Mite treatments

[Ziggy1973]

Old timers told me abt 20 yrs ago when I got into Homing Pigeons, there are mites that will get into your building & literally live in the bare wood, or cracks in perches or where there are perches meeting the wall, etc. They recommend painting all surfaces & caulking cracks with paint over them, so there are no areas of any bare wood. I do have bare wood mahogany grated floors in the pigeon loft, but pigeons never sit on the floor. My chicken coop is painted everywhere, walls, ceiling, floor, perches, etc. I've used a spray called Bronco I got at Tractor Supply and sprayed my bird's feathers and rubbed them over in summer. Bronco helps with lice on pigeons, and I have sprayed the wood chip bedding for my chickens, but mites are a lot tougher insects, and chickens are different, in that they are on the floors a heck of a lot, but they also like to dustbathe outside as well as preen. Knowing that, I have created a spot for them to dustbathe, under their Gazebo so it doesn't get rained on & turn into a mudhole. In a "hole" I churned up, I added a mixture of fresh topsoil, safe playsand and diatomaceous earth. They love it and I haven't had any lice or mite issues. About every 6 months I have to mix up a new batch and replenish the hole.
One time I did have a bright idea of a dustbath indoors during winter months, tried it using a big concrete mixing pan. My advice, don't do it indoors, the dust it creates is so bad, gets the whole coop dirty & it's not healthy for our chickens or us to be breathing that in while in a contained indoor environment. I know it can be a challenge during rainy or snowy times, but try to create a covered yet airy, dry, outside dustbathing space, the chickens will love it and it will help keep them parasite free.

Thanks! I had planned to have an indoor dust bath pan for the winter but hadn't thought about the dust it would create. But i think I have a great spot to put one outside that should stay dry. I've got beautiful weather this week so I think I'll get on that!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Thanks! I had planned to have an indoor dust bath pan for the winter but hadn't thought about the dust it would create. But i think I have a great spot to put one outside that should stay dry. I've got beautiful weather this week so I think I'll get on that!

Just to let you know...if you have chickens currently covered in mite right now, they need to be clean for this to work best. I hate nasty chemicals but there are times when drastic measures must be taken. In the case of 2 totally infested chickens I rescued from an awful place, I did have to use Sevin garden dust, rubbed into their feathers, then gave them a bath in the bathtub using Lavender & Tea Tree shampoo, rinsing well, then drying with the hair dryer & spent the night in a fresh clean woodchip crate in the house. It was like night and day, they were clean, beautiful, preening, feeling much better, no longer being eaten alive. When I was putting the Sevin dust on, I saw tons of mites and eggs around their vent feathers. One hen had literal "mite scabs" which ended up as raw spots, I put Neosporin on her. Within days they healed. Sorry to be long winded, it was just very upsetting those hens were ignored so long. Anyway, make sure your chickens are bug free, you have to treat birds and coop to be successful at getting rid of the bugs. Good luck!

 

[Folly's place]

And it's best to NOT use carbaryl, it's not approved for chickens in the USA. That's why permethrin is the product of choice, approved, and no egg withdrawal.
Mary

 

[Ziggy1973]

Just to let you know...if you have chickens currently covered in mite right now, they need to be clean for this to work best. I hate nasty chemicals but there are times when drastic measures must be taken. In the case of 2 totally infested chickens I rescued from an awful place, I did have to use Sevin garden dust, rubbed into their feathers, then gave them a bath in the bathtub using Lavender & Tea Tree shampoo, rinsing well, then drying with the hair dryer & spent the night in a fresh clean woodchip crate in the house. It was like night and day, they were clean, beautiful, preening, feeling much better, no longer being eaten alive. When I was putting the Sevin dust on, I saw tons of mites and eggs around their vent feathers. One hen had literal "mite scabs" which ended up as raw spots, I put Neosporin on her. Within days they healed. Sorry to be long winded, it was just very upsetting those hens were ignored so long. Anyway, make sure your chickens are bug free, you have to treat birds and coop to be successful at getting rid of the bugs. Good luck!

Thanks for your advice! I've totally cleaned the coops and sprayed. Tomorrow the birds get treated.

 

[Ziggy1973]

And it's best to NOT use carbaryl, it's not approved for chickens in the USA. That's why permethrin is the product of choice, approved, and no egg withdrawal.
Mary

I've cleaned the coops thoroughly and sprayed with permethrin. Also dusting the birds with permethrin powder tomorrow. Hoping to get this under control soon and then perform regular checks to stay on top of it!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

And it's best to NOT use carbaryl, it's not approved for chickens in the USA. That's why permethrin is the product of choice, approved, and no egg withdrawal.
Mary

Yes live & learn, when I was new to chickens I was new to those awful mites, had 2 rescued hens full of them & someone told me to use Sevin. I know now there are healthier options but years ago when I went to find them, they were not on that shelf I was searching. I haven't had mites again, but want to know has anyone used this & how did it work?
Prozap 1499540 Garden & Poultry Dust, 2 Lb https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001BM4JLM/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_kaEOFbCB9HRQ8

 

[Folly's place]

It's permethrin dust, fine, but won't do the vertical coop surfaces, and costs more than the spray concentrate. Best in very cold weather on the birds though.
Best to always wear a N95 dust mask, or respirator, when cleaning the coop or using any products out there!
Mary