I have mites.... Help!!!

[alexisrambles]

So, I have a natural suggestion to help rid the coop of those pesky mites. Take the green parts of the juniper tree and toss it into your coop. Don't be to stingy on the amount of juniper used. The mites do not like the scent & will scramble to get out of the coop. This must be fresh cut juniper as it requires the fresh oil from the juniper tree cuttings to be successful in ridding the coop of mites.

That would be AMAZING!!! I'd totally do that if we had those trees. We have mostly oaks. Lots and lots of oaks.
Good tip for everyone else though!!

 

[Molpet]

So, I have a natural suggestion to help rid the coop of those pesky mites. Take the green parts of the juniper tree and toss it into your coop. Don't be to stingy on the amount of juniper used. The mites do not like the scent & will scramble to get out of the coop. This must be fresh cut juniper as it requires the fresh oil from the juniper tree cuttings to be successful in ridding the coop of mites.

Isn't juniper a relative of cedar? A lot of people say cedar is bad for chickens

 

[Stephine]

If it’s a strong scent chances are it’s not good for the chickens either. There’s a company called wondercide that makes a fantastic cedar oil insecticide - but you can’t use it in the coop...

 

[aart]

So, I have a natural suggestion to help rid the coop of those pesky mites. Take the green parts of the juniper tree and toss it into your coop. Don't be to stingy on the amount of juniper used. The mites do not like the scent & will scramble to get out of the coop. This must be fresh cut juniper as it requires the fresh oil from the juniper tree cuttings to be successful in ridding the coop of mites.

Juniper may be toxic to chickens....and it won't stop mites anyway.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/comprehensive-list-of-poisonous-plants-and-trees.627282/

 

[cmom]

I have had chickens for years and last year was the first time I ever had mites. I'll stick with the permethrin spray and dust. It works. It also kills flies which I have too. I have noticed a remarkable reduction in them too.

 

[allanb]

I use pine shavings in my coop, and I've been sprinkling DE on/in the shavings for 3 years with no issues with my chickens and I've never had a mite issue.

 

[aart]

I've been sprinkling DE on/in the shavings for 3 years with no issues with my chickens and I've never had a mite issue.

Don't assume that this is proof that DE kills mites.
I've never used DE in the coop shavings and I've not had mites either

 

[MountainGaurdian]

I avoid all chemicals myself. You could dust the chicks with diatomaceous powder or use old stove ash. I give my chickens a pile of old stove ash to roll and bath in it keeps them free of mites, lice, ticks, fleas etc.

 

[Folly's place]

We do add some wood ashes to their dust bath areas, but generally avoid dust products, especially DE, very nasty to inhale, and there's nothing wonderful about the mining operations that produce it.
Mary