emergency....mites on broody hen...2 days until hatch

[amcconnell]

Thanks for all your input.....I greatly appreciate it.....I'll keep you posted on my chicks.....2 days and counting!!!!!!

 

[PatS]

So, what did you do, and what was the outcome? I ask because my broody is 10 days along and I want to check her tomorrow for mites. (How do you check for mites, anyway?)

 

[aesch]

I'm going through the same thing. I have 2 broodies and one just hatched 4 chicks. She and the chicks are mite free right this minute but the other is badly infested. The first thing I did was dust both with DE, then sprayed every nook and cranny with 2Tbs vegetable oil, 1 tbs Dawn plus 2 cups water. That worked extremely well. Then I changed out the straw to pine shavings and the basket to a plastic tub. Also, I prayed, never hurts to ask the Creator for help with her creations. I did the spraying every other day for a week. I also dusted the eggs carefully as they were covered with mites. This helped one hen but not the other so I am trying to vome up with plan B. Hope any of this helps you.

 

[aesch]

Thanks for all your input.....I greatly appreciate it.....I'll keep you posted on my chicks.....2 days and counting!!!!!!

Check under her wings and thighs where there aren't any feathers. Put your hand there for a minute then look carefully for little specks that move. Mites look like flea eggs, or dust specks. You can feel them move. I'm not a squeamish person but they're disgusting.