Since buying the poultry produce from Enfield Pet Supplies, I've dusted my girls twice with lice powder.
The first time was a tricky experience because no one wanted to help me. They were still trying to get over the fact that the girls had lice. The first reaction was 'ewww, are you nuts, they'll jump on me'
I on the other hand had had some time to get over it so I got into the dusting with great gusto. (Although for the next two days after that I thought I could feel creepies crawling all over me - my workmates were pretty grossed out when I told them my chickens had lice)
White chicken was very evasive, such is her stray nature, but I managed to get a tiny bit of dust on her. Flit Flit was much easier to catch and she looked quite forlorn when I was done with her - she was standing there sadly covered in white powder. Poor thing didn't understand it was for her own good.
The lice rose to the surface after a short while only - they were big weevil looking kinda things - and both girls were eating them. Not too sure whether this is a good idea but I'm sure they've eaten worse when they're out free ranging.
Dust bathing is nature's best preventative measure for lice and all that icky stuff and here is a good example of that.
My baby has lice!
Those nasty parasites have laid thousands and thousands of eggs at the base of her bum feathers. It's a good spot to hide because that's a pretty well hidden spot.
I only discovered it when I was trimming her feathers around the lump on her bum. I've cut off a few feathers but can't be too heavy handed or she'll be completely bald down there!
Thank goodness for online stores because there's this pet shop at Enfield that sells practically everything I need. Enfield Pet and Garden they're called. So I put in an order for;
- calgrit: right now I give them normal grit but if calgrit offers a higher calcium content then I'm all for it!
- garlic and apple cider vinegar: apparantly this is a supplement that they will love to drink
- diatomaceous earth (food grade): used as an insecticide, due to its physico-sorptive properties. The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate
- poultry dust: great for the prevention and control of poultry parasites such as fleas, flies, ticks, ticks and mites.
All up it only cost about au$68 with postage being au$20 from NSW. I've read that shaking the eggs off then rubbing vaseline into the base of the feathers will hep. Kind've a tricky thing to do considering Flitter doesn't particularly like being handled. And White Chicken, we can totally forget that!
My poor girls :(
