My sheep have lice....how to treat?

[mrbstephens]

My two Cotswold ewes were shorn a couple of days ago and the sheerer told me they have lice. She said they must have caught it from my chickens. She said to dust them with poultry dust (pyrethrin). I dusted them yesterday, but today they are still scratching.
Does this take a while to work? When should I reapply?
Is there a more effective treatment?
TIA!

 

[purplequeenvt]

Lice are generally pretty specie specific and doesn't pass from chickens to sheep or sheep to goats, etc....

Personally, I'd get a liquid de-licer. It will be much easier to get the correct dose. It will need to be repeated again in 14 days.

 

[mrbstephens]

Lice are generally pretty specie specific and doesn't pass from chickens to sheep or sheep to goats, etc....

Personally, I'd get a liquid de-licer. It will be much easier to get the correct dose. It will need to be repeated again in 14 days.

Which liquid de-licer do you like? Thank you for your help!

 

[mrbstephens]

Al

Which liquid de-licer do you like? Thank you for your help!

Also, the shearer knows where I got my sheep from which was last fall and she insists they didn't come with the lice on them. That they must have picked them up on my farm. I don't have any other animals other than the chickens, guinea fowl and ducks. My neighbor down the road has goats. So, if they did not arrive with the lice already on them, then where else could they have gotten it? Do lice just live in the soil? I'm in a very wooded area.

 

[purplequeenvt]

I'm sure they had live when you bought them. Unless it's a severe infestation, they can be very tricky to spot on the sheep. I've found that the lice are usually only an issue in the spring. We treat them and don't have any more problems until the next spring.

 

[mrbstephens]

I'm sure they had live when you bought them. Unless it's a severe infestation, they can be very tricky to spot on the sheep. I've found that the lice are usually only an issue in the spring. We treat them and don't have any more problems until the next spring.

Oh great! Which liquid de-licer do you like?

 

[purplequeenvt]

We use Permethrin 1% synergized.