Fowl mites under control ?

[Stablecoop]

Hi friends! I am posting to let folx know (and to get feedback on) a method that I’ve been using to control mites. We’ve been battling these mites for a couple of months. Tried dusting whole flock with DE, one bird at a time in pillowcase (with birds head OUT of course), cleaned all bedding/coop/nesting boxes…mites persisted. Then tried drench of ivermectin as recommended in our chicken health book. Reduced population of mites, but they came back. This week, I have been directly treating vents, backs, under wings with a Harris DE puffer, have done this once each evening after birds have roosted for several days and not a mite in sight!! They even started laying in nest boxes again! Will continue this for the lifecycle of at least 3 anticipated mite generations. Seems to be really working!! Any feedback from the community is so welcome. Maybe this could even help someone in a similar situation. Thank you!!

 

[cherrynberry]

Just use permethrin dust and spray. For infestations, DE is known to work, but not stay consistent or not even work at all. They may still come back....

 

[Stablecoop]

Just use permethrin dust and spray. For infestations, DE is known to work, but not stay consistent or not even work at all. They may still come back....

Thank you so much! If it was warm here that’s what I would do, just dip them all and clean/spray coop, but there’s no place for wet chickens right now. I worry about the permethrin dust being airborne. Any tips for dipping them when it’s below freezing? I’ve been racking my brain over this. Thank you again!!

 

[cherrynberry]

Thank you so much! If it was warm here that’s what I would do, just dip them all and clean/spray coop, but there’s no place for wet chickens right now. I worry about the permethrin dust being airborne. Any tips for dipping them when it’s below freezing? I’ve been racking my brain over this. Thank you again!!

Don't dip them. Dust the birds and spray the coop. Dust is done in 7 day intervals. I am dealing with an infestation as well. Wyorp Rock and Eggcessive have been the BEST in helping me.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi friends! I am posting to let folx know (and to get feedback on) a method that I’ve been using to control mites. We’ve been battling these mites for a couple of months. Tried dusting whole flock with DE, one bird at a time in pillowcase (with birds head OUT of course), cleaned all bedding/coop/nesting boxes…mites persisted. Then tried drench of ivermectin as recommended in our chicken health book. Reduced population of mites, but they came back. This week, I have been directly treating vents, backs, under wings with a Harris DE puffer, have done this once each evening after birds have roosted for several days and not a mite in sight!! They even started laying in nest boxes again! Will continue this for the lifecycle of at least 3 anticipated mite generations. Seems to be really working!! Any feedback from the community is so welcome. Maybe this could even help someone in a similar situation. Thank you!!

Glad this seems to be working for you.
How are you treating their housing to rid it of mites?

 

[Stablecoop]

Glad this seems to be working for you.
How are you treating their housing to rid it of mites?

Cleaned out bedding and put DE down. It’s below freezing here so we worry about applying the water based pesticides, they won’t dry, just freeze. Dusting with pesticides makes me really nervous about prolonged airborne permethrin. What do you think? Thank you for your help.

 

[Stablecoop]

Cleaned out bedding and put DE down. It’s below freezing here so we worry about applying the water based pesticides, they won’t dry, just freeze. Dusting with pesticides makes me really nervous about prolonged airborne permethrin. What do you think? Thank you for your help. Also, was thinking if I focused on killing the mites on the birds, the pests can’t live more than 3 weeks in the coop itself, so the ones in the coop over time will starve?

 

[aart]

Dusting with pesticides makes me really nervous about prolonged airborne permethrin. What do you think?

No worse than airborne DE or mite infestation.
Get it on their skin.

 

[Stablecoop]

No worse than airborne DE or mite infestation.
Get it on their skin.

What about spraying the coop? It won’t dry?

 

[aart]

What about spraying the coop? It won’t dry?

You could get a powder sprayer and fill the cracks.
Or use liquid in the warmest part of the day to douse the cracks and crevices.
Are you sure they are roost mites?

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008