OK Here's a gloomy update!
The same morning that I got my first egg I noticed that the teenie tiny bugs that I had been seeing were now everywhere when I opened the hen house. I researched immediately and then realized that the bites that I was covered with were not "mosquitos-because it's been raining" as I was telling myself. My sons also had bites. I had been carrying these birds and then coming in the house thus tracking the mites inside. Supposedly the Northern Fowl Mite only likes birds for their host. A few 'crazy' people say that mites like humans. Do I have the NFM or some other type? That evening when I looked in on the hens it was like a highway of red bugs (full of blood) on them. I was blown away at my naive stupidity. I thought why don't people talk more about this?
I have dunked my birds in a mixture (blended garlic, water, essential oil)...Srayed the open area with Neem oil…dusted around the area with Permethryin (sp?) powder. I have had to take 3 lice bath treatments in three days. My couch, rugs, sheets, towels and clothing have all had to be bagged and I have a garage full of 'plastic bag laundry' to face today. In the evening, after I had a lice treatment I sat on the couch and I look down to find a mite on me!!!. My husband sprayed both of our couches with RID but I'm still not letting anyone sit on them. My two boys were on the LR rug last night and both got fresh bites. My husband didn't spray the large LR rug! Here's what is blowing my mind. This morning I went outside only to grab the hose and water a few plants that are on a rolling cart. I looked down to find a mite on my forearm. I killed it and then went to water a few other plants while having the sensation that 'something was crawling on me'. I refused to think that mites would like a body that had so much lice treatment! I then walked over and turned off the hose and went in the house where under inspection found a mite on my chin. My son was there and suggested I get my clothes off and get a treatment. I threw my clothes in the garage and sat naked on the toilet in despair!!! I felt something on the back of my neck at my hair line and my son confirmed and killed the mite.
My birds are 7 feet from my house. Nobody ever said they have to be far away in pasture land so I thought it was OK. Was it too close? We have a lot of wind here. Are the mites flying around in the wind and landing on me? I think at this point I have to find someone to take the birds, which is very sad since they are healthy mite free (clean vent, no signs of crazy behavior of picking), and apply a strong poison outside everywhere (the birds used to roam for 2 hours in the evening). To think that I can't even go outside is freaky. To think that I can't sit on my own couch worse! To face that garage full of laundry is daunting. Sleep is hill since I am always turning on the light to examine what I feel crawling on me. Two nights ago I felt something crawling on my pelvic area but it was too hard for me to see and I just hoped it was nothing. In the morning I had a bite there!
What really got me scared about this was when I looked at the BYC site under 'pests' and found one person who said that NFM won't use humans as a host…then came back and said to look at this web site that they gave, since apparently some mites do!
Right now I feel crawling in my hair that is still wet from a treatment. "It can't be" I tell myself!
and Welcome To BYC! Congratulations on that first egg, how exciting! May they lay many more for you. For a good refresher course on chicken keeping be sure to check out the Learning Center 
