Dusting for mites, lice, etc.

[wvchickenhouse]

How often should you dust your chickens bedding and coop for lice and mites? How can you tell if they have them? I try to keep my coop really clean but don't want to be putting too much dust in there. Thanks

 

[purelypoultry]

I have never dusted the coop or bedding. Dusting the birds was effective enough. I inspect the flock once a month to see if there are any present and treat them as needed. Also I reccomend keeping a box of ash available for dusting which lowers the problems.

 

[BWKatz]

Mine have plenty of sand for dustbaths so I've never had that problem. Sorry. I think u just dust if u see them.

 

[silky ma]

If you want go ahead and the next time you clean add Food Grade DE to the bedding with each clean out. The best way to see if you have an infestation of mites or lice is to keep a couple of pure white chickens in the flock and check feather face and vent areas every 2-3 weeks. Go to the internet and you will find pics of the varmits for identification. If you have an infestation there are many posts on getting rid of them.

 

[crazyhen]

Twice a yr. When I do a through clean out of the coop. I spray it with sevin then add the wood chips on the floor. On the poop tray I add sand, sweet pdz and a little sevin mixed in. So far I have not had trouble with lice etc. Once I dusted the hens with chicken dust just for assurance because some wild bantams had taken up not far from my coop. Another time when I had mice, before I had cats. If I get new hens I always dust with poultry dust while they are in quarantine. Gloria Jean

 

[wvchickenhouse]

Thanks everyone, that was some good info. I've not had any problems yet, just want to make sure it stays that way.

 

[Half pintfarms~]

I dust my coops once every 2 month! the birds every month just in case and you will see them close to the vent and around the neck mostly and up under the wings=)

 

[ll]

dusting birds once a month here too

 

[aoxa]

Quote:
Where do you find ash? Is it just ash from a fire?

I am making a dust bath for my chickens today, and was told DE and sand. I've heard to put ash in it as well, but where would I find it? Can I make it myself out of a camp-fire ashes or something? Sorry if this sounds stupid

 

[PowerMom]

Don't know about the ash thing, but we put only DE under the watering area, and in the nesting boxes when we clean them each month. In the 15 years my friend has been doing this, she's never had more than a bit of a roach problem around the water. The DE is also safe for the chickens to ingest if they eat the dead critters.