Mites during molting?

[Vegetable Gardener]

How do you know if your quail has mites, and if they are gone? They are molting, I see the one with baby feathers replacing for adult feathers. Sometimes I see a broken feather, is it because I stress them out so much because I keep checking them, or would it be mites? I don't really see anything on or in their cage, but they did have mites before. I sprayed them and their cage with permethrin and it seems to work for a few days, not sure if it comes back. How often should I treat them?

They play in the garden almost everyday, not sure if that introduces more stuff. Not sure if we have mice around the cage (we did see them scurrying on our property, not sure if they go near the cage). How can I protect my quail so that I can stop worrying about them all the time?

 

[cmom]

I had some chickens I thought were just molting but they didn't seem to be getting their feathers back in. I discovered they had mites. I tried DE for a couple of weeks with no improvement. After doing some research I found permethrin. At first I mixed it way to weak. After doing more research I found the correct solution. I sprayed weekly for a month and the birds improved. I never used it on my quail. Good luck...

 

[Vegetable Gardener]

I had some chickens I thought were just molting but they didn't seem to be getting their feathers back in. I discovered they had mites. I tried DE for a couple of weeks with no improvement. After doing some research I found permethrin. At first I mixed it way to weak. After doing more research I found the correct solution. I sprayed weekly for a month and the birds improved. I never used it on my quail. Good luck...
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Thank you very much

 

[cmom]

You can get the premixed spray.