I think I found mites....

[Mama Hen Chris]

on my BO Daisy.

She was sitting on my lap and I was checking her over and she was dusty from her sand bath. But as I looked near her vent and tail feathers, an orangie colored bug ran past.It is just a bit larger then a pencil point. I found a few more near her tail feathers. They were also some little white crusties near her vent as well.

I checked my other girls and they look fine.

I clean their poop board, walls and wood roost every day with PineSol.

Am going to get rid of all their shavings on the coop floor and nest boxes. I have DE and will spread that in the pen and in the coop.

How do I treat Daisy and probably the others as well before they get them too?

I tried to take a photos but those critters run away too quickly.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Desert Rooster]

yes, those are mites, you going to have to dust them AND get rid of any bedding you might have it their area, also dust inside thier coop

 

[welasharon]

I use seven dust. It drops them in their tracks. Don't inhale the dust and try to keep it away from their heads as well. Some put it in a nylon sock or piece of hose and dust the bird with it. I put it in a pillowcase and stuck the bird in it with the head sticking out. Treat again in 10 days. The second time I used Ivomec pour on. It works too.
sharon

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
x2

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If the bug is orange it might be more like lice- see this chart if you will:
(scroll down for the chart)
http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html

Happily, the sevin dust will work for them as well. Be sure to retreat to get the hatching eggs. The nit removal requires cutting feathers or soaking in oil and picking them out I THINK.

I haven't had to deal with lice.

 

[welasharon]

Can help you on the nits as well. Coconut oil, warmed enough to become liquid will melt them off. You can search on here as someone used something else that worked too.
sharon

 

[Judy]

I don't think there's any need to remove nits or eggs, or anything. You will, however, have to treat the whole flock and the coop. You will also have to re=treat in 10 or 12 days as this first treatment won't kill eggs.

Poultry dust, a permethrin/pyrethrin dust (or spray) is also available to treat these critters, besides Sevin. I would not count on DE curing an infestation.

Here's another source, just for comparison, and a thread:

http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8162.pdf

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=425486

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Thanks everyone for your help. I appreciate all the great advice.

I cleaned out all the old shavings and washed down the coop and nests. I have not dusted my gals yet as I had company come over! After work tomorrow I am heading to the Feed/Livestock store and pick up whatever they carry to dust my girls.

If you keep your coop clean all the time, where do the mites come from? Daisy doesn't seem bothered by them but I think I caught it early.

Will keep you updated on my progress.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Songbirds. They hop off them and onto the environment- then on the chickens. I have sooooo many songbirds around. But I love them too.

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Quote:
Songbirds. They hop off them and onto the environment- then on the chickens. I have sooooo many songbirds around. But I love them too.

We have sparrows, doves, cardinals, a hookbill looking bird and many others that come into the yard. That explains it! Thank you.