10 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Bird Lice [Natural Bird Lice Treatment]

If you have a farm with poultry, or simply love to have birds around your garden, you may have encountered bird lice. These are tiny arachnids that suck blood from birds. However, once in a while, they also attack humans and get inside houses.

Although they are not inherently dangerous, no one wants to have bird lice in their home.

Moreover, if you have poultry, a bird lice infestation can cause them to die. Although there are several insecticides you can use to kill bird lice, natural methods are always preferred.

Are you wondering what are the effective natural ways to get rid of bird lice? We brough you the 10 most effective natural bird lice remedies, read on.

How to Get Rid of Bird Lice Naturally?

Below are 10 effective natural ways to get rid of bird lice. These methods include the usage of household products to treat bird lice, homemade spray and several other natural bird lice remedies.

1. Vacuum

If you notice a huge amount of bird lice in and around your house, you can use a handheld vacuum to clean them up.

You will have to discard the contents of the vacuum bag immediately, so only do this when you have sufficient time. This method is best used if you don’t have any poultry or birds around the house. 

Required Items:

• Handheld vacuum 
• Plastic bag 

Step by Step Process:

• First, you must identify the areas that are most affected by the bird lice. It could be outside or inside your home. 
• Turn on the handheld vacuum and start cleaning up the small lice. They are often difficult to see, so clean the area diligently until you are sure that most of them are gone. 
• Go to an open space and empty the contents of the vacuum into a plastic bag. 
• Tie the plastic bag tightly, then discard it far away from your home. 

Precautions:

If you do not get rid of the contents of the bag immediately, the bird lice could escape the vacuum, and continue causing problems. 

2. Baking soda

Baking soda is a fine white powder commonly used in the kitchen. But it can also be used for getting rid of bird lice.

Simply spreading this powder on the affected areas can get rid of the bird lice and prevent them. Baking soda is poisonous to bird lice, so when they come in contact with it, they die. 

Required Items:

• Baking soda powder 

Step by Step Process:

• Sprinkle baking soda in all the areas where you have noticed bird lice. You can use this powder on your bed, couch or any other furniture. 
• Leave the powder to work for 24 to 48 hours. You’ll find that most of the bird lice have died. 
• Use a vacuum or duster to discard the bird lice along with the baking soda power. 
• Re-apply after 2 to 3 days for a second treatment. It should get rid of any remaining bird lice in your home. 

Precautions:

Re-apply a few times to get rid of all the lice. One application may not be enough. 

3. Diatomaceous earth

Diatomaceous earth is a natural fine powder that is commonly used to kill soft-bodied insects like mites and lice.

Diatomaceous earth particles are very sharp when seen under the microscope, so when insects walk over it, their body gets pierced and they dehydrate and die. It’s a great method for bird lice because it can be used both outside and inside the home. 

Required Items:

• Diatomaceous earth powder 

Step by Step Process:

• Dust some diatomaceous earth powder around your house and outside where you have seen bird lice. 
• You can use this on your bed and other furniture as well. Sprinkle generously, so that when the bird lice walk over it, their body gets pierced with the sharp particles. 
• Wait 24 hours to allow the powder to work. When you check back on it again, you’ll see that most of the bird lice are dead. You can then dust them off. 
• Reapply after 2 to 3 days to kill off any remaining bird lice. 

Precautions:

Do not inhale this powder as it can cause breathing issues. 

4. Mouthwash

Mint flavored mouthwash is really good at getting rid of bird lice. You can easily spray some mouthwash in your chicken coop or inside your house. The mouthwash will kill any lice on contact, and the strong peppermint scent will also help keep them away. 

Required Items:

• Peppermint Mouthwash 
• Spray bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• Pour ½ cup of mouthwash into a spray bottle. 
• Spray the mouthwash everywhere you have noticed bird lice. 
• You can use this spray both inside and outside the house including any bird coup. 
• Spray generously directly on the bird lice, so that they get covered in the spray. 
• They will die immediately. So you can discard them right afterwards. 

Precautions:

Make sure to spray it directly onto the bird lice, otherwise, they will run away but not die. 

5. Vinegar spray

Vinegar is commonly used for cleaning and in the kitchen, but it is also a great way to get rid of insects. You can make a homemade vinegar spray to kill bird lice. It kills bird lice on contact, so if you can spray it directly on these arachnids, they will die immediately. 

Required Items:

• Vinegar
• Water 
• Spray bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• Mix 1 part each of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. 
• Spray this mixture in all the areas where you have seen bird lice. You can also use this mixture in a bird coup. 
• If you can spray it directly on the lice, then they will die immediately on contact. 
• You can then discard them after they have died. 

Precautions:

Make sure to spray it directly on the bird lice, otherwise, they will run away but will not die. 

6. Neem oil

Neem oil is a natural insecticide that is commonly used for killing a number of insects, and mites. You can use a neem oil solution to kill bird lice as well.

Neem oil is poisonous to bird lice, so if they come in contact with the spray, they will die within a few minutes. You can spray it in a bird coup or inside your home. 

Required Items:

• Neem oil
• Dish soap 
• Water 
• Spray bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• In a spray bottle, add 1 cup of water and 2 teaspoons of dish soap. 
• Add 1 tablespoon of neem oil into the mixture. 
• Close the bottle and shake well to mix the oil into the water. 
• Spray this mixture around the areas where you see the most bird lice. You can use this mixture both inside and outside. 
• If you spray this mixture directly on the lice, they will die immediately. However, the spray keeps working for a few days. 
• You can spray this mixture again after a week or so to get rid of any remaining bird lice. 

