first time chicken owner RED MITES??!!!

[Ollivander_Chicken]

I was cleaning out my chicken coop this afternoon and found a ton of red bugs in the bedding. after some online searching, I have identified them as red mites but I have no idea what to do. I am leaving the country in a week, for a week and I am not sure what to do about the mites.

• what should I use to get rid of the mites?
• what will the mites do in the long run?
• what should I do with my chickens in the long run?

I also have a ton more questions but I'm unsure of what to do at the moment.
Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Spray them, clean coop, treat birds, wipe down every surface, remove bedding, dust with poultry dust.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

Hi, welcome to BYC! I think we can help you. Lot of people will be along with good advice. Permethrin dust for poultry on your birds,and then spray for in your coop after you get rid of all bedding etc.It will also be necessary to treat these legs too. Some use vaseline or coconut oil on the legs, but there is more than one way to care for leg mites.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

You can treat your flock with permethrin 10. Take all the bedding out of the coop and treat the coop also. Replace with fresh bedding and repeat per directed as label instructs....I believe it's in a week or two.
Clean your coop on a regular basis to help prevent future mite infestations.
Permethrin 10 can be purchased at TSC. You can buy spray or powder but i prefer the spray form.
Mites, lice.... they happen as any chicken keeper will tell you. As long as you treat your flock and coop and remain steadfast in chicken keeping you and your flock will be just fine!

 

[21hens-incharge]

This is the stuff.

https://www.revivalanimal.com/product/permectrin-10?SKU=19450-504&a=PLA&msclkid=bd995207bd23189b066c0e676bb09a02&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[Shopping] Top Products - Desktop/Tablet&utm_term=4580290568680350&utm_content=Top Products

Dilute it just before treating. It does not hold potency once diluted long enough to store diluted.

Clear all bedding in the coop. Spray the coop especially the corners, nooks and crevices.
Wipe down the roosts with the spray too. Get the bottom as mites can hide there.

Spray the birds one squirt from a standard sprayer under each wing, at the vent and base of the neck. Be sure to get all the way through the feathers to the skin.

This is the spray bottle type I use.

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-11686/Spray-Bottles-and-Nozzles/Plastic-Bottles-with-Sprayers-16-oz?pricode=WB3894&utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=pla&utm_term=S-11686&utm_campaign=Janitorial+Supplies&utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=pla&utm_term=S-11686&utm_campaign=Janitorial+Supplies&msclkid=8a0fa72580f211183e2dfb4558e1078b&gclid=CJzEy8jLsuACFaOExQId4ZcDFw&gclsrc=ds


The spray bottles are available at walmart, and pretty much everywhere.

The permethrin spray is available at most farm stores like TSC.

 

[Stephine]

Bad timing! So sorry! Clean out the whole coop and nest boxes. Vacuum crevisses if possible. Spray whole coop with special focus on cracks and crevisses with pyrethin spray for poultry (I like scalex for birds). Then spray all your birds with pyrethrin, with special attention to vent area, under wings, back of neck and chest. Make sure to remove feeder and open waterers before spraying them if you do it when they are roosting at night (my preferred approach).
Then, get pure (99.8 or so) elemental sulfur powder and add some to their dustbath. Or fill a cloth baggie about as wide as the pop door and fix it to the pop door opening on the inside low enough so they brush against it each time they go in or out - that’s what I did: selfdusting!
That should keep them safe. Check after about a week and spray again, repeat until no more mites.
As to the long term damage: they are blood suckers and will make your chickens anemic and weak. They will also be itchy and crabby. If not treated mites can kill your chickens.
Luckily, if you keep up the sulfur dusting they are easily managed! Do NOT use diatomaceous earth - it does not work and is unhealthy to breath for you and the birds. Good Luck!!!

 

[Stephine]

You can treat your flock with permethrin 10. Take all the bedding out of the coop and treat the coop also. Replace with fresh bedding and repeat per directed as label instructs....I believe it's in a week or two.
Clean your coop on a regular basis to help prevent future mite infestations.
Permethrin 10 can be purchased at TSC. You can buy spray or powder but i prefer the spray form.
Mites, lice.... they happen as any chicken keeper will tell you. As long as you treat your flock and coop and remain steadfast in chicken keeping you and your flock will be just fine!

I would choose pyrethrin (the natural form) over permethrin (the synthetic), it is less harmful to stock and people.

 

[Kiki]

Martin's PERMETHRIN spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• 6
• flies lice mites permethrin

Martin's Horse & Stable Permethrin Spray

• Kiki
• Mar 22, 2018
• flies lice mites permethrin

Permethrin

 

[Stephine]

P.S. With the scalex: Just spray from a distance in the general direction of their vent, chest, under wing. A little goes a long way and you do not want to soak a bitd in it - it’s fine if it’s just on top of the feathers, it’ll do the job.

 

[Ollivander_Chicken]

thanks, anyone have any ideas about the upcoming week? and should I take out the bedding all together or change it often. also, does anyone know how long will it take to hurt/kill my birds?