Looking for advice regarding mites and lice

[HarryF1]

Hi there

I have a few chickens and unfortunately their coop is infested with mites and they also have lice. I have washed them and powered them afterwards which seems to have eliminated the lice problem, but I need some advice regarding the mites that's in the coup. Is it ok to apply any insecticide to the coup, like something that I could buy from a supermarket, or does it have to be a product specific for chickens? I'd appreciate some recommendations.

Thanks for your time

 

[coach723]

My understanding is that the mites need a bird to survive but will sometimes bite another host while looking for a bird. So you may get bitten, but should not get infested by them. All the more reason (as if you needed more) to get rid of them!
http://medent.usyd.edu.au/fact/birdmite.html

 

[coach723]

Get a product containing permethrin, any feed or livestock store will have it. Many are concentrated and you will mix to the correct percentage, instructions will be on the label. Picture of one brand below.
Remove all bedding/nesting material and spray the entire coop, and put in new bedding. You will have to do this at least three times at 7 day intervals to get the mites that continue to hatch. You also need to retreat the birds the same way. I would love to tell you that DE works, but it does not.
Here is more info: https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[MissChick@dee]

I love DE but..... when you have a infestation you have a serious problem. You need to break the cycle of repoduction or your just wasting time and money. Coach gave you great advice and a good product to use. I use DE for maintenance basically but anyone with a true infestation knows it only slows the cycle never completely irradiates it. It takes more than one time to Treat this type of problem.

 

[Isaiah53]

Depending on where you are, you can purchase a product called Doktor Doom Residual Spray. It contains .5% permethrin spray. You spray it in cracks and crevices, all their perches and any area they come in regular contact like walls where they dust bathe. The good thing is it lasts for 2 months. So as you treat the chickens you don't need to spray the coop again.

DE never worked for me but you can dust the ground in their coop. I'd also get a dusting powder like carbaryl or permethrin, for your chickens and dust them, as well as give them ivermectin. My vet says ivermectin works on lice and mites and so far he's been right. My second and last treatment is tomorrow, but already they look perkier. For those with very dirty bottoms I caught them and pulled the very infested feathers out as a precaution.

Good luck, it's really annoying.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Wish I had found this site sooner, wasted a lot of time and energy on using DE.

No Harry you just hang on to that DE. It has many good uses. I mix it into my pellets once a month for a maintenance dewormer. I put it in a empty dishwashing soap bottle (dawn) squeeze and mist the coop when I clean. I add it to my hens favorite place to dust bathe and let them work it in. I had a horrible problem with red ants in my run this summer first treatment (just took a sifter) they were gone for two months. When they came back did it again. That’s only two treatments this summer. I use it all around my wood pile for spiders. I use the food grade DE. They have directions for human consumption for strong nails and hair (I’ll wait on that application). It has many good uses. Just not for infestations. Maintenance yes.

 

[coach723]

Found this:
https://www.pestfix.co.uk/deadline-insectaban-liquid-psd88.asp
Says for professional use, not sure what the regulations in the UK are.........it's much easier to get here in the US. Maybe try a livestock supply and ask them what to get there, surely there is a treatment for bird mites available somehow.......
Maybe a pigeon supply?
If you cannot get a permethrin product see if you can find a spinosad product. In the US it's Elector PSP, it cost's more here, so permethrin is more popular, but it will work as well.
I found this one: http://www.sheknows.com/bestdeals/uk/spinosad-concentrate
Not sure of amount to mix for this one, hopefully if you are able to get something it will have instructions......

 

[rebrascora]

How old are they? If they are over a year old they will be winding down to moult, but the mites definitely will reduce egg production. Are they penned or free range. If the coop is infested with mites there is also a good chance they have decided it is more comfortable and safer to lay their eggs elsewhere..... they can be quite inventive even in a pen sometimes.....check under the coop etc.

 

[ShouldabeenaVET]

I use dichotomous earth. DE. I think that's what you need to spread in your nest boxes and coop. I'm sure more chicken knowledgeable folks will pipe in..

 

[HarryF1]

I use dichotomous earth. DE. I think that's what you need to spread in your nest boxes and coop. I'm sure more chicken knowledgeable folks will pipe in..

I've used DE, problem is that a few days later I noticed that the mites were actually on the ceiling, but they were all grey which I guess is a good sign as it indicates they hadn't fed on the chickens.