How to get rid of mites!

[NewMoon5]

I just noticed why my chickens are losing feathers along their tails and backs! I think it's mites/lice! I noticed that they're getting pale along their comb and their legs are scaly. At first I thought it was something else.
I tried looking around the forums for answers. Hopefully these are good ways: First clean out the coop and take out all their bedding and throw it away, then scrub their coop with soap and water, then add wood shavings instead and put Diatomaceous Earth every where, then dust bath the chickens.
Did I need anything else or is there a better way? I'm concerned for their health and I don't know what to do.

I don't want to use anything that could risk killing them. If anyone had experienced this before, please help.

 

[boskelli1571]

Good morning, lice/mites are tough to control, but you have a bunch of good ideas already. Dust your birds with an approved insecticidal dust - under the wings, vent etc. if you can get them to sit in a plastic bag you can 'shake 'n bake' them! Put down insecticidal dust in the coop also.
I had an infestation last year - I did insecticidal one week, DE the next, insecticidal, DE For a total of 4 weeks. Worked well. You do have to treat again 7-10 days after the initial dosing.
Good luck!

 

[Sonya9]

Just an fyi....I visited a bantam show breeder's house yesterday to adopt two older hens. The subject of Frontline came up and he showed me the "spray bottle" version that they buy, he said he gives the bird a spray on the vent, and then one under each wing. He says the stuff keeps mites and other nasties away for 6 months at a time.

I am going to buy a bottle of that spray stuff (always used the little vials for my dogs). I am not at all worried about the chemical, all of my house dogs use it anyway and it seems healthier than a bunch of insecticidal powder all over.

 

[Sonya9]

Seems a lot of the show chicken people use Frontline for mites and they say it works well. They seem to be very particular about the health of their birds so if it was dangerous to the chickens they wouldn't recommend it.

Not recommended that you hatch-out their eggs or eat eggs while they are on frontline but you need to research that and the proper dose yourself.

Seems killing the mites that feed on the bird this way would be more effective than trying to kill every mite in their environment. Just like fleas and dogs/cats, the old methods of bombing the entire house and yard have long been replaced by frontline type solutions.

 

[NewMoon5]

Good morning, lice/mites are tough to control, but you have a bunch of good ideas already. Dust your birds with an approved insecticidal dust - under the wings, vent etc. if you can get them to sit in a plastic bag you can 'shake 'n bake' them! Put down insecticidal dust in the coop also.
I had an infestation last year - I did insecticidal one week, DE the next, insecticidal, DE For a total of 4 weeks. Worked well. You do have to treat again 7-10 days after the initial dosing.
Good luck!

Yes, thank you. I'll do the insecticidal dust for one week, DE the next, insecticidal, DE for the next total of 4 weeks.

If that doesn't work I'll try Frontline. Thank you guys for the help!