Well for the first time in about six years of pigeon keeping I finally have mites.
Cleaning the loft out today after being on vacation for ten days and there are hundreds if not thousands of very small reddish brown mites all over the floor. I didn’t see any in perches or nest boxes but that doesn’t mean they’re not there.
I normally treat the loft with a spray called Meyer’s pen and poultry which I’ve seen recommended on here, and I give the individual birds a light spray with it too. So far this has kept lice and mites at bay for years but I believe two new giant runt pigeons I purchased within the last month had a stubborn infestation. I thoroughly manhandled all the pigeons I could catch and inspected vents, under wings, and behind heads. No mites seen on the homers or runt pigeons but I noted a few lice on my giant runts which apparently persisted through the double treatment I did.
How can I be sure these are actually parasitic mites and not just detritivores? I’m thinking I’ll go into the loft at night now that it’s clean with a flashlight and try to see any crawling on or near the birds.
What are the best treatments to use both on the pigeons and the lofts themselves?
Cleaning the loft out today after being on vacation for ten days and there are hundreds if not thousands of very small reddish brown mites all over the floor. I didn’t see any in perches or nest boxes but that doesn’t mean they’re not there.
I normally treat the loft with a spray called Meyer’s pen and poultry which I’ve seen recommended on here, and I give the individual birds a light spray with it too. So far this has kept lice and mites at bay for years but I believe two new giant runt pigeons I purchased within the last month had a stubborn infestation. I thoroughly manhandled all the pigeons I could catch and inspected vents, under wings, and behind heads. No mites seen on the homers or runt pigeons but I noted a few lice on my giant runts which apparently persisted through the double treatment I did.
How can I be sure these are actually parasitic mites and not just detritivores? I’m thinking I’ll go into the loft at night now that it’s clean with a flashlight and try to see any crawling on or near the birds.
What are the best treatments to use both on the pigeons and the lofts themselves?
Sorry, I should have looked beyond the search to read the entire thread. I saw your handle and assumed it was a chicken thread.
