Can Mites Enter The Home?

[Brummie Pekin]

I currently have a mite situation going on and I am trying my best to get rid of them but I was wondering whether they can enter the home and If they can can they cause problems such as irritation to humans and cause long term problems?

 

[PirateGirl]

Most mites that chickens get are specific to birds, and while you may have minor skin irritation after handling the birds, the mites will not live on you and breed on you and infest your human home. They do give me the creepy crawlies a bit so I like to throw my clothes in the wash immediately after coop cleaning/mite treatment and wear long sleeves and gloves just in case, but I'm probably being overly cautious!

 

[Brummie Pekin]

Most mites that chickens get are specific to birds, and while you may have minor skin irritation after handling the birds, the mites will not live on you and breed on you and infest your human home. They do give me the creepy crawlies a bit so I like to throw my clothes in the wash immediately after coop cleaning/mite treatment and wear long sleeves and gloves just in case, but I'm probably being overly cautious!

Alright thanks for the reply, I was just being overly paranoid and being careful not to let the chickens anywhere near the house thinking that the whole house would be infested with mites. Also about the mite situation I have been trying many techniques to get rid of them and Im about to try this product called "Fumers" which are kind of like smoke bombs full of anti-mite powder, I was wondering if you have used these and what you have done when mites infected your flock

 

[PirateGirl]

I used a permethrin product. I see you are in the UK however and if I recall you cannot purchase permethrin there.

Maybe someone in the UK thread can suggest a product for you.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/anyone-in-england.2199/

Another key is to treat once a week for 3 weeks to break the life cycle of the mites. Treating will include dusting or spraying the birds while they roost, disposing of all bedding, and dusting or spraying down all corners, roosts, nest boxes and nooks and crannies in the coop. Good luck. They can be difficult, but once you get the right product it will get much better each week.

 

[dawg53]

Here's an interesting read for you:
https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/...itic-dermatitis-caused-bird-mite-infestation#
I do full blown coop clean out twice a year, including nest boxes, disposing all bedding and nesting material. I use Permethrin spray to spray inside the coops.
I then add fresh pine shavings and lightly add Permetrin dust onto shavings and mix it in.
I then dust the birds with the dust as well. It's best to start clean out early in the morning.
You should visually inspect your birds at least once a month for external parasites, especially around the vent area where it's warm and moist.
Lice are white/off white or straw in color and move quickly through fluff and feathers. They have 6 legs.
Mites have 8 legs, look like black or red pepper and move slowly. Mites suck blood and cause anemia, then death.
Permethrin will take care of both these parasites.

 

[PirateGirl]

The treatment for most is the same, but I do really like this article with excellent close up photos to help identify mites/lice/etc.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[dawg53]

Here's another link with pics:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140

 

[Brummie Pekin]

Thanks for all the replies, I have been trying many things and hopefully one works but one of the most recent things I have been trying is adding a slight amount of garlic to the food and water. Is that just a myth or does it work?