Mites

[RJKnott]

So my jumbo pekin male, Howard… he has a hard time getting around. One of his legs is noticeably larger than the other. As such he has a hard time getting in and out of the pools so he gets dirty a lot. He likes to be sprayed down with the hose though so I put it on shower and spray him down to keep him clean.

Well we got a lot of rain last week and while the coop area is dry and clean the pen area is a mud pit. That’s common this time of year as we get a lot of rain in Alabama first half of the year

Well Howard yesterday was waddling over to me to get sprayed down before going in for the night. As he got close to me he shook himself off and splashed some mud on my arm. And I noticed from the mud splatter a couple tiny little mites scurried away on my arm. I squished them til I was satisfied they were no longer in this world, and checked Howard out. I didn’t see any more in his feathers, though by nature mites aren’t the easiest to see.

Reached out to a friend who runs a duck rescue in town and on her advice gave him a bath with dawn dish soap. Didn’t see any more mites. Checked some of the other ducks as well and didn’t see any.

This morning Howard got out of the coop and headed straight for the pools and climbed in. Something he really never does on his own unless it’s super hot out. But this is the cleanest he has ever been (took him in from somewhere where he was not in great consortiums) so he may just be feeling energetic. Again no sign of mites.

So hoping we got them before it became an infestation. I have some straw coming today to change the flooring in the coop.


What is a good way to prevent them? Or get rid of them If they are still there. I read Diatomaceous earth. How does that work? Just spread it around the pen? I don’t want to necessarily avoid having bugs or slugs or earth worms as a whole as they like to hunt them

Image of Howard guarding his snack bowl, that’s his favorite spot. He sits there all day snacking out of a little dish and bites at anyone that comes by except 2 females he likes

 

[nuthatched]

Diotomaeceous Earth doesn't work and especially doesn't work if it gets wet.
I'm not sure what to use in ducks since they and their house are perpetually damp.
I'd spray some permethrine poultry spray on the floor and into the corners/crevices of the duck house when you put new bedding in.

 

[Isaac 0]

Bathing in water is a ducks main defense towards mites and lice, so if he's not getting in regularly you're probably going to have to set him in the pool a couple times each week so he can clean himself off.
Dawn dish soap will clean the feathers, but it is going to strip the natural water repelling oils on the feathers which may cause the duck to get water logged easily. I personally prefer Permethrin liquid spray for ectoparasite infestations.

 

[RJKnott]

Bathing in water is a ducks main defense towards mites and lice, so if he's not getting in regularly you're probably going to have to set him in the pool a couple times each week so he can clean himself off.
Dawn dish soap will clean the feathers, but it is going to strip the natural water repelling oils on the feathers which may cause the duck to get water logged easily. I personally prefer Permethrin liquid spray for ectoparasite infestations.

I’ve been placing him in the pool each day so he gets some bath time and haven’t seen any sign of mites the past few days