broody hen with mites - DE

[opihiman911]

I have a broody hen who has been sitting on a clutch of eggs for almost two weeks now. I have her locked up in her own nest box with food and water. Eggs are growing well and are due to hatch the 24th or so.
I went and checked on her today and when she puffed up and growled at me, I noticed a bunch of tiny brown pinhead sized bugs crawling out of her ruffled neck feathers and onto her face. I ruffled through her neck feathers, getting pecked a bunch of times, and found dozens and dozens more. I would assume these are mites she caught from being still on the nest and not dusting as much. I checked the rest of the flock and don't see on them
Can I do anything about these while she is nesting? I do have food grade DE in a salt shaker. Can I dust her and the nest box? What about the nesting material? I use dried grass clipping and have more that I use in my other boxes.

Aloha,
Cory

 

[opihiman911]

Hmmmm....now I thought of it this is maybe more of a pest posting?? Now if I crosspost over there you know what will happen to one of them

Cory

 

[gumpsgirl]

I would most definitely dust her and try to dust the nest too if possible. You'll have to pull her off to get the nest, but it would be best to dust her off the nest also. You'll be able to get to her better. Also, do you have any Ivomec (Eprinex)? It kills internal and external parasites. I just went through this with my broody last Sunday and between rubbing/dusting her down with the DE and using Eprinex, it took care of the mites.

 

[peaceful]

I think its a good idea. The DE will be harmless to the chicks and hen yet should take care of the mites. I'd go for it.
did you see this video? It explains how food grade DE works
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=867362921535089214
good luck with it and let us know how it works.