Mid-battle with rest mite and found some on me in the house - should I worry?!

[RebsChooks]

I am midway through a battle with a bad red mite infestation. My girls are doing sooooo much better. I sprayed with Jeyes fluid, aired and dried the coop well while keeping the girls away, and am diatoming for all i’m worth. Also used ivermectin as they were very pale when we got back from holiday. Due another spray treatment today.

Yesterday and this morning I found mites on me. No bites, but two last night and one this morning. I am really worried as I had no contact with the chickens this morning to explain it. I did something rather silly though. While keeping the girls away from the drying Jeyes they were in wicker baskets in the house :-/ it was pouring with rain and I didn’t have anywhere else to put them. We don’t have a shed, just a big lockbox outside and the baskets would not fit in there.

I have read various things about whether you can get a red mite infestation in the house. Am so worried! What should I do?! How can you kill them in the house when they are so small and could be anywhere?!

There have been no bites... please help!

 

[CCUK]

I am midway through a battle with a bad red mite infestation. My girls are doing sooooo much better. I sprayed with Jeyes fluid, aired and dried the coop well while keeping the girls away, and am diatoming for all i’m worth. Also used ivermectin as they were very pale when we got back from holiday. Due another spray treatment today.

Yesterday and this morning I found mites on me. No bites, but two last night and one this morning. I am really worried as I had no contact with the chickens this morning to explain it. I did something rather silly though. While keeping the girls away from the drying Jeyes they were in wicker baskets in the house :-/ it was pouring with rain and I didn’t have anywhere else to put them. We don’t have a shed, just a big lockbox outside and the baskets would not fit in there.

I have read various things about whether you can get a red mite infestation in the house. Am so worried! What should I do?! How can you kill them in the house when they are so small and could be anywhere?!

There have been no bites... please help!

Don't panic! Red mites are a miserable horrible thing. I'm midway through an all out war with them too! The mites don't generally live on humans, they will however get on you and itch. When you have been in with your girls put all your clothes straight in the wash and have a hot shower you'll feel loads better! The mites in the coop will need spraying with a permethrin spray. Are you in UK? If you are you can get nettex total mite concentrate. It's the best available. Spray it all over the coop paying particular attention to the corners and where any wood is joined. Also look for a white residue on the side of the coop that is mite eggs. Spray liberally EVERYWHERE! Makes sure you have completely emptied the coop and disposed of bedding quickly. Leave the coop to air for an hour or so and use a permethrin powder to coat all the nooks and crannies in the coop. Replace the bedding and shake some powder on the bedding. Mine are all on shavings as I find it easier to see where the mites are. The best powder I could find was actually ant powder. You will need to repeat this process every 2-3 days for as long as it takes! I've been at this for a couple of weeks now. It seems to be working but it's more limiting them than totally irradication. I seem to clear them and they return. Ivermectin will be good to keep your birds lice and mite free but will need repeating also. A good dust bath will let your birds clean anything else off themselves. Clean your basket with the spray that will kill any mites inconstant. Good luck! They are a nightmare! Oh, and .

 

[RebsChooks]

I just sprayed again with Smite, which does have permethrin in it. I got some on my hands while in the run, but saw no love ones at all in or on the coop. Are they maybe in the sand of the run? I put new sand down and mixed it with diatomaceous earth first.

But... then I came inside, took all clothing off and put it straight in the wash... had a hot shower and washed my hair... sitting here in my towel I just found anotnher one on my hand! How are they doing this? What if they take hold in the house?!

I will dust again with diatomaceous earth when the coop has dried a bit, with fresh bedding. But where are they surviving and getting on me, if not in the coop? Had a really good look and found none while spraying everywhere. Ground is soaked!

Thanks for replying. I am freaking out!

 

[CCUK]

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think smite has permethrin in it. Diatomaceous earth won't help with an infestation of mites. I use wilkos and powder! The mites live in the coop not on the chickens. They get inbetween the wood panels and under roofing felt. They come out at night and feast on the birds and hideaway in the day. They are notoriously difficult to eradicate. If you are still getting them on you, you probably have a serious infestation. Give your birds some electrolytes and prebiotic to give them a boost. I highly recommend you get the nettex total mite spray. It does work. But you also need a powder as a residual deterrent.

