Early Mite Treatment: Diatomaceous Earth and Garlic Juice?

[Sandwitch]

Hello!

The other day we picked up new chicks and put them in with our broody mama in a hamster cage in our garage (semi quarantining). We started noticed these past couple days incredibly tiny bigs scurrying around the cage. We are pretty sure it's mites and we are pretty sure we've caught it early and it's from the chicks and isn't in our normal flock. My question is what can we do to treat it while it's still early? We have already put down some diatomaceous earth and it seems to be somewhat helping. Would using diatomaceous earth and garlic juice together be okay?
Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

Use poultry dust with Permethrin in it.
Clean out their cage, re-bed it and dust each bird.
Repeat in 7 days.

 

[nuthatched]

Clean out the DE, it's a respiratory irritant to them and you and use permethrine based powder or spray.
Garlic is more likely to kill the chicks than the bugs, as its toxic to birds.

 

[Sandwitch]

Clean out the DE, it's a respiratory irritant to them and you and use permethrine based powder or spray.
Garlic is more likely to kill the chicks than the bugs, as its toxic to birds.

We aren't putting too much DE in with them since we know it can be an irritant. We don't want to use any permethrine products since we have cats. We wouldn't be feeding them the garlic juice we are spraying it on them.

With it being caught early we are hoping to treat it right away preferably with stuff we have on hand.

 

[Lillith37]

Where abouts in the world are you? I think that will influence what products you can get.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Use poultry dust with Permethrin in it.
Clean out their cage, re-bed it and dust each bird.
Repeat in 7 days.

X2 Permethrin poultry dust for chicks and broody hens.

 

[Debbie292d]

We aren't putting too much DE in with them since we know it can be an irritant. We don't want to use any permethrine products since we have cats. We wouldn't be feeding them the garlic juice we are spraying it on them.

With it being caught early we are hoping to treat it right away preferably with stuff we have on hand.

A lot of people actually do feed raw garlic to their chickens. Too much of anything can be harmful so I'd just give a little bit, but you can search in this group and find tons of posts touting using it, and others say the exact opposite. The clicker to me was when I saw this link from a reputable source calling it. "The remarkable beneficial effects of garlic in animals." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8362672/

 

[DobieLover]

With it being caught early we are hoping to treat it right away preferably with stuff we have on hand.

But what you have on hand is not going to be effective in treating the mites. I'm all for natural when it is appropriate. I'm also for "minimum effective dose". But this isn't one of those circumstances.

Permethrin is a synthesized pyrethroid that acts like the natural extracts from a chrysanthemum flower. It is safe and effective and the birds won't continue to suffer with mites when ineffective "natural treatments" are tried and then fail. The chicks will suffer the most as their tiny bodies can quickly become anemic. Mites can kill them if the parasites are not removed immediately.

The cats wouldn't be in with the hen and chicks. The dust will be safer for the chicks as it won't chill them.

 

[janiedoe]

@DobieLover has given you excellent advise.
I have cats, 2 of them are outdoors and go in and out of the coops and runs. I do use permethrin for my flock and my cats have not been harmed. I believe it is safe to use as long as you do not apply it directly to the cats.
If you are still hesitant, look into Ivermectin Pour On or Elector PSP. We can help you with dosages for these products. Elector is expensive but it is very easy to use, especially if your flock is large, and it works better than anything I've tried.
DE isn't going to get rid of lice or mites. Neither is garlic.

 

[janiedoe]

@DobieLover has given you excellent advise.
I have cats, 2 of them are outdoors and go in and out of the coops and runs. I do use permethrin for my flock and my cats have not been harmed. I believe it is safe to use as long as you do not apply it directly to the cats.
If you are still hesitant, look into Ivermectin Pour On or Elector PSP. We can help you with dosages for these products. Elector is expensive but it is very easy to use, especially if your flock is large, and it works better than anything I've tried.
DE isn't going to get rid of lice or mites. Neither is garlic.

I reread your post and you say it is chicks that you are treating. I would definitely use the permethrin powder. Anything else may be too potent for baby chicks.