I have mites.... Help!!!

[ValerieJ]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjALegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw3Y22u2udD9A13DNKoMQQR7

good article

 

[ValerieJ]

Welcome! I use permethrin, and when and if it becomes ineffective (not yet here!) I may switch to spinosad, which is also approved for use on laying hens with no egg withdrawal.
Rules change and evolve as more information comes available, so who knows what will be useful in the future?
Ivermectin works very well, and is easy to apply, which is wonderful. BUT it's not approved for laying hens here, because it will be in their egg yolks at some level for a long time. There are two problems here; developing parasite resistance to this drug, encouraged by underdosing, and those individuals extremely allergic to it, again, at very low doses.
Sometimes we do what we must, but think ahead, and don't use it just over convenience!
Mary

If I spray my coops with pyrethrin, do I have to throw out the eggs for a while? How long?

 

[Folly's place]

There's no egg withdrawal, last I looked. If you get a combo product with other insecticides (not approved) that's different.
Mary

 

[alexisrambles]

Permethrin has a slightly different chemical structure than pyrethrin, making it more stable, especially in sunlight. Therefore needing less total insecticide to product the same effect; killing those mites!
To be totally and completely 'organic', crumble a lot of chrysanthemum flowers (who knows what kind) and use that. Maybe swimming in mums would do it?
Sorry, bad humor this morning.
Mary

I know when I have been caught in a dust storm inhaling dirt is an irritant. I have to assume chickens don't inhale when they dust bathe. So I don't worry about putting sulfur and such in the dust bath.

HM. Good point.

 

[Stephine]

So if you can put the sulfur dust in..can you add some permethrin dust also as a preventative? Or would that be dangerous to them. I've never had a mite issue, but I think I've just been lucky.

I don’t think you want to expose them to that much permethrin constantly. The sulfur should do the trick.

 

[Stephine]

Inhaling sulfur isn't so good either!
Mary

If you use it like I do, there is very little to inhale. The cloth bag for self dusting never ever sends the dust airborne. The chicken dustbath does when they shake after getting up - but I am not anywhere close enough to inhale any of that and the chickens are fine with it.

 

[ValerieJ]

I just sprayed my coops yesterday, not because I suspect mites, but because I keep reading on here that everyone has mites. I don't remember when I should respray because it doesn't kill the eggs, and the bottle didn't say. Is it two weeks?

 

[Stephine]

Permethrin has a slightly different chemical structure than pyrethrin, making it more stable, especially in sunlight. Therefore needing less total insecticide to product the same effect; killing those mites!
To be totally and completely 'organic', crumble a lot of chrysanthemum flowers (who knows what kind) and use that. Maybe swimming in mums would do it?
Sorry, bad humor this morning.
Mary

I think „organic“ here was used in contrast to synthetic and anorganic and had nothing to do with food certifications... Permethrin is a synthetic imitation of pyrethrin and has been shown to have some effect on the nervous system of warm blooded creatures in contrast to pyrethrin, which doesn’t.
If pyrethrin is not neurotoxic, it is no problem if you use a bit more...

 

[Stephine]

If I spray my coops with pyrethrin, do I have to throw out the eggs for a while? How long?

No, they‘ll be fine.

 

[cmom]

The best method to keep away mites, sucking and chewing lice and mosquitoes is the dog spot on applications containing permethrin. We started using it on our birds of prey after hearing about it from members of our hawking club and it works so now we use it on our pet chickens. 5 drops of medium-sized dog formula 2 under the wings, 2 at the base of the legs and one on the top of the head. It is a better alternative to spraying permethrin which can then be ingested. All of the ingredients are used on crops that humans eat.