How dirty is your coop when you clean it?

[JuliaWesterbeek]

I live in Singapore!

 

[theoldchick]

When dealing with mites or lice it is always advantageous to know what species you are dealing with. Since most folks are not going to a veterinary entomologist to determine what species, it is advised to not only treat your birds but also where they are staying. While the Northern Fowl Mite is the most common in the US, there are other species of mite/lice living in the US.

It has been stated that the Northern Fowl Mite lives its entire life cycle on the bird. However, it has been discovered this mite can leave the host and live for up to two to three weeks without a blood meal. This is how it spreads from bird to bird. The Red Poultry Mite and the Tropical Fowl Mite do enjoy a more mobile life style and will live in poultry housing including roosts, nest boxes, flooring and walls. This is why spraying your chicken facility is helpful in controlling mites.

Since the mite species like to nestle at the base of feathers getting pesticide to the mite is made difficult by the feather's natural tendency to repel water. Thus spraying the birds may not work. This is why many folks find shampooing their birds a more successful way to treat mites.

And don't forget about the mite eggs waiting to hatch. Most pesticides are not effective against preventing eggs from hatching. You may find eggs on the bird, feces or in crevices. Thus cleaning feces will help control mites.

In severe infestations you may have to treat your coop/birds every three days to control the emerging populations of mites.

So, while we may not know the exact species of mites we are dealing with, we can take measure to help control them. Commercial poultry houses are constantly on alert for mites. Unfortunately their method of control is cull and start over. This may not be an option for the backyard breeder who has an emotional attachment to their birds.

You can also use ivermectin to help control mites but this is extra label use and should be discussed with a veterinarian. I've used a canine topical flea/heartworm preventative as an experiment which worked great but this will need more testing before being approved for general use.

Fighting mite/lice infestation is serious business. It is war against a species that has all kinds of ways to survive. So, if you want to control mites/lice treat your birds and the coop/pen they live in.