Lessons learned in my battle with mites

[Ballerina Bird]

Neem Seed Oil full strength directly on the bird on the most infested areas. I put this on my Orpington rooster twice, a few days apart. It killed the mites right away, they weren't moving so I assumed killed, or rendered not able to move. I checked him yesterday and saw two mites and his scabs are healing! I'll put more Neem oil on him today just where the mites are.

I also used it on a hen, and checked her a few days later, and all of the mites were gone!

I also have used food grade Diatomaceous earth in the shavings on the floor, on the roosts, and in nest boxes and it helps to repel the mites. It kills mites also, because it cuts their outer coating and they die, but it is so dusty I don't like to use it; bad to breathe it in. Also, I mix the DE in their dirt bathing areas and will continue to do that, just not put much in, since it's probably not good for them to breathe it either.

The Neem Seed Oil is new to me so I still have to learn how often to re-apply, and if it will get rid of the mites out of their house permanently, thinking if the mites are not on the birds they won't be in their house either, maybe. So far I'm very happy with the results.

There's a Neem Seed Oil thread on BYC that I found the information.

Thank you, @JanetMarie ; I really appreciate the info and help.

 

[SIMZ]

Update:

I bought Frontline Spray last fall and started using it on my keeper roosters. They have been mite free ALL winter! Our mite problem has been a fraction of what it normally is, and I think keeping mites off the roosters has been the difference. I still use permithrin dust on my hens that I find mites on, and Frontline only if it's a hen that I know isn't currently laying.

*I do not use Frontline on birds that will ever be eaten and have only used it on a hen that was not laying. Do your research before using anything on your chickens!

The battle is still not over, but I wouldn't classify it as a "battle" anymore, either. I've accepted that mites are just going to be there and control is the new goal.

 

[aart]

Fipronil (Frontline) -lifetime withdrawal per FARAD

 

[SIMZ]

Fipronil (Frontline) -lifetime withdrawal per FARAD

Can you post a link please? I understood that I would never eat the roosters I use this on, but I would like to see that link.

 

[aart]

Quote: That info I pasted was from a vet.........but you can look it up here....http://farad.org/

 

[Framac]

I agree with the fact that you may never be mite free. I have gone long periods of time with no visible mites, then find some on a bird, normally in the fall. I assume the coop is not 100% free of them, or wild birds.

I found a product called Elector PSP. Expensive, but highly effective.I have used permethrine, and carbol based product, and 2 days later still seen moving mites. Not with this.
I also do a dip as opposed to a spray. With a dip you can get the whole bird treated, so you are getting the mites you see, and the mites you don't.

Framac

 

[NewhAtch3r]

Im new to this what a about a weight appropriate dose of frontline did anyone say that already?


Edit: now that i made post and read last posts i see people have been saying that I'm proud of myself for coming up with idea before i saw anything lol.

 

[ccrow]

I'm fighting the mites by periodic deep cleaning of the coop(removing shavings, using the shop-vac to vacuum EVERYTHING); permethrin dust around the edges of the floor, under the shavings; shake-and-baking the chickens with DE; putting DE in the nest boxes under the shavings. I agree that the mites are never going to be really gone... all I can hope for is to keep them at a manageable level.

 

[Duckie48]

A friend of mine had a huge infestation of mites in her coup. The mites were so bad a couple of chooks were becoming aenemic. The mites even chewed through a couple of the eggs.
She saw a disussion online for a way to rid them of the mites and it worked.
Wood ash.
She spread it all over the floor and dusted the perches and around the nesting boxes. But not inside the boxes. The boxes were cleaned out and sprayed. When the mites were gone she cleaned it all out, put fresh dirt (it is a dirt floor) and in one corner she put a pile of ash for them to dust bath in.
She has never seen the mites since. Something in the wood ash is toxic to them.
Everyone at some time burns rubbish (tree branches and such ) and keep the ash. Try it. Even if you don't have mites right now, put a bed of wood ash in the coop or run.
Let us know if it works for your chooks as well.
Val

 

[Teai]

All this talk makes me not even want to have chickens anymore. They need to just come up with a dog collar type thing and be done lol