Depluming mites and treating the RUN

[Tracyree]

Next week I’m doing a deep clean and treating with Elector PSP for depluming mites (even though my gut tells me it’s feather pecking, not mites). How would I treat the run? It’s mix of sand and wood chips. I don’t want to use DE (if it’s bad for our lungs, sure;y it’s bad for theirs when they are like a foot tall and dust bathing in it). Also don’t want to use anything that requires egg withdrawal

 

[thecatumbrella]

I'm in the same bucket as you. We had scaly leg mites, and our run is filled with 6+ inches of mulch and sand. I haven't been able to come up with a good answer. Anything you put down will only be marginally effective. I agree with not using DE. I have used First Saturday Lime, but it is DUSTY, and didn't really work to prevent mites in the first place.

I hope someone has a better answer. For now, I just focus my efforts on treating the birds, keeping the coop pristine, and encouraging them to dust bathe.

 

[Tracyree]

I'm in the same bucket as you. We had scaly leg mites, and our run is filled with 6+ inches of mulch and sand. I haven't been able to come up with a good answer. Anything you put down will only be marginally effective. I agree with not using DE. I have used First Saturday Lime, but it is DUSTY, and didn't really work to prevent mites in the first place.

I hope someone has a better answer. For now, I just focus my efforts on treating the birds, keeping the coop pristine, and encouraging them to dust bathe.

Sorry you’re dealing with problem too. Kinda takes the fun out of it, doesn’t it?

 

[thecatumbrella]

Sorry you’re dealing with problem too. Kinda takes the fun out of it, doesn’t it?

I know what you mean. I also knew, going into this, that feather-footed birds were more prone to mites. I didn't realize that would mean they got infested 0.001 microseconds after their feet first touched the earth.

 

[Tracyree]

I know what you mean. I also knew, going into this, that feather-footed birds were more prone to mites. I didn't realize that would mean they got infested 0.001 microseconds after their feet first touched the earth.

Frosting part for me is I’m just guessing at mites because I’m desperate. Vet says they are parasite free, but they are NAKED on their backsides and getting worse. Four out of 9 have completely names rumps and now it’s moving up to above their tails. I have moved two to a serrated coop, thinking they may have been feather eating but it’s not gotten better. I changed their food to a high protein food. I’ve watched hours of footage trying to see one pulling feathers and cant. So now I’m going to treat for mites regardless of the fact that they tested negative. Desperate.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Frosting part for me is I’m just guessing at mites because I’m desperate. Vet says they are parasite free, but they are NAKED on their backsides and getting worse. Four out of 9 have completely names rumps and now it’s moving up to above their tails. I have moved two to a serrated coop, thinking they may have been feather eating but it’s not gotten better. I changed their food to a high protein food. I’ve watched hours of footage trying to see one pulling feathers and cant. So now I’m going to treat for mites regardless of the fact that they tested negative. Desperate.

If you can post some pictures, I can tag a few of the "Educators" who might be able to ID what's going on with them. Some questions they might want to know are:

- What are you feeding them (I know you mentioned switching to high protein )? How much of their diet is feed vs treats?
- Age of birds?
- How long has this been going on?
- Any roosters? Or just hens?

 

[Tracyree]

If you can post some pictures, I can tag a few of the "Educators" who might be able to ID what's going on with them. Some questions they might want to know are:

- What are you feeding them (I know you mentioned switching to high protein )? How much of their diet is feed vs treats?
- Age of birds?
- How long has this been going on?
- Any roosters? Or just hens?

Thank you!!!

Previous feed - natures best organic all flock
Current feed- Kalmbach flock raiser

They get about 2 cups of black
Soldier fly every other day

No roosters.

All started in December. Two hens had palm size wounds under their vents and feathers missing on their rumps. Separated those two until they healed. They remain featherless

Then this late spring two others started getting bald on their rumps. No open wounds.

I took the two top hens with perfect feathers and put them in a separate coop in hopes that was the issue.

Now the two that started loosing in spring are half naked. It’s heartbreaking. I hate to even post how bad it is, it’s embarrassing.

 

[thecatumbrella]

@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock
Would you guys mind taking a look?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would suspect feather picking since that is more common than feather mites. Feather picking is a learned habit that is hard to break and can take place while chickens are on the roost or just standing around. Boredom from not getting outside, too little protein or imbalance in the diet, too much light or heat in the coop, or not enough roost space can be possible causes. Some breeds are more aggressive as well. You could ask your vet or a friend with a microscope to look at feathers under a microscope for tiny mites. When feathers get pulled out, they may not come back in until the next yearly molt. Elector PSP is a good product to use on mites and lice. Ivermectin pour on (5 mg per ml) could also be used at a dosage of 0.1 ml for every 2 pounds of weight on the back of the neck over the spine once and again in 10 days. A thorough coop cleanout and spraying with the Elector PSP or permethrin would be helpful. Hopefully, you can get this figured out. If you see some blue feather shafts growing in after a molt, watch to see if they are pecked out. Reddened skin from irrtation or pecking can lead to more pecking.

 

[Tracyree]

I would suspect feather picking since that is more common than feather mites. Feather picking is a learned habit that is hard to break and can take place while chickens are on the roost or just standing around. Boredom from not getting outside, too little protein or imbalance in the diet, too much light or heat in the coop, or not enough roost space can be possible causes. Some breeds are more aggressive as well. You could ask your vet or a friend with a microscope to look at feathers under a microscope for tiny mites. When feathers get pulled out, they may not come back in until the next yearly molt. Elector PSP is a good product to use on mites and lice. Ivermectin pour on (5 mg per ml) could also be used at a dosage of 0.1 ml for every 2 pounds of weight on the back of the neck over the spine once and again in 10 days. A thorough coop cleanout and spraying with the Elector PSP or permethrin would be helpful. Hopefully, you can get this figured out. If you see some blue feather shafts growing in after a molt, watch to see if they are pecked out. Reddened skin from irrtation or pecking can lead to more pecking.

Thanks. I do think it’s feather pecking but was planning on treating for mites “just in case” because it’s the only thing I haven’t tried aside from pinless peepers. But maybe it’s time for the peepers.



Their run is 20x16, coop is 8x6 with 12’ of roosts. There are 7 in the flock now that I’ve separated 2 into a small coop.

They have lots of enrichment in the run