Dealing with possible mite problem

[JaeG]

Neem oil is also supposed to be effective and a solution can safely be sprayed on your chickens as well as all through your coop (I used 1 teaspoon per litre/quart warm water). It will kill insects (but doesn't hurt bees) and I've been adding it to my bucket when I mop my floors to get rid of fleas. I know it worked as the first time they must've all jumped on me for a last meal! I've also been using it on my vege garden to keep away Passion Fruit Vine Hoppers that sucked my plants dry last year. There's no waiting period before you can eat your produce and it doesn't hurt birds, fish or other animals. So it's pretty natural and safe. It just doesn't smell overly pleasant but the smell quickly disappears. It might be worth spraying it round your coop every now and again to keep creepy crawlies at bay.

 

[bmaw]

Sounds like mites. Mites don't stay on chickens, then just crawl out of their hidey holes at night and crawl up the chicken's legs to suck their blood. I am dealing with exactly the same thing at the moment.

You need to clean the coop with a product specifically designed to kill mites. I'm in a different country so I'm not sure what's available to you. There are concentrates you add to water and spray the whole coop with. I've done it for the third week running and I think I might have finally got rid of them, but I'll be keeping an eye open for any evidence they are still around.

I've lost all faith in DE since I sprinkled it all round the coop, especially in the nestboxes where I had 5 broody chickens (it's summer where I am). I lifted the straw in the boxes to find the thick layer of DE underneath (which had been there for at least a week) absolutely crawling with the little suckers! Yuck!

It is a case of cleaning out your coop weekly with a special solution that kills any new hatchlings, until you've got rid of them.

Vetafarm also do a spray (you can also buy it as a concentrate) called Avian Insect Liquidator. You can spray it on your birds (I give their legs a good spray) and it kills red mites that go on them and bite them. The only time you can't use it is if you are intending to eat the bird you are spraying. I've also sprayed it all along my roosting perches.

Hi, I purchased the AIL but haven't used it. the instructions say 4-5 sprays per bird. is that all it is? you don't have to spray the bird entirely? mine have feather mites or depluming mites.