 

[RebsChooks]

I am confused... I thought diatomaceous earth was the stuff to puff all over the coop... some kind of desiccant?

And Smite does have 13.25% permethrin. It was what our chicken supply plage recommend and I backed it up with lots of Jeyes.

I almost seriously tempted to get rid of the chickens now. I don’t see how I can eradicate them if they are on me and in my house and nothing seems to be working :-(

Can we use ivermectin on ourselves?!

 

[CCUK]

I am confused... I thought diatomaceous earth was the stuff to puff all over the coop... some kind of desiccant?

And Smite does have 13.25% permethrin. It was what our chicken supply plage recommend and I backed it up with lots of Jeyes.

I almost seriously tempted to get rid of the chickens now. I don’t see how I can eradicate them if they are on me and in my house and nothing seems to be working :-(

Can we use ivermectin on ourselves?!

Don't lose heart. There is alot of conflicting information out there. DE may go some way to help prevent mites but it isn't effective enough to stop an infestation of mites. Permethrin kills on contact whereas DE will kill over a period of time. Mites aren't nice for sure but with a little perseverance you should be able to about rid the coop of them. But regular cleaning and reapplication of deterrents will always be needed. The mites will most probably have been bought in by wild birds and are more prevalent I'm the warmer months. If nothing else, try the ant and crawling insect powder from wilkos. The spray will dry and become less effective but the powder will remain. I know it horrible having mites crawl on you, I have had the same problem many times, but with a little perseverance you should start to see an improvement in a couple of days. And you can start enjoying your hens again!

 

[terrilynne79]

Do you have a steam cleaner? It may be worth renting one if not to do your carpeting in the house. I also have a steam mop that detaches to do my tile floors. I have used that to steam out the coop and all the corners after emptying it. Let it dry out, then dust. That high heat should kill any little eggs as well as the mites and give the dusting a better chance to do it's job.

 

[rebel-rousing-at-night]

Do you have nylar in the UK?
It won't kill insects/pests but it will put a hurting on them . It's an I.G. Regulator. The active ingredient is Pyriproxyfen. It prevents the pest from becoming an adult.
I tried many things recommended until I bought a gallon of flea spray that had the I.G. Regulator in it. Saved me from burning the coop down.lol

 

[RebsChooks]

No, I have never heard of Nylar! Will have a look and see but we have tried Smite, Jeyes, ant powder, DE and good old fashioned hot hair dryer over everything.

I am at the end of the line and have just posted about maybe getting an Eglu...

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I am confused... I thought diatomaceous earth was the stuff to puff all over the coop... some kind of desiccant?

Over rated, over used, OFTEN ineffective, dangerous to breath crap that isn't welcome at my house or anywhere near my birds or family.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

I am currently battling red mites as well... they aren't in my coop but they ARE in my yard... and apparently despite popular belief that they come out to feed at night, I see them during the day time! My guess is they come out to feed when there are bodies around... since YES, they do not live on the birds.

If you have used Ivermectin... there should be withdrawal time for eggs.

If using permethrin... be sure to follow directions and re treat within the correct amount of time... and you MIGHT want to switch up what you use as they have been shown to develop resistance...

An EGloo may help... but it won't fix the problem and they aren't cheap... as I said, they are in the yard on stumps and such. I won't personally treat my yard... as we drink our ground water AND I am environmentally conscientious ... but if I were on city water I would consider it.

Using ant powder and other things that aren't approved for use in chickens can be risky. You don't want the birds to ingest this chemical crap... or breath it. I understand the desperation to TRY something though.

Do you have any product containing carbaryl?

I might consider using something like IC3....
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OD077E/ref=psdc_3737951_t1_B000JNLGV0

I knew the elector was pricey, but wow!
https://www.amazon.com/Elanco-Elector-Psp-Premise-Spray/dp/B0042L8S7A

Don't forget... rodent control is key to pest control. And if you have a welcome mat out for wild birds, bring it in.

Hang in there... and good luck!

ETA... make sure feathers are parted and substance is hitting the skin.