Leg mite contamination??

[mbleily]

I bought 25 little hens and one roo for my hen house. I haven't had birds in it in a long time and when I did the last time I had mice problems so I had my grand son dig it down and throw must of the dirt into the garden. then dig down a little more and put down a 1/8 inch square wire all over the floor and up the walls a little to insure that the mice would not get in. I had him lay the dirt he just dug out back in and then put straw down on top of that. So I was all ready for the new hens. Then my SIL talked me into taking a trio of cochin banties. They a lovely birds but I soon discovered they have leg mite bad. I have since got a new home for them as I do not have the strength to catch and doctor them. They are going to someone younger and they will keep then confined in a smaller area so they can doctor them easier.

What I am asking here is: If I take out all the straw and wash the walls down with clorox and water and put something down on the dirt inside and out of the house will that be enough to keep the babies from getting the mites? I have seven and am going to get that Dia something or other dirt. ( the little sea creatures). Which would be best?
I have raised chickens for many years and never had leg mights but I used to put a paint on my roosts and had the dust to put in the dusting spots. I tried to tell my SIL about it but she didn't want to hear it. Some people are like that. They figure what they don't know wont hurt them. Sad.

Thanks so much. I love this forum. I have been reading it since I got the chicks. The didn't have this kind of thing when I first started with chicks. No home computers then. The magazines were all we had and it took a long time for them to come. LOL

 

[wefanjr]

I don't have an answer, i have question. What are the signs onf leg mites? Most of my hens are bare on their legs and bottoms. Could this be a sign.

 

[mbleily]

Quote:
That might be a sign of skin mites but not leg mites. Leg mites get under the scales on the legs and suck the blood of the chicken. The scales start to stick out and the legs looks swollen. The feet too. It is a nasty thing to get rid of. With lots of treatments. These are the first I have ever had like this and I just hate it that I have contaminated my hen house with them. I just got some D.E. to dust the ground with in the house and I am going to spray the inside with Bleach water but I need to know if that is enough. I have no nest boxes yet or roosts as I was revamping the house.

 

[wefanjr]

I've used Insectrin Dust and I bought a new spray that's animal safe, that I have been using. Don't know what else to try. It's been a couple of months now. At first I thought it was a molt.

 

[sammi]

what breed are your chickens, wefenjr?
are they featherlegged breeds?

here is some information about Eprinex/Ivermectin:

http://shilala.homestead.com/ivomec.html

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Many here are using the white powdered DE to kill mites and every other bug your chicken can get. And it's totally safe as long as you get the right stuff! There are many forms of DE (diatomaceous earth) Here is a link to the DE that you would want.... https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1560-Food_Grade_DE This helped me out A lot as I would have prob gotten the wrong stuff! There is FOOD grade FEED grade POOL grade!!! SO MANY different kinds so when someone sent me this link It took all the guess work out

It should read 100% DE on the bag is what I was told. Hope this helps.

 

[mbleily]

Quote:
I have read that article before. I got the Diatomaceous earth from the pet and gardening store we have here. I asked if it was food grade and they said no but people buy it for their chickens and even have people buy it to eat. I has no label on it. The earth comes from a place about 5 miles from my house. The store told me it was totally organic. What ever that means. LOL