Found Red Mites. Am I completely screwed?

[CHlCKEN]

I’ve heard time and time again that red mites are a living hell to try and get rid of, but always sort of naively thought that I would never have to deal with them myself. Well, I was wrong, and now I completely have no idea what to do. This is not a war I’m wanting to fight, and at the same time I know this has to be dealt with. So what do I do? Where do I even start with this? I have had zero experience with mites of any kind in my almost 10 years of chicken keeping and I really don’t know what to expect at all. I guess all I can ask for now is guidance, advice, and a lot of luck on my side.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mites are just a part of chicken keeping. Most chickens keep them under control by dust bathing, so be sure to provide an area of dry dirt. You can add some mite powder to the dirt.

Generally you need to dust birds or spray them, as well as all roost cracks, and nest boxes once a week for 3-4 weeks to break the life cycle.

Wild birds can bring in more mites, so it can be a maintenance thing. Generally healthy birds can tolerate a reasonable parasite load, and it only becomes a problem if birds are sick or setting.