MITE ALERT!! They are bad this season~ need to be vigilant!

[Funky Feathers]

Hey everybody, just a heads up, the mites are bad this season, probably due to the warm winter we had. We all need to be vigilant & stay on top of this or we will lose our chickens! They can kill a bird fast! I almost lost my best MFC Roo to them. When I bathed him today, as I poured the warm water on his neck the water ran blood red. They sucked out almost all his blood. He is very pale, he is in my ICU for intensive treatment. Thank God I discovered the little b*stards when I did. Tomorrow he would have been dead. We are thoroughly cleaning out/sanitizing our coops. I am bathing all my birds in flea shampoo, applying Ivermectin topically and powdering them all with poultry lice dust. I can see this is going to be a problem all year long. Now is the time to check your birds, people. Poor "Tidy Bowl Man" now looks like a naked neck (Turken) b/c the mites ate all the skin off of it, so the feathers came right off in the bath. *************

 

[Alphagamchick]

I think you are right. I am headed out right this very minute to dunk my birds. Just checked in to get the ratio of Adams to water. It was the only thing that seemed to keep them at bay last year.

 

[12Cackleberries]

Newby here

What does " the ratio of Adams to water" mean?

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

I'm guessing it's Adam's Flea Spray... (Dog or Cat, probably Cat) diluted with water to make it safe to use on the Chickens. There is Dur-Vet Permethrin 10% spray concentrate available at the Feed Store (or on-line), the directions say to add 1.28 oz (about 1 - 1/4 oz) per gallon of water -- for spraying surfaces, like the coop; or the dog or the chickens... I use it in the coop (only)... now and then, after cleaning and emptying the coop, nests, taking out the water and feed... I keep the chickens out (free ranging) all day, clean and spray in the am and let it dry all day.. put on a fan in there... air it out well.. then, put everything back, fresh and clean.

I use Sevin Dust on the Chickens individually (not the same week I spray), which must be repeated in ten days (if there is a mite problem). I use it preventatively now and then... maybe every six weeks. The spray for the entire coop and run.. two or three times a year, or as needed.

I first tried this spay when I had trouble getting control of Scaley Leg Mites... so... sprayed the coop and roosts. It took care of the Scaley Leg Mites, when alternated with Sevin Dust, when everything else had failed.

Take care.

 

[Funky Feathers]

Last year I had a mite/lice problem, used Adams Spray and it did not work~ the mites and lice were immune to it. Even Frontline did not work. And I did not dilute either one, used them full strength. I no longer use either of those. I use Poultry Lice Dust, pyrethrin (flea) shampoos, 10% Permethrin dip for bad cases, and Ivermectin (injectable, a drop here and there topically). Adams does not work!

 

[ivan3]

Glad your roo got lucky! Just thought I'd mention re: Northern Fowl Mites. They often show up on roos first (less dirt bathing and the mites prefer the base of feathers on roo's butts as compared to hen fluff). Insofar as the Adams flea and tick. Have never actually used on poultry. However, had a recently abandoned Wren nest carried in the house by one of the grandkids - absolutely crawling with some species of mite - Adams did wipe out the offenders (pretty heavy dose, mind you ).

The Eprinomectin (Eprinex cattle pour-on) does work on the poultry around here.

What works best is picking up the chooks/checking them every week, or so. Usually, if the chooks are even slightly infested, you'll feel a few of the volunteers leave their hosts and start taking a walk towards your head - time to be dosed.

 

[twandx]

Hi, I'm having the same problem. Do you find the lice jump on to you when you are caring for chicks? I have learned to spray my cloths with insect repellent or be eaten alive.

 

[Kelly G]

Here in Florida, it's always a year-round concern. *sigh* So much for "paradise."

I agree with twandx - I spray my clothes. It may not be necessary, but it makes me feel better!

 

[ivan3]

twandx wrote: Do you find the lice jump on to you when you are caring for chicks? I have learned to spray my cloths with insect repellent or be eaten alive.

How old are these `chicks'? How long has this been a problem? What do you mean by `jump'? (lice/mites usually just take a leisurely stroll from bird to handler).

If infestation is that bad then see bathing instructions above, etc. Sometimes one needs to strip all bedding and disinfect coop. If supplied with a good dirt bathing area (wood ashes mixed with Amorphous diatomaceous earth and a bit of sand) severity of most infestations can be contained, most of the time.

ID the offenders and then kill them (otherwise you're just buying chicken feed to see to the well being of the arthropods).

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c331/IvanIvanovich/ChookExamTools.jpg

 

[Maggie C]

Here in Florida, it's always a year-round concern. *sigh* So much for "paradise."

I agree with twandx - I spray my clothes. It may not be necessary, but it makes me feel better!

Right across the bay from you in Pinellas County...Yep, if it isn't one biting thing it's another year round.