MITE PROBLEM - NEED HELP PLEASE

[capebird]

5 out of 7 hens have lost their feathers on the belly area up to their vent. The exposed skin is very red. I know they are NOT molting. I'm assuming this is some mite or lice problem. I've not seen any bugs on the chickens. Where they still have feathers, where the feathers meet the skin, some of them look kind of brown or blackish, almost like they are rotting, but not sure they are actually rotting. I'd really appreciate any help here. Any suggestions how to treat mites? Thank you very much!!

 

[Scott H]

You could dust with Sevin and/or use Ivermectin. I would use the pour on as it is more effective against lice. Then you have to clean and dust the coop with Sevin. Do a search on this site and all your questions will be answered. What a drag!

 

[capebird]

OP here.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure about using those products (seven/Ivermectin) due to the possible "bad" ingredients.

Has anyone dusted their birds with diatomaceous earth to rid them of mites/lice?
Also, I have sand for the floor of the coop…. does anyone just dust the sand…. does that seem to help?
how about sprinkling DE in the nest boxes, which in my case, are pine wood chips?…. thanks very much.

Is there an insecticide bath I could give them, that is of fairly safe ingredients….??

 

[Scott H]

Yes...Sevin is safe... you can screw around with DE but it won't work. Do some research if you don't believe me.
DE can be used as a preventative though.
Ivermectin is prescribed orally for worms in people and used topically on all sorts of animals. I believe it's 1 drop per pound on the bare skin on their neck.
Mites will kill your chickens left untreated.

 

[dawg53]

Yes...Sevin is safe... you can screw around with DE but it won't work. Do some research if you don't believe me.
DE can be used as a preventative though.
Ivermectin is prescribed orally for worms in people and used topically on all sorts of animals. I believe it's 1 drop per pound on the bare skin on their neck.
Mites will kill your chickens left untreated.

x2

 

[purpletree23]

Scott and Dawg are correct. DE will not work.

Here is a product I have used and love. It is used as a poultry body spray and a spray to wet down the coop and floors and nesting boxes. Jeffers livestock sells it and many other poultry products like dusts and vitamins etc.

Ravap

E.C.

Bayer Animal Health


Livestock, Poultry & Premise Insecticide Spray
Contains 30% Rabon & 5.7% Vapona to control face & horn fly, lone star ticks & lice (including tail lice) on lactating dairy cattle & beef cattle. Also to control lice & mites in poultry. As a livestock spray, mix 2-5 oz in 3 gal of mineral oil. Not for use on calves under 6 months of age. No slaughter withdrawal. Do not use on Brahman or Brahman-cross cattle of any age.


The label has dilution directions for % of spray for coops and % of dilution for spray directly on the chickens. As a spray for the chickens only a little is needed and just a few sprays are required. So little is used that I used a clean hair spray bottle that was a pump. It was the travel size bottle..

This product can also be used as a dip.