HELP! Mama setting on eggs is literally being eatin by mites! What do I do?

[AshleyBickle]

I've been battling mites for quite some time. I have a handle on them for the most part on my other birds and in the house. However I have a mama hen setting on eggs due to hatch in 6 days. She's completely infested! I see them all over her face and one of her eyes is almost swollen shut! It's horrible and I feel so bad! I dust her weekly! I change her nest bedding every few days. Nothing is helping! She gets up once a day and still eats and dusts herself but I'm afraid she won't make it until hatch day. What can I do?
I plan to bring her in once the babies hatch and bath her! That will help get them off of her what what do I do until then? I'm lost and feeling so so horrible!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

What are you dusting her with?

 

[AshleyBickle]

What are you dusting her with? 

I've been using poultry and garden 7 dust every 7 days.. Then I have been putting DE in her dusting area and her nest. It's working on my other girls but not her!

 

[AshleyBickle]

She's not very tolerant of being dusted so I try to do it as quickly as possible. Maybe I'm not getting her whole body enough.. I dono.. It's so frustrating to see these bugs running all around on her face.

 

[casportpony]

Are they mites or lice? Is your dust permethrin? Dust her as usual on her vent, under wings, back, belly, and neck, then make a little pile and very carefully apply some to her head. Can you make her a new nest in a box and relocate her? Sounds like she keeps getting reinfested in her nest.

-Kathy

 

[AshleyBickle]

...

Are they mites or lice? Is your dust permethrin? Dust her as usual on her vent, under wings, back, belly, and neck, then make a little pile and very carefully apply some to her head. Can you make her a new nest in a box and relocate her? Sounds like she keeps getting reinfested in her nest.

-Kathy[/quote

They are mites.. I've attempted moving her twice and she doesn't tolerate it. She gets off her nest immediately. Ive got a brand new non wooden coop all ready for her and babies to move into but I can't risk moving her now so close to hatch day. I'm using the 7 dust from tractor supply. I wondered about putting it on her face but was afraid of getting it into her eyes so I haven't done her face at all.

 

[casportpony]

Try poultty dust, some mites have shown resistance to the active ingredient in Sevin.

-Kathy

 

[bigoledude]

Sevin is not a very effective mitacide. The active ingredient in Sevin is Carbaryl. Many insects and lice have develoed a resistance to it. It has been around since the 50s. Casportpony gave you some excellent advice.

Use permethrin and your problems will be over. Remember, you gotta spray every nook and cranny. You give mites one tiny protected area and you'll have a full-blown infestation shortly thereafter, no matter what you use.

The permethrin a doctor prescribes for scabies (mites) is a 5% solution. This strength is even approved for use on infants. Just about every feed store around here carries it. It also comes in a dust form.

Edited because I had a minor detail wrong.

 

[Folly's place]

Permethrin is very effective, and also comes in a liquid spray, easier for vertical surfaces. Mary

 

[rottlady]

in addition to the comments here- that new coop you plan to move her to? Spray the heck out of it NOW with permethrin and let it totally dry and air out

does anyone you know smoke? Put cig butts (cold and dead obviously) in a sock and stuff it under momma bird it helps
Ideally you would simply remove her eggs and bedding from her nest spray with permethrin add new bedding and put eggs back but if she is that touchy she might just walk away. Mites can and will kill sitting birds and chicks