Precautions:

Remove any birds from the bird coup before you spray this mixture inside the coup. 

7. Orange oil

Orange oil is a great way to get rid of bird lice. Orange oil is poisonous to lice, so when you spray an orange oil solution, the lice will die immediately on contact.

You can easily make a spray with orange oil at home, so it is an easy method. Moreover, the strong smell of orange oil will keep the lice away for quite some time. 

Required Items:

• Orange oil
• Rubbing alcohol 
• Spray bottle
• Water 

Step by Step Process:

• Mix ½ cup of water and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. 
• Add 15 drops of orange essential oil to the mixture. 
• Close the bottle and shake it before using it. 
• Spray the mixture in all the areas where you frequently see bird lice. You can also use this in a chicken coup. 
• The strong orange oil smell will repel the bird lice. They will not come back as long as the smell is strong. 
• Spray every 4 to 5 days to ensure that they do not come back. 

Precautions:

Orange oil can easily irritate your skin, so be extremely careful while using it. 

8. Homemade bird lice spray using soap

Soap spray is an extremely effective way of getting rid of bird lice. If soap water comes in contact with the lice, they will die immediately. You can use soap spray both inside and outside the home including any bird coop. It is a safe yet easy method to get rid of bird lice. 

Required Items:

• Dish soap
• Water 
• Spray bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• In a spray bottle, add 1 cup of water and 2 teaspoons of dish soap. 
• Close the bottle and shake it well to mix the dish soap with water. 
• Spray the soapy water in all the affected areas of the house and outside. 
• Spray directly on the bird lice, so that they are instantly killed. 
• Make sure to wash off any soapy residue from the surface afterwards to ensure that you don’t slip on it. 
• Spray once every 3 days to make sure that there is no bird lice left. 

Precautions:

Make sure to wash down or wipe down the soap after you have discarded the bird lice. 

9. Garlic bird lice spray

Garlic has a strong smell that can repel a number of insects and arachnids. You can make a homemade garlic spray by using some simple ingredients, then use it for getting rid of bird lice.

You can apply it around your home or in your garden. This method will not kill these lice, but repeated spraying can get rid of them easily.

Required Items:

• Garlic 
• Water 
• Spray bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• Blend 1 garlic with ½ cup of water in a blender. 
• Let the mixture sit in the fridge overnight, then strain it through a mesh the next morning. 
• Fill up a spray bottle with the garlic water to use it. 
• Spray in all the areas you have frequently seen bird lice. You can use this spray outside as well. 
• If you can spray it directly on the lice, they will die, and the rest of them will run away. 
• If the lice keep coming back, then you can spray it once a week in the affected areas to keep them out. 

Precautions:

You need to spray it repeatedly a few times until you can get rid of all the bird lice. 

10. Essential oil spray

Essential oils are great for repelling a number of insects and mites including bird lice. You can make a homemade essential oil spray by mixing a few drops of different essential oils into some water. It is a great way to drive out any bird lice and prevent them from coming back. 

Required Items:

• Eucalyptus oil
• Peppermint oil 
• Lemon oil 
• Rubbing alcohol 
• Water 
• Spray bottle 

Step by Step Process:

• In a spray bottle, add ½ cup of water and ½ cup of rubbing alcohol. 
• Add 5 drops each of Eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, and lemon oil. 
• Close the bottle and shake well until everything is mixed properly. 
• Now spray this mixture in all the areas where you frequently see bird lice, including your garden and any bird coup. 
• Repeat the spray every 3 to 4 days initially. Once the bird lice are gone, you can spray the mixture once a week to repel them. 

Precautions:

Make sure to spray this mixture every week or so, otherwise, the bird lice may appear again. 

How To Prevent Bird Lice Naturally?

Below are 3 natural ways to prevent bird lice effectively.

1. Make a dust bath for your poultry

Dust baths can help prevent chickens from getting bird lice. The dust acts as a natural lice killer and keeps the birds clean. To make a dust bath, dig a hole big enough for chickens to go in and out of.

Then, fill the hole with fine sand, fine dust, and wood ash. You can also add diatomaceous earth to the mixture if you like. This will help prevent bird lice from growing on the chickens. 

2. Keep the coop clean

Dirty coops are the most common place to find bird lice. If you do not regularly clean chicken coops, you risk the growth of bird lice massively.

Clean the coops every two or so weeks, and deep clean them every other month. This way, you can ensure that the bird lice do not keep growing in the coop. 

3. Remove bird feeders and baths

Bird feeders and birdbaths can attract a lot of birds into your garden, some of which may even have bird lice.

If you are facing any issue with bird lice, you may want to remove your bird feeder and bath to discourage birds from coming to your house. This way you can prevent them from spreading bird lice. 

Best Natural Repellents to Get rid of Bird Lice

If you are looking for readily availablenaturalrepellents to get rid of bird lice, check below listed best Natural and Organic repellents.

Final Words:

If you have birds in your house or garden, there is always a chance that there will be bird lice. They can bite humans and pets and cause rashes on the skin. Although bird lice only grow on birds, unless you can eradicate the problem from its root, they will keep coming.

So, it is best to get rid of them from your home. While you can use commercial pesticides, it is always safer to use natural items. We hope that you found the natural methods to get rid of bird lice useful.