first time chicken owner RED MITES??!!!

[Kiki]

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?

Remove all bedding tomorrow and treat ALL birds and the entire coop.

How long what will take to hurt your birds? The mites?
The mites are hurting them now.
They are sucking the life right out of them.

 

[Stephine]

What Texas Kikki said. Do the clean up and chicken spraying now. Fresh bedding can stay, no need to reclean the coop, just respray chickens in a week or as soon as you can if not back. Sulfur will give you extra support and can wait until you’re back, if too tricky to get now.
The mites are harming them now. You don’t know how long they‘ve had them, so I wouldn’t wait until you are back to deal with this.

 

[Ollivander_Chicken]

it is dark out at the moment so I am not able to do any work today. I removed the bedding from the coop earlier and sprayed the roost off with water, but I won't be able to go to the local feed store and get the spray until tomorrow afternoon after I get home from work. even so, if the store does not have the spray . . .

 

[trumpeting_angel]

You should be able to find it. I found three or four brands and sizes at my local hardware store in the past. It’s a common, and safe, insecticide.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

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

I have used the permethrin spray for a very long time, as have many fellow BYC'ers with no issues. It is widely used to treat infestations.

 

[Kiki]

IMG_20180924_091915

• Kiki
• Sep 24, 2018

Permethrin Concentrate, Martin's on Left - Durvet on right

• Kiki
• Jul 28, 2018
• 2

Screen Shot 2018-07-20 At 8.58.04 AM

• Kiki
• Aug 3, 2018

 

[Stephine]

They should have a spray. Water won’t do anything at all. It wasn’t necessary to toss out the bedding first thing... but whatever. Once you have cleaned and sprayed the coop you can put fresh bedding in - no need to change it often after that if you keep up with preventatives.

 

[Kiki]

You will need to treat the coop and birds WEEKLY for at least three weeks to knock down the mites.

 

[Stephine]

I have used the permethrin spray for a very long time, as have many fellow BYC'ers with no issues. It is widely used to treat infestations.

I know that. The same is true though for pyrethrin and it IS a safer alternative. I think that’s good information to have...

 

[Ollivander_Chicken]

thanks. should I treat them twice this week (once tomorrow, and once on Friday)because I will be away for a week?