Mites: Do they live in the compost pile?

[PirateGirl]

That wasn't meant in a negative way. Just meant to imply...what do I do in the garage? Which the answer would be to clean it out also, and spray it too...I suppose.

Are the birds still in the garage? Do they have access to the garage? Do you store bedding in the garage?

If none of these apply, then I wouldn't worry too much. You can certainly mist the area where the chickens were kept with permetherin if you want. Just be careful if you have any cats that visit the garage as it's highly toxic to them.

 

[Hoytman]

If DE can't kill mites; How can it kill spiders and other insects by essentially grinding them to death. Is it because it kills them too slowly, still allowing them to reproduce. I can see that.

I'm certainly going to clean out the new coop and shavings, spray, and re-spray the birds, then add new shavings. "Mite" even replace with sand. LOL!

 

[PirateGirl]

If DE can't kill mites; How can it kill spiders and other insects by essentially grinding them to death. Is it because it kills them too slowly, still allowing them to reproduce. I can see that.

I'm certainly going to clean out the new coop and shavings, spray, and re-spray the birds, then add new shavings. "Mite" even replace with sand. LOL!

I may be wrong, but I think it has to do with the life cycle of the mites, and maybe it doesn't also kill the eggs

I'm not sure. I have never used DE. I had a mite problem over the summer and way recommended permetherin and it worked wonders. Now I'm just hoping the girls that had experienced some feather loss will hurry up and molt so they can get some feathers back for winter. We've already had quite a bit of snow

 

[Hoytman]

Are the birds still in the garage? Do they have access to the garage? Do you store bedding in the garage?

If none of these apply, then I wouldn't worry too much. You can certainly mist the area where the chickens were kept with permetherin if you want. Just be careful if you have any cats that visit the garage as it's highly toxic to them.

No...no...and no. No animals in the garage either.

Birds are all away from their house now and into a new coop since Oct. 4th.

Seems like a mite problem would interfere with the DLM if a person was just adding shavings from time to time. Of course, if I start over, then there shouldn't be a problem after I get rid of the mites.

My shavings are over concrete and I just put shavings in there initially because I hadn't found time to get the sand.

 

[Hoytman]

I may be wrong, but I think it has to do with the life cycle of the mites, and maybe it doesn't also kill the eggs

I'm not sure. I have never used DE. I had a mite problem over the summer and way recommended permetherin and it worked wonders. Now I'm just hoping the girls that had experienced some feather loss will hurry up and molt so they can get some feathers back for winter. We've already had quite a bit of snow

My birds are young yet...just got our first egg last night from a leghorn and she was in the nest again this morning at feeding time. We have 2 leghorns, the remaining birds are bigger dual purpose birds, so I don't expect eggs from them for another few weeks.

Anyhow, perhaps it was because my birds are young, but our rooster experienced some feather loss just like my Gold Lace is now, so we separated him...that is confined him to his own crate and his tail feathers have been growing back nicely. Not having to wait for a molt, so I'm not understanding your statement. Shouldn't they just grow back?

 

[PirateGirl]

No...no...and no. No animals in the garage either.

Birds are all away from their house now and into a new coop since Oct. 4th.

Seems like a mite problem would interfere with the DLM if a person was just adding shavings from time to time. Of course, if I start over, then there shouldn't be a problem after I get rid of the mites.

My shavings are over concrete and I just put shavings in there initially because I hadn't found time to get the sand.

I would think dealing with mites while doing the DLM would make for a nightmare of a clean-out!

 

[PirateGirl]

My birds are young yet...just got our first egg last night from a leghorn and she was in the nest again this morning at feeding time. We have 2 leghorns, the remaining birds are bigger dual purpose birds, so I don't expect eggs from them for another few weeks.

Anyhow, perhaps it was because my birds are young, but our rooster experienced some feather loss just like my Gold Lace is now, so we separated him...that is confined him to his own crate and his tail feathers have been growing back nicely. Not having to wait for a molt, so I'm not understanding your statement. Shouldn't they just grow back?

hmm... maybe I'm mistaken and must do some research... I thought new feather growth only occurred after/during molt time, regardless of when feathers were lost...

 

[PirateGirl]

https://www.mypetchicken.com/backya...of-an-issue-with-feather-loss-in-my-H203.aspx

 

[Bamabexchicks]

Wow, thos is all good info; particularly since i've been under the assumption (...I know ) that DE will control mites and lice. We clean our henhouse every day,dust the floor and crevices every day and replace clean newspaper also.
We rake our pen and place clean grass hay twice a week. Also dust the whole pen with DE at the same time... I giess my question is: is this adequate husbandry???

 

[PirateGirl]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mites.78954/

This one was good too!