Insane bird mite infestation!!! Need help please!

[Shan98]

Hi all,

I have 2 wonderful hens who are suffering from a nasty mite infestation and the mites have even made their way to my bedroom from when I've picked them up. We just recently moved to a sub tropical area, Townsville, Queensland Australia. Previously I've lived in Bundaberg and Mackay and they have never had Bird mites. I have never had to deal with this problem before so I am not too sure how to treat this and there is so much conflicting information online where everyone says such a treatment works then a whole bunch of other people say it doesn't work. I am confused on what to do!

I purchased diatomateous earth a 4 days ago, I threw out their hay in the coop, washed it down and sprayed the whole thing in pyrethrum and coated all the nooks and cranys and nesting area in diatomateous earth and coated the chickens feathers and 2 days later I gave them another dusting of diatomasceous which reduced the mites significantly and now on the 4th day they're completely covered in them again, their faces were literally covered in mites!!!! I feel horrible for them and I need to find a quick solution asap as they have already plucked their butt feathers from over preening and one of them hasn't been laying.

I did some gardening yesterday and I had some mites crawling on my body! They're in the soil too!

What can I put in the soil to kill the mites and is there a drop I can put on the girls skin to kill off mites?? Like what they have for dogs and cats for fleas and ticks?

Thank you for your time! Any advice is appreciated

 

[azygous]

Ivermectin pour-on will treat mites on the birds, but the coop and premises need to be treated with something that is effective against them. Not DE. DE is useless to kill a mite infestation.

Amazon sells spinosad under the label Elector PSP. See if you can order it. I have no idea if they ship to Australia. Or call around to garden supply places and ask for spinosad.

Spinosad alone is perfectly safe to use directly on chickens, but if the spinosad has any petroleum distillates in it, it is not safe on chickens, but could still be used to treat the coop as long as you let it completely dry out before letting the chickens back in and don't contaminate any food stuff or gravel that the chickens could pick up. So if using a spinosad with petroleum distillates, you need to remove all bedding and food and water from the coop or run before treating. Spinosad alone is perfectly safe, though.

 

[Shan98]

Ivermectin pour-on will treat mites on the birds, but the coop and premises need to be treated with something that is effective against them. Not DE. DE is useless to kill a mite infestation.

Amazon sells spinosad under the label Elector PSP. See if you can order it. I have no idea if they ship to Australia. Or call around to garden supply places and ask for spinosad.

Spinosad alone is perfectly safe to use directly on chickens, but if the spinosad has any petroleum distillates in it, it is not safe on chickens, but could still be used to treat the coop as long as you let it completely dry out before letting the chickens back in and don't contaminate any food stuff or gravel that the chickens could pick up. So if using a spinosad with petroleum distillates, you need to remove all bedding and food and water from the coop or run before treating. Spinosad alone is perfectly safe, though.

Do you know what I could put in the soil to kill them? Would wood ash work? Or spraying pyrethrum onto the soil?

 

[Acre4Me]

It’s my understanding the permethrin - the synthetic version of natural pyrethrum - will work and is safe/ no egg withdrawal.

with a major infestation you will need to treat 2-3 times about 7-10 days apart.

clean coop throughly, removing everything possible from corners/nooks/crannies. Spray everything, including corners/cracks/seams. We use a garden sprayer bc it provides a nice fine mist.

we clean the coop and spray. We then do a two person team, wearing safety glasses and gloves and one hold a chicken upside down, the other sprays between legs, under wings, around vent, anywhere else needed. Then treated bird goes into treated coop. We can work our way through the flock easily this way and know we got them all. If you have a rooster, we do him first, that way the girls go in after him and he’s happy and not freaking out.

we have sprayed the run material befor when we had a lice and fly surge-seemed to help.

we add wood ash to their dust bathing areas, it is a good addition As an anti-parasite for their own self-care.
Good luck.

 

[azygous]

Pyrethrum should be safe to use on the premises. Here's a run-down on pesticides that are safe for poultry. https://backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com/feed-health/your-options-for-chicken-mite-treatment/

 

[Folly's place]

Wear at least a N95 face mask, or if they are now hard to find, any good covering over your nose and mouth, because coop cleansing, spreading powders, and spraying the birds and the coop, all need to happen, but are very bad for your lungs!!!
Spray is easier to use instead of dust type products, and forget about DE.
Pyrethrum is safe and effective, but not as long lasting as the synthetic permethrin, which is available here in the USA. Spinosad is fine, but much more expensive, at least here.
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

Regardless if you use a spray or powder (I used permethrin) make sure to work it all the way to the skin of the birds. Get the necks, backs, belly, under wings, around vent especially, and if they're on their heads too try to very carefully get some around the comb and around the face, avoiding eyes, mouth.

As for yourself (and we were getting bitten by mites for 2 weeks without understanding what it was) you're going to want to launder your bed linens, anything you've been wearing that might've been anywhere around chickens, with hot water and dry on high. My pest guy suggested spraying down the mattress with rubbing alcohol too but that might be impossible to find right now. While in the process of dealing with the mites I'd suggest picking out some exclusive chicken boots, clothes, gloves etc. and keep them outside of the house, like in the garage or shed.

 

[Folly's place]

We have barn boots, barn shoes, barn jackets, and gloves, which only are worn out there, and nowhere else. Safer for everyone! They also don't go shopping, or are stored with any other clothes or shoes.
Mary

 

[Al Gerhart]

Once you have your flock treated you need to find the source of the mites and stop the infestation. Wild birds, squirrels, rats. Feed security, lock up the feed, get a good feeder that is actually rat proof. You will be forced to use a locally made feeder as shipping is about three times the cost of a good feeder.

But if you don't practice bio security with a flock you will deal with vermin and disease.

 

[TheMeowers]

Help...I believe I have a mite infestation in my house and in my bed. I keep a kennel in my bedroom and have brought injured chickens to spend time in the kennel. Recently I had a young hen pass away and I am guessing that is where the mites came. I am constantly cleaning my bedding, but now can't even get a full night's sleep...I have bites all over my body from head to toe. I don't know what to do...am ready to burn my bed. I can not see the mites....I look and look and can not see them. Help.