Dealing with mites

[katiemdenne]

I have 35 standard-sized, heritage breed chickens. They free-range and roost inside a newly built coop. We live in a wet climate (Vancouver Island, British Columbia). We have a mite problem. Two months ago, I treated all the birds with 5 cc of Ivomec, placed on the back of their neck against the skin. The mites came back. My questions are as follows....

What are your prevention and treatment techniques to treat for mites?

The vet says the ivomec injectable we've purchased is water-based, and suggests we contain the chickens within the coop for two days, and 'spike' the waterer with the ivomec. Has anyone done this, successfully?

Do you do re-treatments? If so, when?

We've be using the deep-litter method. Does this method encourage mite infestation?

When treating your flock, is it necessary to clean and sanitize the coop as well?

Does ivomec, or the like, 'vaccinate' the birds for a specific amount of time, or just kill the current mite infestation?

Thanks for any input

 

[ChickensRDinos]

With mites it is nessecary to clean the coop as well as they can live in bedding and in wood. I have never tried an injection method. I use a poultry dust and repeat after 7-10 days because the dust does not kill the eggs.