Dust Bath with Sevin, DE, and ash?

[HuttonFarm]

Hi everyone,

I suspect my chickens have mites. They have lost many feathers in patchy areas and they just will not grow back. I need them to grow back before winter! I have used Frontline spray under their wings but I did not reapply so I am not sure if it had started working or not. I will be re-spraying my chickens soon.

I was going to make a dust bath for them using Diatomacious Earth, wood ash and Sevin Dust mixed in and put it all in a bathing bin in the coop. Do you think this will help?

I have seen all the controversies with Sevin dust and Frontline and have decided to use these chemicals because I need my chickens to be healthy for winter. It's not my first choice, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

any thoughts on keeping a dust bathing bin in the coop at all times?

Thanks so much,
Kelly

 

[galanie]

DE and wood ash, yes. Sevin... I'd be reluctant. Mine dust bathe in wood ash though and never have any mites that I can see, and I do check them often.

I'd be willing to bet that a small amount of Sevin wouldn't hurt, but I'd still be reluctant to try it out. I'd be more likely to just dust them with it myself. Sounds silly probably but that's me I guess

 

[sherylreno]

I dust my chickens with it first and I also scatter it in the run and all around in the coop too. It kills the mites mighty fine and I haven't had anymore issues with them.

 

[BoltonChicken]

I don't think you would have a problem with Sevin, but it IS a poison. I would go with DE either shaken on or put in a dirt/ash bath. If that doesn't work, then I would try dusting them with the Sevin.

 

[mystang89]

I've put Sevin in with my soil and then tilled it in. I keep the soiled stirred and haven't had a problem so far. That being said I don't know if it works either.

 

[chicken grandma]

I give mine a light squirt of pyrethrin spray under the wings and around the vent. Don't have to do that often, maybe once or twice a year. I find that spray at pet stores.
The wooden perches can also be sprayed on a different day. Ventilate the coop for the day after spraying the nest boxes and perches. If something kills mites, it has a bit of poison to it and you and your hens don't need to breathe too much of anything poisonous. I think this is the easiest way to go however requires two persons. One holds the hen and lifts a wing and the other squirts.
I don't like to use Sevin because as a dust it gets everywhere including into their mouths and into my EGGS!