Anyone not have problems with Mites and Lice?

[Rocky Top Chick]

I have had chickens over two years and have never experiences lice or mites, but it seems everyone else does. I check them out very carefully. Anyone out there who has not experience this either? Just wondering!

 

[Cambium29]

No lice or mites here. Not a single one. No fleas on the rabbits either. We keep our little buddies clean and happy.

 

[AuntieE]

I'm still really new at this (3 months), but I haven't seen any signs lice/mites- even though my elderly neighbor assures me that all chicken have lice. (He was concerned about my kids handling them.) I even had a friend who was experienced with chickens come over and check them. I don't do any special treatments on them, just keep the coop and run clean.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Your bound to get them at some point unless you use something like ivermectin pour on. I treat my whole flock every 3 months with that stuff and haven't had a problem with mites/lice/or internal parasites.

 

[ronikins]

The whole year we've had our's, we didn't have mites or lice. When we intially put in the shavings and hay for the nest, I dusted them thoroughly with DE. Then a few months ago, we cleaned the flooring and bedding. I replaced the shavings and hay but forgot to dust with DE. Now I've noticed little tiny bugs on my arm and crawling up the wall near a mama and her babies. It was at night and I don't see them during the day or on the chickens, so it makes me think probably mites. Today, I dumped all the flooring and will be replacing it tomorrow with new hay (nice neighbor gave it to me) and some DE and poultry dust. Nests will get replaced too.

I don't want it to get out of hand but from what I've read they are extremely hard to get rid of. And I just hate using chemicals but everyone says DE alone will not get rid of them but will help deter them if you don't have them to begin with.

 

[darkmatter]

I've never had lice or mites. I use the Deep litter Compost method in the Coop on a sub-ground level dirt floor, they dust bath in a old tractor tire I keep wood ashes in. (I heat with wood) and I occasionally put Juniper greens in the nest boxes. I also practice Bio-Security and never have brought in adult chickens, only hatchery ordered chicks and self-hatched eggs. (See my BYC page for pics of my setup)

 

[welasharon]

The bugs they get from wildlife. I tried the DE as a preventative too and it was a bust. Still had creepy crawlies on my girls. Seven dust or ivomec pour on works really well.
sharon

 

[speckledhen]

No, never have. The only bird who has ever had lice was the one adult bird I bought years ago and he came here with them. Treated him and his bedding in quarantine with DE and that fixed the issue. Never saw any lice on any other birds nor on him. No mites, either.

 

[mlward]

We found some lice on our rooster and a few of our hens this spring. We've had the flock for about a year. We did a full clean out of the coop, dosed the older birds with eprinex and dusted the juveniles with Sevin. Then dusted the nest boxes and the shavings on the floor with Sevin also. The following week, cleaned the coop again and redusted everything and all the birds. It seemed to work. I don't think DE alone would have done it though.

 

[katchley7595]

i have wondered the same thing i have had hens for 2 yrs with no problems fed scratch everyday and layer pellets no yougert or much of anything else and they stay in a 10x10 pen no free ranging just got them a roo this yr everybody doing good no 7 dust or any vit or anything just very healthy chickens