I think we might have mites in the coop!

[NewToFarming]

I was just down at the coop holding my sweet little NN pullet and there was a tiny little thing crawling on her neck and then I had seen another on my hand. It was very tiny and maybe like a light brownish type color. I also now have the feeling of creepy carwlies all over me!!!!
I have a few questions concerning treatment.
What is the best way to treat them? I have seen different options in searching but not sure which to use.
Do you HAVE to take out all of the old bedding? They have a very large area in the barn and I am doing the deep layer method and there is tons of bedding in there. Lots of time & money to replace all of it.
I have been adding DE to the coop weekly and additional bedding as needed. Would there be anything I could dust in the existing bedding?
Will I basically have to treat the entire barn because they do run about outside as well as in the barn?
I have 22 pullets, 2 Orp young hens, 4 silkies roos and recently added 2 new silkie girls that are laying and one is broody & sitting on eggs.
I know I have asked alot of questions but I would like to treat them asap and want to be sure it is effective as well as safe especially for the broody hen & eggs!

I wanted to add that no one appears sick or not growing or gaining weight. They are all eating & drinking and acting fine.

 

[Terri O]

If it was crawling on the bird you probably saw lice. (be glad...they are easier) You can dust each bird individually with Sevin (carbaryl) Wear a mask it is very powdery and not good for you to have on your skin. I am sure there is a non-pesticide way too but this really does the job.
Make a dust bath with a square of wod and make a mixture of some wood ash, sand or dry dirt, DE and Sevin. Pour this in there for them to dust themselves in after the treatment. Sometimes when I sprinkle DE in my coop I sprinkle a bit of Sevin also. I would also put a tablespoon in each nest box.

When you pick up your enimals to dust them look at the feathers around the vent. If there are matted ones that look like they have poo stuck to the shaft of the feather that is probably the egg masses. If you can, pull those feathers out and take them away from the chickens. The Sevin wont affect the lice eggs and when they hatch you might have to start over.
If you have wild birds that go in your coop they will also re infest your chickens in time so keep up the dust bath full, and screen out the wild ones. The lice pretty much stay on the bird and are bird specific so you dont have to worry about yourself or your other animals (if they're not birds)
I hope I helped with some of your questions and you can follow my rambling! Terri O

 

[NewToFarming]

Yes, thank you!

Do you use like regular play sand for the dust box? I do have barn swallows in the barn but not in the coop. How often do you add the sevin after the initial treatment? Weekly or not that often?
I wish they would make a frontline for chickens!

 

[dawg53]

Once you dust everything with sevin, including your chickens, redust everything in 10 days to kill nits that have hatched from eggs.

 

[NewToFarming]

Is the second dust 5% the right stuff?

 

[dawg53]

Yes...always sevin 5%.

 

[NewToFarming]

Thanks!! I did the coop, nests and their usual dusting spots in the barn. I think I might tackle the chickens when they get sleepy tonight!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

This is an article I have found helpful - has some pictures too:

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


Lice seem to be part of having poultry and wild birds help keep the little bugs around. I try and dust every three months or so (the bird, dust them one day and then a week later) and add a bit of Sevin dust to the shavings/nest boxes/dust areas.

 

[NewToFarming]

Thanks! I have bookmarked that page! Lots of great information!!! I appreciate you listing that for me!!!