How to Get Rid of Mites?!

[aggieterpkatie]

My chickens have mites!! I collected eggs last night and they were crawling with teensy little specks, which assume are mites. How do I get rid of them? I'm planning on pressure washing the coop and all nest boxes, but what do I do to the chickens? I'd rather not lose eggs due to pesticide use, but I'd rather go with that than have the mites survive any "natural" treatment. I've already tried putting DE in the boxes, but it doesn't help.

And how common are mites? I don't remember our chickens having htem when I was a kid, but now mine do. I've got about 35 birds. What causes them? Are they just something that comes with having chickens?

I'd appreciate any advice y'all have! I hate feeling itchy!!!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

DE is more of a preventative than a cure. Try Permethrin 10% spray. You mix it up in a pump sprayer and go down and spray the birds and repeat about 2 weeks later. Residue lasts for 4 weeks. I just wash the eggs off when I do this.

Or you can use Ivomec Eprinex Pour On. .25 cc for a bantam .50 cc for a standard bird. Put it on the skin on the base of the next. Ivomec Exprinex has zero withdrawl so you don't have to toss any eggs.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Thanks!!

 

[Squishypuff]

I found mites on my birds a week ago. Spent all day Saturday stripping out the entire coop, cleaning, and treating with Sevin. Then I bathed 40 some chickens- in particular, the Silkies despised me at that point. When everyone was dry, I dusted with Sevin and not a single bird has a single mite!

 

[Southernbelle]

I use Ivermectin pour-on wormer, it also treats lice and mites.

 

[Yvonne37894]

I've been reading that if you don't treat the nest box, roost etc you will have them back in 3-10 day
red fowl mites hatch in 3 days other in 10 days

 

[aggieterpkatie]

So if I use the Ivomec Eprinex to treat all the chickens, do I need to re-treat in 10 days or anything? I think what I'll plan on is treating each chicken with that while I'm letting them out of the coop for the day, then I'll totally clean out the coop and pressure wash it, clean the nesting boxes, etc. Will the chickens be able to return to the coop that night? Will the mites be dead by then? I dont' want to re-infest the coop after I clean it!