Do you get chicken mites on you often?

[junebug7334]

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Good idea. Thanks!

 

[Wendy'sChicksRock]

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Any kind of citrus oil? Id llike to try that

 

[chickenmommie]

Hello all what is DE and should i get it and how do i use it

 

[Buugette]

I put my DE in an empty baby powder container.. I just pry off the lid, fill it up, snap the lid back on... and am good to go. I can dust my girls in no time flat... then sprinkle somein their run, the nest box and the coop.

D

 

[Criskin]

DE= Diatomaceous Earth.There are different kinds and you want definitely want food grade, not the kind they sell at pool supply stores. I've heard of all sorts of ways of applying it from sprinkling it in the coop to making a wash out of it and painting the roosts, etc. Some people even feed it to their chickens because it is supposed to kill worms as well. Hopefully someone who knows more will chime in soon! I've never tried it but after talking to other local chicken keepers I think I am going to start!

 

[OregonChickenGal]

Have never had mites or lice in my flock. I regularily dust the coop and nesting boxes with Sevin 5% and also use DE in the dust baths.
DE will not kill a worm infestation.

 

[gsim]

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So, you use the 'old sock' it to 'em method?

 

[junebug7334]

I bought 50 lbs of DE and and going to start using it on a regular basis. I ordered it from CountrySide Natural.

 

[thornoelle]

I just discovered that I have an infestation of red mites. What do I use to get rid of them? Several people commented that DE only works to prevent them. How do I get rid of them after they have become a problem? Help!

I couldn't figure out what was biting me and no one else in the family. Tonight after putting the silkies away for the night I noticed little red mites running on my clothes. I am the only one who actually picks up the chickens thus the only one getting bitten. If only they would go in their coop at night on their own I wouldn't be getting bitten either but then the problem would have gone on longer without me knowing about it. I guess the marauding possum did me a favor when he forced me to carry the chickens in to the coop at night. They would rather roost on the fence at night but then they are easy pickings for the possum. I lost 2 to him before I caught him and figured it out.

 

[gsim]

Thoernelle wrote: "I just discovered that I have an infestation of red mites. What do I use to get rid of them? Several people commented that DE only works to prevent them. How do I get rid of them after they have become a problem? Help!"

Use 10% sevin dust on them. Change out litter and burn it. Wash and hose out floor if possible. Put the sevin dust down after the floor is dried and then replace litter. Clean nest boxes same way and replace all litter in them too. Burn all litter, well away from the coop and run. Likely the infestation came from wild birds landing inside of the run. Deer netting will stop that if there is any way you can support it overhead. This time of year, starllings are the worst offenders for bringing parasites to chickens. But they can come from any wild bird.

Gerry