wood chip mites

Sesh

Hatching
5 Years
Jul 31, 2014
7
0
7
Hi,
I'm in the process of setting up a coop and large run for 3 Goldlines and have found that there are lots of light yellow mites living in the woodchippings out in the run! Thank goodness I spotted them before picking up the girls. The mites don't bite, but can I ignore them or do I have to remove everything? I've checked the coop and there are none in there.....I got covered in the little blighters though as I was putting up a swing. Any thoughts?
 
Doh...just realised I've posted this in the wrong forum!! You can tell I'm new! I live in a lovely village called Eastcombe, Stroud, UK. I have 2 boys, a chocolate labrador and a long suffering partner. I have always wanted chickens but my other half hasn't! It took me and the boys years to convince him to change his mind.
 
Welcome to BYC
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Glad you joined us! It would best to remove all the bedding materials and treat the coop and run before putting chickens in there. Some mites, even though they won't bother humans, will make a meal of your chickens.
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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There are so many different species of mites out there. Some bother chickens and others don't. But it is not worth the worry. So you will want to spray with some sort of bug or mite spray in all areas you have seen them. Clean out all bedding from the coop, and nest boxes and spray everything down there. If you have an DE, you can sprinkle some of that around. Make sure to spray the roost bar well and underneath it as well. Mites love to hang out in the cracks of the roost bar and come out at night and feed on your birds.

Keep an eye out and you might respray the roost bar in a week from now to get any eggs that may have hatched.

Great to have you aboard and welcome to our flock!
 
Thank you. I appreciate the advice. I have been reading up on how to care for chickens, and want to get it right first time. it's quite daunting!
 
Thanks Kelsie,
To tell you the truth I'm scared to get my girls. It's taken so long to build the coop and run that now everything is done I seem to be putting off collecting them. Thank goodness I have access to you guys.
 
Mountain Peeps,
Are there any top tips you can give me to settle my girls in when I collect them?
 
When you bring them home, make sure to keep the stress on them down. Don't try to pick them up much for a while. Move slowly around them, talk quietly.

But the best thing you can do is go sit with them in the run on the ground. Stay on their level so you don't look so scary. And bring some goodies! Food is a wonderful bonding agent and they will warm up to you so much faster if you are packing food! Try to hand feed them and let them climb on your lap.

After time, they will see you as a very positive safe thing in their lives and will stampede you when you open the door!

Good luck with your new flock!




Mountain Peeps,
Are there any top tips you can give me to settle my girls in when I collect them?
 

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