Mites and straw.

[donnaboydjones]

I found mites on some of my chickens yesterday. I was blown away because we completely clean out our coop every other Sunday. I always have new straw layed on the floor and nesting boxes. Is it the straw that is bringing the mites in? What do I use on the floor instead and how in the world do I get rid of the bugs? I have a mama on a clutch of eggs. I check on her and no bugs, but I was told I have to remove everything in the coop and spray it. Do I have to treat all the chickens whether they have mites or not? This is a nightmare.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Not likely from the straw you buy, as mites usually need a living host. Most likely from other chickens brought into the flock, from wild birds, and especially carried in from rodents. The BYC Learning Center has good info on treatments. Lots of other threads here, of course, as well. Sorry you gotta deal with this, but yeah, you gotta deal with it. Best regards and hoping for good results.

 

[Kristin Brown]

Mites are a nightmare! The most organic cure you can try is a complete cleaning of the coop and dusting of the chickens. I start early on a warm sunny day. First I rake the bedding out of the coop into a wheel barrow - out into the pasture far from the chickens. Then hose down the coop, liberally spray with bleach-water mix, scrub and rinse. Spread veggie oil across roosts which will suffocate parasites living between the crevices. The coop needs to then dry. That afternoon, I will spread diatomaceous earth across the floor, roosts and nests. Then spread the straw bedding. Close the coop with the chickens in the run enclosure. Then one-by-one humanely turn each chicken upside down holding by the feet and douse with Diatomaceous Earth or Seven dust before placing in the coop. D.E. is an organic fossil material which is not harmful in anyway. Seven however contains chemicals not recommended for humans/animals but it came highly recommended by my grandmother who raised chickens, hogs, cattle and hound dogs for 50+ years! Good luck ridding the mites!

 

[Ajcoops]

I don't use straw anymore after a red mite outbreak. The cheeky things hide inside. Not sure if they came with the straw but they were only in the run and even in the dustbath area. None in the coop where i had dusted and used woodshavings. Spent days cleaning everything down. Shavings only for me from now on.

 

[chickens really]

I have only had Straw fleas..No Mites..

 

[Ajcoops]

You can't see the straw mites. Invisible to the naked eye. I just itched liked crazy and had rashes until the straw went. Good luck.