How long will mites live in coop after culling?

[lorimav]

I have a small flock of 8 laying hens that are about 3+ years. My boys tell me that they have an insect (mites or maybe lice) that come out at night. They have not been laying here in VA for over a month. I was considering culling to learn how to do it because I would like to try my hand at raising some meat birds in the future. I can get some very young pullets around Thanksgiving from a family getting out of the egg business. My question is: if I cull now how long will the mites or lice live without a host? I am willing to use Diatomaceous Earth in the coop but I don't want to use Frontline or other chemicals.

 

[welasharon]

having mites is no reason to cull. They come in from wildlife and will show up again most likely. DE, from what I've read, is best as a preventative, not as a treatment for an infestation. Seven 5% dust or Adams fleas spray are two very effective treatments. Mine are not laying currently as they are moulting. They will start back once they are able to put energy into laying instead of feather replacement.

 

[D3invertebrates]

Mites will dies easily after a short period without water so keeping the area dry should help, goodluck!

 

[Judy]

These will tell you a lot about it. I don't know of anything that will clear them out completely that isn't a "chemical" treatment. And it's likely they will be back.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/8162.pdf

 

[Jakenhoss]

Quote:
I have 11 hens / 3 roos and I have a similar problem with mites. I adopted a hen and she brought them in. Anyway, I use a plastic box, (any container will work, even a cardboard box) I have filled it little over 1/4 way with DE (Diatomaceous Earth) and mixed that with very soft dirt/sand, just enough to keep the dust down. (make sure the box is low enough for the chickens to walk into) The chickens get in the box, take their bath in the DE, and this has helped kill off most of the mites. I refuse to use pesticides so I am fighting the bugs with DE alone. I have also taken a stocking sock (nylon) and put DE in it and in the mornings and evenings, before bed, I pat/rub this stocking on them all over especially up under their chins/neck area. This has saved me a lot of waste in DE because it barley comes out of the stocking. It seems as if it is the perfect amount coming out of the nylon. I was just using my hands by taking a handful and trying to rub that on them but it was ending up on the ground for the most part. The stocking works perfectly. wish you luck.

 

[galanie]

If you refuse to use chemicals, Wood ashes are also good in their dust baths. Mine actually prefer to dust bathe where there's lots of wood ashes. I guess cause they're nice and powdery.

 

[OregonChickenGal]

DE will not kill mites. Use Sevin 5% dust. Remove everything from the coop, and dust every nook and cranny, nest boxes and roosts. I wouldn't cull chickens just because they have mites. Just dust them also. Redust everything in 10 days.

 

[Jakenhoss]

Quote:
I wouldn't cull the chickens either but I was told to use DE by the people at my feed store. I have seen a reduction, slow, in mites since I've been using it. On the other hand, how can one put Sevin 5% dust, a pesticide, on a chicken and not have the other chicks pick at each other and ingest the chemical which can harm them.
I, at this point, am willing to try just about anything. I have just about had it up to here with all of the problems that have hit me at once. I have mites, worms, a roo that has just discovered himself and is harming the hens to the point where I have to isolate them, coughing, sneezing, the list goes on. It all started when I adopted a hen. Nothing was wrong until then.

 

[Jakenhoss]

Quote:
Do I mix anything with the wood ashes or use them as is? Do I put them in a box or just on the ground? Lastly, does the wood ash get rid of mites?
Thank you in advance.