The Poultry Keeper

Elly · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 356 Location: Norfolk

Our chooks had lice and we used frontline spray for cats from the vets. One squirt under each wing and one up the knickers, making sure it went onto the skin, and next day no more lice. Very Happy

Keep smilin
Elly

Bluedork · Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Carmarthenshire

Having just read the OP's post, I don't think these are lice - they are very likely NFM "Northern Fowl Mite"

This season (probably due to weather conditions), there's been outbreaks of NFM in poultry like I've never seen before Shocked

It's probably the worst mite of all to eradicate, lives on the bird, and multiplies extremely fast! Most infestations are found in the vent area.

Spraying the birds with a Deosect solution will kill them fast, but needs to be repeated 5 or 6 days later, in conjunction with a spot on treatment.

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 125 Location: nottinghamshire

Hens Teeth! if you use the frontline spray, the one for dogs, it will instantly kill ALL crawlies, ALL in ONE go for up to two months on the bird, no need to repeat spray, no need to use anything else! then treat the house with a powder containing permethrin! END OF MITES! xx Shocked

Bluedork · Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Carmarthenshire

Frontline spray is POM (prescription only medicine) - it may also kill more than just mites if used incorrectly - recommending a dog spray to be used on poultry that is POM on a public forum may also lead to having your own collar felt Shocked

Deosect was licensed for poultry, not only that, it is much cheaper, and safer than using illegal POM frontine spray. It can also be sprayed in the housing very effectively and has a residual effect - 250ml Deosect is enough to treat 1,200 birds, so very cost effective Smile

Deosect contains 5% w/v cypermethrin........

Hens teeth indeed!

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 125 Location: nottinghamshire

Along with how many others who advise the use of it!? like i said, HENS TEETH!

Bluedork · Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Carmarthenshire

I'm struggling to understand how someone that frowns upon feeding milk products to poultry, instead of using a product that has been tried and tested on poultry, would stand by using a chemical for dogs, instead of a chemical proven and used on poultry for many years Rolling Eyes

....and please forgive me for recommending a cheaper more effective way to treat NFM, that is potentially much more poultry friendly...

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1219 Location: Cornwall

I agree with Jubilee, chemicals every time for mites/lice and worms.

Dixie Chicks · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 312 Location: South West Cumbria

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought deosect was a chemical?? Just that it is actually licensed for use on poultry and doesn't need a vet's prescription.

Maybe I've just been lucky because I've had no problems in not resorting to chemicals for parasites. Prevention is always better than cure in my book and I'll keep up my use red mite powder and verm-x because it's working well enough here.

monica · Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 59 Location: aldershot

if you use frontline as we did, we were told not to eat the eggs for two weeks! seemed excessive to us.

jubilee · Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 125 Location: nottinghamshire

Monica, we have been using frontline for years, and have always eaten the eggs while treating. How can someone tell you not to eat the eggs anyway? frontline hasn't been tested on poultry, so there's no evidence either way! as for not giving my birds milk products, whens the last time you saw a hen suckling? where are a hens nipples? My horse vet keeps and breeds silkies, she recommended i used frontline, as she does too, and that's good enough for me! Wink

Bluedork · Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Carmarthenshire

The active ingredient in "Frontline" is "Fipronil", whilst it seems quite a few on here use it on their birds, surely if you use a non licensed product you should at least understand what it contains and the risks.

"Fipronil is highly toxic to certain groups of gallinaceous birds"

"Fipronil is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Class II moderately hazardous toxin when applied orally or by inhalation, such as may happen when using the spray. It works by disrupting the central nervous system (CNS) via the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) regulated chloride channel, resulting in uncontrolled CNS activity and ultimately death. Symptoms of fipronil poisoning include excitability, lack of co-ordination and tremors. It is considered slightly irritating to the skin and moderately irritating to the eyes. Fipronil has been shown to be carcinogenic to rats and has therefore been classified as a Group C (Possible Human) carcinogen. Organs that can be affected by repeated exposure include the liver, thyroid and kidney."

Click here to read about "Fipronil"