Got rid of mites NATURALLY

[Tracyree]

Northern fowl mite infestation. Bad infestation.

So in hopes of helping anyone else here's what I did:

---what I did wrong
1- did not let them free range all winter. They were confined to a 500 sq ft run with coop attached (7 hens)
2- did not provide dry dust bath. Figured they had a dirt run but didn't think about the fact that it was wet all winter

----how I got rid of the mites
1- cleaned out coop and dusted hens with wood ash and DE. Put DE in nest boxes and clean coop shavings

2- 4 days later I dipped in Mannapro Poultry Protector (concentrated version diluted per instructions). Dipped each hen, soaking for 4 minutes and really moving feathers around to be sure it gets to skin. Moving feathers is key.

3-3 days later dipped again in poultry protector and cleaned coop again.

4- 2 days later dusted them again

5- next day applied 5ish drops of 50/50 neem/grapeseed oil a bit below vents and on tail (skin)

So obviously it was a ton of work and I probably over did it in my panic. Now I will plan to do neem oil and dust baths at least once a week or so.

 

[gander007]

Northern fowl mite infestation. Bad infestation.

So in hopes of helping anyone else here's what I did:

---what I did wrong
1- did not let them free range all winter. They were confined to a 500 sq ft run with coop attached (7 hens)
2- did not provide dry dust bath. Figured they had a dirt run but didn't think about the fact that it was wet all winter

----how I got rid of the mites
1- cleaned out coop and dusted hens with wood ash and DE. Put DE in nest boxes and clean coop shavings

2- 4 days later I dipped in Mannapro Poultry Protector (concentrated version diluted per instructions). Dipped each hen, soaking for 4 minutes and really moving feathers around to be sure it gets to skin. Moving feathers is key.

3-3 days later dipped again in poultry protector and cleaned coop again.

4- 2 days later dusted them again

5- next day applied 5ish drops of 50/50 neem/grapeseed oil a bit below vents and on tail (skin)

So obviously it was a ton of work and I probably over did it in my panic. Now I will plan to do neem oil and dust baths at least once a week or so.

I wasn't sure at first but had to open your post and after reading it I hope you do not mind I wrote it down in my "chicken stuff book" in case I ever need the information, thank you ....

 

[Tracyree]

Thanks gander. Hope you never have to deal with the nasty things. If nothing else, hopefully a few people will learn from my mistake (wet run, no dust bath) and avoid the hassle all together.