How to get rid of mites on hens?

[BDutch]

You're 100% incorrect about every aspect of your statement.

Exzolt is oral fluralaner (the same active ingredient in Bravecto). It has been approved in the EU for use in poultry since 2017.

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/veterinary/EPAR/exzolt

There's no withholding for eggs, and 14 days for meat. There are dozens of peer reviewed studies on the use of fluralaner in poultry. Well worth a read and definitely worth treating your poultry with it if they get red mites; it'd be cruel not to.

Sorry. You are right about Europe.
But it is an insecticide and poisonous. Its just not allowed in my country to use by farmers and not allowed to sell in the shops.

Spoiler: Article Exzolt translatet from Dutch

The product Exzolt has received positive advice from the European Commission for Veterinary Products. It may be used in chickens to combat red mites. Producer MSD Animal Health announced this.

The drug, with fluralaner as its main ingredient, will soon be on the market. It will only be available with a veterinarian's prescription. It can be dissolved in drinking water. It kills 99% of mites, has no waiting time and the eggs from treated chickens are suitable for consumption when used correctly.

The positive advice was issued just before the fipronil crisis (NL). Fluralaner is classified as an isoxazoline ectoparasiticide. Isoxazoline, like fipronil, is best known as a remedy against fleas in dogs and cats. It is contained, among other things, in the drug Bravecto, also from MSD Animal Health.

Editorial comment: It remains to be seen whether Exzolt will also be available in the Netherlands. The chance of that does not seem very high, after everything that has happened in recent months. The product is an insecticide and, at least for the Dutch market, must still pass the Board for the Authorization of Plant Protection Products and Biocides.

Source : https://www.levendehave.nl/nieuws/positief-europees-advies-voor-nieuw-middel-tegen-bloedluis

 

[BDutch]

People often use pesticides to address a problem, not knowing what it does in the long term.

Parkinsons disease who used to be a rare disease became one of the more common diseases in areas where a lot of pesticides are being used. The lobby and cheating of the producers (agri pharma) makes it hard to forbid them.
In keeping backyard chickens its a personal choice. I rather choose poison free if possible.

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/researchers-identify-10-pesticides-toxic-neurons-involved

 

[BDutch]

Couple days. Sprinkle them every day for a couple of days

DE is not worthless in addressing red mites. But it needs a whole lot more than sprinkle for a couple of days to eliminate the mites.

Also: clean the whole coop, the roosts and joints especially. Paint or spray everything with a wet DE paint/solution. A double layer on the roost and joints. Don’t forget any cracks or edges, not even in plastic coops.
Add DE in their dustbath.
Give special herbal solution and powder that is appalling to red red mites.
Add control/catch rolls of ribbed paper/corrugated cardboard attached to the roosts.
Clean again but more thoroughly after 7-10 days if you still see baby mites. And reapply the paint/spray. Keep checking until it freezes.
Add a extra layer of DE on the bald spots on the roost every week or two.
And do it again next spring.

This is time consuming, but it is possible to eliminate the red mites this way.

Using DE is mainly good to prevent a nasty mite infestation in combination with herbs like lavender and control rolls.

 

[Kaw-Liga]

Where in the world are you?

Exzolt will kill 99% of mites and is a water additive. It's available via prescription from a vet. The active ingredient is fluralaner.

If you can't get Exzolt, Bravecto spot-on works really well too. Also fluralaner based but is topical. I empty a bravecto spot-on (dog or cat) into a fine syringe and administer 0.05ml per chicken to the back of their necks. Works amazingly well and they don't need a second treatment.

Do you use the dose for 4-9 lb. dogs/cats?