How to treat mites?

[eevans1213]

I am looking advice and information on how to treat mites and what to expect during treatment.

We received our flock about 3 weeks ago from owners who were looking for a new home due to moving. We are very very new to caring for chickens. We didn’t do any examinations upon receiving them because honestly we are pretty clueless and learning as we go. When I noticed a few hens had stopped laying for a few days, and our younger hen was showing signs up vitamin deficiency, I decided to check them for bugs. I quickly discovered there is an infestation of what I think are mites. Easily seen around the vent area. Tiny brown colored bugs moving around. Anyways, we dusted them last night very thoroughly with GardStar poultry dust. This evening I checked a couple of hens and there are still mites clearly visible and moving around. Is it normal for the first round not to completely irradiate mites? Should we do another round right away or wait a few days?

We are also providing powdered vitamin supplements mixed in their water to help aid in further nutrition deficiencies.

I appreciate your alls help and advice so much! Grateful for this forum!

 

[nuthatched]

I am looking advice and information on how to treat mites and what to expect during treatment.

We received our flock about 3 weeks ago from owners who were looking for a new home due to moving. We are very very new to caring for chickens. We didn’t do any examinations upon receiving them because honestly we are pretty clueless and learning as we go. When I noticed a few hens had stopped laying for a few days, and our younger hen was showing signs up vitamin deficiency, I decided to check them for bugs. I quickly discovered there is an infestation of what I think are mites. Easily seen around the vent area. Tiny brown colored bugs moving around. Anyways, we dusted them last night very thoroughly with GardStar poultry dust. This evening I checked a couple of hens and there are still mites clearly visible and moving around. Is it normal for the first round not to completely irradiate mites? Should we do another round right away or wait a few days?

We are also providing powdered vitamin supplements mixed in their water to help aid in further nutrition deficiencies.

I appreciate your alls help and advice so much! Grateful for this forum!

Sometimes it takes awhile for the dist to get all the mites, just give it some time.

 

[Lillith37]

Hopefully it’s Northern Fowl Mites if they are congregating on feathers and skin around the vent. Did you look during the day or at night?

You may need to retreat to kill eggs that hatch.

Under ideal temperature and humidity conditions the NFM female can lay eggs every two days and the eggs will hatch in another 2 days.

I would sprinkle the dust under bedding in the nest boxes or change and burn the old bedding every week until you’ve got them under control.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I am looking advice and information on how to treat mites and what to expect during treatment.

We received our flock about 3 weeks ago from owners who were looking for a new home due to moving. We are very very new to caring for chickens. We didn’t do any examinations upon receiving them because honestly we are pretty clueless and learning as we go. When I noticed a few hens had stopped laying for a few days, and our younger hen was showing signs up vitamin deficiency, I decided to check them for bugs. I quickly discovered there is an infestation of what I think are mites. Easily seen around the vent area. Tiny brown colored bugs moving around. Anyways, we dusted them last night very thoroughly with GardStar poultry dust. This evening I checked a couple of hens and there are still mites clearly visible and moving around. Is it normal for the first round not to completely irradiate mites? Should we do another round right away or wait a few days?

We are also providing powdered vitamin supplements mixed in their water to help aid in further nutrition deficiencies.

I appreciate your alls help and advice so much! Grateful for this forum!

Treat their housing too. Nesting boxes, roosting bars, etc.
Mites can live on the birds and in housing, so even if you treat the hens, you can still have mites reinfesting them if they are not eliminated from housing too.

You can find Permethrin 10 concentrate at TSC. Mix according to the booklet on the bottle. Depending on how large housing is, a garden sprayer may be a good option, just mix it up and spray the housing in 5-7 intervals to break the cycle. Make sure to get into nooks/crannies and crevices, places that bugs hide and lay eggs.

Dust your girls in 5-7 day intervals too.

Hopefully you can get rid of the parasites fairly quickly.

If you have one that is feeling poorly, the vitamins are a good idea. You can also give the hens a little Beef Liver to help with protein and build them back up. Give about 1 Tablespoon each every couple of days for a week. Some give it raw, but I just boil it until it's very soft, then mash it up, feed as a treat. Mine love it.