I use neem in my chicken coops and duck houses. although the only place I have ever had mites was on the chickens and in their coop. I haven't used it on the flock though. usually if they have plenty of swimming water water fowl can stay parasite free. To treat my chickens I used a product called Epernix pour on it's actually for cattle but it can be used on our birds to like front line for dogs.Or you can put poultry dust in a large bag place the duck in side feet fist. close bag around neck hold under also and shake till dust is covering them. I have tried this method on my chickens but not my ducks. You'll have to treat all cracks and crevices in your coop top to bottom and one way of knowing if you have mites is to go in after dark stick your hand down into the shavings if you have mites they will be on you. They wont bite you though. If they are in your shavings, I rec you clean out all bedding put it into trash bags and carry off then treat their house and them put down just a small amount of shaving s because your going to want to treat again in 10days. I have used neem now for about 3 yrs and haven't had any mites in my coop since I started using it. I do my houses 3X a season now late spring mid summer and fall.
They are smaller than a pepper flakes they ones I had were blk. can you pick your ducks up and examine? look through their feathers at their skin. First time I had them here they got into my head and I felt something crawling went in and combed my hair over the sink and saw these little blk things fall out then crawl. A good hot shower took care of it on me. Mites actually live in the cracks and crevices of your coop and come out at night and feed on our poultry. Mites like to hang out around the vents of our poultry. They can cause anemia even death so if you have them you need to take care of it asap. use neem oil in the coop 2tab to 1 gal of hot water hot water will keep the oil mixed better shake often I used a pump garden sprayer. It is not a night mare. It just needs to be done, and why is your husband going to kill you? they will not bite your kids either. I'm going to see if I can find you some info.
I use deep litter and have for years and now that I use neem oil and also garlic with my birds I haven't had a mite outbreak. For at least 3 yrs. and have never had them on my water fowl, I was always under the impression if they get in water often they can stay relatively parasite free. I'd try the salt solution with the other things added in the link I gave you not sure about spraying the neem on the birds, I looked at different sites but didn't see anyone doing that. Poppy seed size does sound like mites. Keep me updated.
I'm not sure if your ducks would eat their feed if you just sprinkled garlic over top I make Fermented feed for my ducks and mix granulated garlic into it here is the link you can read and see if this is something you might be interested in@Miss Lydia there are 10, they are 8 months old and laying. Except the darn lazy boys. I am trying to formulate a plan. One of the reasons we went with ducks was their resistance to parasites, so I feel like I screwed up. It's been so wet here (you know, I think we are in the same state), and it's hard to keep their bedding totally dry, and I read mites like damp and humid. Ugh. It's pouring right now and the ducks are out in it playing and splashing, so maybe they'll all wash off, hahaha. I just have to find the time to dedicate the day to coop and duck cleaning, since there's SO much spare time with Christmas on the way!!
Is the epernix like frontline for ducks, sort of? Like a liquid? Do I still need to bathe them?
I am definitely going to start need and garlic, either way. What garlic protocol do you use?
