Mites all over my chicken

[claireree]

Ive just been out to check on my chickens and picked one up, she has a deformed beak so is very friendly, when i stroked her and moved her feathers I notices she has loads of mites all over her, tiny white/cream things any ideas how to get rid of them.

I checked a few of the other chickens and nothing

 

[Judy]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/818674/are-these-some-kind-of-egg-clusters/0_20#post_11897957

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

 

[cappy]

You can use Sevin dust on the chickens to start getting rid of the bugs. Get a large, low sided pan and put DE in it. The chickens will take dust baths in the pan. Sprinkle DE in the coop, covering the perches and floor, and nest boxes. Make sure you use food grade DE and not the stuff you can get from the pool supply stores. After a couple of weeks you won't see any more bugs on your birds.

Ken

 

[Judy]

DE is quite controversial. One clear fact is that it is very irritating to the respiratory tract. It is strongly recommended that you wear a mask when handling it, but then you won't have any masks for your chickens. People have had their birds become ill, even die from depending on DE to handle problems. Here is just one thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/624639/diatomaceous-earth-for-poultry/20_20#post_8348406

i use Sevin. I will probably try to find some Spibosad when the Sevin runs out. I have also used permethrin/pyrethrin products.