- Treats mites, lice, fleas, ticks and flies
- Goes on the bird, dusted between the feathers, and into roosts and crevices
- No egg withholding period — keep collecting and eating eggs
- Active constituent 20 g/kg maldison, an anticholinesterase compound
- 400g shaker pack. Meat birds: not within 7 days of slaughter
- Avoid contact with eyes and skin, and wash your hands afterwards
- Treats mites, lice, fleas, ticks and flies
- Dust on the bird and in the coop
- No egg withholding period
- 20 g/kg maldison. 400g shaker pack
- Meat birds: not within 7 days of slaughter
What it treats
| Mites | Acarina — the ones that come out at night and live in the coop by day |
|---|---|
| Lice | Menacanthus stramineus and Menopon gallinae — these live on the bird full time |
| Fleas | Echidnophaga gallinacea, the stickfast flea — usually seen clustered on the comb and wattles |
| Ticks | Haemaphysalis spp. |
| Flies | Musca domestica, the common housefly |
How to use it
There are two halves to it, and doing one without the other is why an infestation comes straight back.
1. On the bird
Dust it between the feathers, not just over the top of them — part the feathers and work it down to the skin. Pay attention around the vent and under the wings, which is where lice congregate. Repeat where necessary.
2. In the coop
Apply it to roosts and the crevices of the building to stop the parasites breeding. This is the half people skip. Red mite in particular spends the day hidden in the coop and only comes out at night to feed, so a bird treated on its own gets re-infested from the perch it sleeps on.
Evening is a sensible time for the coop, when you can see where the birds actually roost. Work along the underside of perches and into the joins and cracks, which is where they shelter.
Knowing what you are looking at
- Lice live on the bird permanently. Part the feathers around the vent and look for straw-coloured insects moving fast, and for clumps of eggs cemented to the base of the feather shafts.
- Mites are usually not on the bird in daylight. Check the perches after dark, or run a white tissue along the underside of a perch and look for red smears.
- Stickfast fleas are unmistakable — dark specks clustered tight on the comb, wattles and around the eyes, and they do not brush off.
- Birds that are restless at night, losing condition, dropping off in lay, or have a pale comb and scruffy feathers around the vent are worth a proper look.
Eggs and meat birds
| Egg withholding period | Nil. Keep collecting and eating them as normal |
|---|---|
| Meat withholding period | Do not use later than 7 days before slaughter for human consumption |
Handling it
The active constituent is maldison, an anticholinesterase compound. Follow the safety directions on the label:
- Avoid contact with eyes and skin, and wash your hands after use.
- Keep it out of reach of children.
- Do not contaminate streams, rivers or waterways with the product or the empty container.
- If poisoning occurs, contact a doctor or the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
- Store below 30°C in the closed original container, somewhere dry and well ventilated, out of direct sunlight.
- Not to be used for any purpose, or in any manner, contrary to the label.
It is a fine powder, so work with the wind behind you and take a moment not to breathe the cloud — particularly when you are dusting inside a closed coop.
This one, or a coop spray?
They do different halves of the job, and a bad infestation usually needs both.
| Poultry Dust | A coop treatment | |
|---|---|---|
| Goes on | The bird itself, and roosts and crevices | Surfaces only — never the birds |
| Form | A dust you shake on | Mixed with water and applied to the structure |
| Reaches | What is on the bird right now | A whole shed, quickly |
If you are dealing with mites, treating the birds and leaving the coop alone rarely gets you anywhere. Our Coopex covers the coop side, and the two are commonly used together — birds dusted, coop done, birds back in once it is dry.
Specifications
| Size | 400 g, in a shaker pack |
|---|---|
| Active constituent | 20 g/kg maldison (an anticholinesterase compound) |
| Controls | Mites, lice, fleas, ticks and flies on poultry |
| Apply to | Between the feathers of the birds, and to roosts and crevices of the building |
| Egg withholding | Nil |
| Meat withholding | Not later than 7 days before slaughter |
| Storage | Below 30°C, closed original container, dry and out of direct sunlight |
| APVMA approval | 42267 |
| Manufacturer | David Gray & Co Pty Ltd, O'Connor, Western Australia |
Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you are worried about a bird, speak to a vet. For more on keeping a flock healthy, visit our Chook School.
Product Specifications
- Size::
- 400g
Frequently Asked Questions
Mites, lice, how to dust a bird, and the withholding periods.
What does it actually treat?
Mites (Acarina), lice (Menacanthus stramineus and Menopon gallinae), fleas (Echidnophaga gallinacea, the stickfast flea), ticks (Haemaphysalis spp.) and flies (Musca domestica).
Does it go on the birds or in the coop?
Both. Dust it between the feathers of the birds, and apply it to roosts and the crevices of the building to stop the parasites breeding. Doing only one half is the usual reason an infestation comes straight back.
I treated the birds and the mites came back. Why?
Almost certainly because the coop was not done. Mites are not on the bird during the day — they sit in the joins of the perches and the cracks of the shed and come out at night to feed. Treat the bird only and it goes back to sleep on a perch full of them. Do the roosts, the underside of the perches and every crevice you can reach.
How do I actually dust a chicken?
Get the powder down to the skin, not just over the top of the feathers — part them and work it in. Concentrate around the vent and under the wings, which is where lice gather. Evening is easier, when the birds have gone to roost and are calmer. Work with the wind behind you and try not to breathe the cloud.
Can I still eat the eggs?
Yes — the label's egg withholding period is nil. Carry on collecting and eating them as normal.
How often should I repeat it?
The label says to repeat where necessary, without a fixed interval. In practice, look again about a week later: eggs already laid are not affected by a dusting, so a second pass catches what has hatched since. Keep checking the perches after dark until you stop finding anything.
Which birds can I use it on?
The label covers poultry — so laying hens, roosters, meat birds, ducks, geese and turkeys. It does not extend to cage birds or pets, and it is for animal treatment only.
Can I put it in their dust bath?
No — it is meant to be dusted between the feathers and worked into roosts and crevices. In a dust bath the birds decide how much they get and how much they breathe in. Keep the dust bath as plain dry earth or sand.
How is this different from diatomaceous earth?
Diatomaceous earth is an inert mineral powder that works physically, and it is not a registered treatment. This is a veterinary chemical with an APVMA approval number, an active constituent and stated withholding periods. Which suits you depends on how you prefer to manage a flock.
What are the safety directions?
The active constituent is maldison, an anticholinesterase compound. The label says: avoid contact with eyes and skin, and wash your hands after use. Keep it out of reach of children, and do not contaminate streams, rivers or waterways with the product or the empty container. If poisoning occurs, contact a doctor or the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
What about meat birds?
It can be used on them, but not later than 7 days before slaughter for human consumption. Treat well ahead of processing and it is not an issue.
How should I store it, and how long does 400g go?
Keep it below 30°C in the closed original container, somewhere dry, well ventilated and out of direct sunlight. A 400g shaker goes a long way on a backyard flock — the birds take very little each and most of a treatment goes into the coop. Check the expiry date on the pack.
Not sure whether you are looking at mites or lice? Get in touch — we are a small Australian family business and we answer our own emails.