David Grays Poultry Dust 400g: Chicken Mite and Lice Powder for Poultry

David Grays Poultry Dust: Mite and Lice Powder for Chickens and the Coop

David Grays Poultry Dust is an insecticidal dusting powder that controls mites, lice, fleas, ticks and flies on poultry and in their housing. Its active constituent is maldison at 20g/kg, an organophosphate that knocks down biting parasites on contact. Made in Australia by David Gray & Co, it comes in a 400g squeeze pack sized for backyard flocks of chickens, ducks and geese. There is no egg withholding period, so eggs can still be collected and used during treatment.

What Poultry Dust Controls

The label lists five groups of external parasites:

• Mites (Acarina), including mites that hide in the coop by day and feed on birds at night
• Lice (Menacanthus stramineus, the chicken body louse, and Menopon gallinae, the shaft louse)
• Fleas (Echidnophaga gallinacea, the sticktight flea)
• Ticks (Haemaphysalis spp)
• Flies (Musca domestica, the house fly)

Left unchecked, these parasites cause itching, feather damage, pale combs, restlessness on the roost and a drop in laying.

What Powder Kills Mites on Chickens?

Chemical poultry dusts such as this one use maldison, an anticholinesterase compound that disrupts the parasite's nervous system. This gives faster knockdown than herbal dusts based on neem or diatomaceous earth, which mainly work by drying or deterring pests. Because many mites live in the coop rather than on the bird, a chicken mite powder works best when you treat both the flock and the housing at the same time.

How to Use Poultry Dust on Chickens

• Hold the bird securely and part the feathers so the powder reaches the skin.
• Squeeze a light puff of dust between the feathers, concentrating under the wings, around the vent and along the back.
• Keep the dust away from the bird's eyes, mouth and nostrils.
• Dust roosts, nest boxes, floors and the cracks and crevices of the coop, where mites shelter and lay eggs during the day.
• Lightly dust dark areas in and under the coop.
• Repeat after about 7 to 14 days to catch newly hatched lice and mites, as eggs survive the first treatment.

Check birds every few weeks, especially in the warmer months when mite and lice numbers build up fastest.

Egg and Meat Withholding Periods

For laying hens, there is no egg withholding period, so eggs can be collected and eaten during and after treatment. For meat birds, do not use within 7 days of slaughter for human consumption. Always check the label on your pack for the current withholding periods.

Key Features and Benefits

• Controls mites, lice, fleas, ticks and flies on poultry
• Active constituent: maldison 20g/kg
• Treats both birds and coop housing to break the parasite life cycle
• Nil egg withholding period for laying hens
• Squeeze pack puffs dust directly between feathers
• For chickens, ducks, geese and other poultry
• Australian made by David Gray & Co

Product Details

• Brand: David Grays
• Manufacturer: David Gray & Co Pty Ltd, Western Australia
• Product: Poultry Dust
• Active constituent: 20g/kg maldison (an anticholinesterase compound)
• Pack: 400g net, Sqeasy squeeze pack
• Controls: Mites, lice, fleas, ticks, flies
• Withholding periods: Eggs nil; meat 7 days
• For animal treatment only

Safety Directions

Read the safety directions on the label before opening. Wear gloves, avoid breathing in the dust and keep it out of your eyes. Apply in a well-ventilated space, keep the powder out of feed and water, and wash your hands after use. This is a pest-control product, not a dust-bath material, so never add it to a bathing area for birds to roll in. Store in a cool, dry place out of reach of children and pets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is David Grays Poultry Dust used for?

It is used to treat and prevent external parasites on poultry, including mites, lice, fleas, ticks and flies. It is dusted between the feathers of birds and onto roosts, nest boxes and coop crevices where parasites breed.

Can I eat eggs from hens treated with David Grays Poultry Dust?

Yes. There is no egg withholding period, so eggs can be collected and used during treatment. Meat birds should not be treated within 7 days of slaughter.

Can poultry dust kill lice and ticks?

Yes. This poultry dust controls chicken body lice, shaft lice and Haemaphysalis ticks, as well as mites, sticktight fleas and house flies. A second treatment after 7 to 14 days catches lice that hatch from eggs after the first dusting.

How often should I use poultry dust on chickens?

Treat when you see mites or lice, then repeat after 7 to 14 days. In summer, when parasites breed fastest, regular checks and a preventative dusting of the coop help keep numbers down.

Is poultry dust toxic?

It is a registered insecticide labelled CAUTION, so it must be used as directed. It is harmful if swallowed or inhaled, which is why you should wear gloves, avoid breathing the dust and keep it away from children, pets, feed and water.

Can I add poultry dust to my chickens' dust bath?

No. Poultry dust is applied directly to birds and coop surfaces at label rates. Adding it to a dust bath exposes birds to more insecticide than intended.

Which birds can I use poultry dust on?

It suits poultry, including laying hens, roosters, meat chickens, ducks and geese. It is not for use on cats or dogs.

Where can I buy David Grays Poultry Dust in Australia?

David Grays Poultry Dust 400g is available from Bonnyrigg Produce & Garden Supplies at 462 Elizabeth Dr, Bonnyrigg NSW 2177, Australia. You can visit our store or order online with delivery across Australia.