another..because it was more money so I think it. Should work the best! So, any advice would be great!!

Permethrin dust can be found at Lowe's, Home Depot and such. Here's a similar thing, but it has the naturally occurring alternative to permethrin, which is pyrethrin: https://www.amazon.com/Bonide-BND78...eywords=permethrin+dust&qid=1579789172&sr=8-3

If you are using Ivermectin on the goats, you can use it on the pigs and chickens also, according to others who have done so. Not sure of the dosage for those animals but folks do use it for poultry....I've never done that. I'm not the expert on bird lice , as I've only ever had them in any of my flocks that one time.

I'm not in agreement with most sites who instruct on bird lice but this one has a few pics and info that may help you understand the lice. There are types that chew feathers, which may be what you are seeing, but it doesn't matter....they should all die if you use appropriate measures, of which there are many to choose from.

How To Identify, Treat, and Prevent Chicken Lice

Chickens can become infested with lice. Here is everything you need to know about chicken lice and how to avoid them.

www.thehappychickencoop.com

I can tell you this....an ounce of prevention is worth years of cures. Which is why I'm no expert on dealing with parasites....it's mostly just common sense to treat them, but even more so to prevent them. I'm in the prevention crowd....keeps animals from suffering before we ever diagnose the problem.