Mites? graphic pictures.

[babychickfarmer]

This is my chicken Bacani. I have a few pics here that show what is goin around in my chickens. Is it mites or lice cuz thats what I think it is. Any suggestions on what to do and is this a major problem that needs to be taken care of immediatly??

 

[bantymum]

Ok, firstly i would get the chickens out of there, straw out of there, hose down coop and floor, throw some boiling water around in there, especially in grooves.
let it dry and throw some mite/lice powder in.

It looks like red blood sucking mite judging by the combs.
Give the girls a thorough dusting with same powder.
Dont worry, mine had these when i first got them 16 years ago and it took 2 goes to get rid of them.
This is part of the fun/stress we chicken owners go through, a bit like kid's head lice!!!
Now replace the straw with pine shavings, they keep the lice population down.
Lice and mites just love straw.
It took me a few years to get rid of straw because it looks so nice and cosy. But it breeds things!!
Now someone else may come in with some local products that you can use for above.
If there is broken skin, they may need some medicated spray/ointment.
Good luck

 

[babychickfarmer]

there is no broken skin I can find so far. Do u have any suggestions on what dust to put on them. I need organic and the only thing I have right now is D.E but can I put it on them? It is not food grade. It is 77.69% Silicon Dioxide and 22.31% other. The problem is I looked for food grade and noone local has any. I would have to order it off line.

 

[rosyposyosy]

Sorry, I don't want to take away from this thread, but my banty cochin's comb has gotten smaller and faded since she's been going through molt - or least - I thought it was molt. She doesnt seem to have any mites though, at least as I can see, and my other 2 chickens aren't losing any feathers or having their combs fade. Should I be worried?

Again, sorry to take away from the thread!

 

[paganfish]

some of my chickens have that--missing feathers on the butt where the skin shows pink but I figured it was molt too. Their combs are fine also...I don't see any sign of mites. Thought they did have lice and I have since dusted with DE. Recently I checked them and NO LICE! I hear mites are faster moving than lice so you'd not be able to see them. I also don't see any broken skin but, since I read this thread...I am starting to worry! Eggs are not coming out bloody which is what I hear is indicative of mites. Or am I wrong?

 

[bantymum]

Yes, mites are really quick, you can see them best at night with a torch and if you put white paper down under the roost, they stand out cause they are red.
Rosey: the moult will bring on a shrunken comb but she will grow it back again, dont worry.
Im sorry i dont know what products you guys use for mites, Dlunicorn is the best medical advisor that i know over there.
Im in Australia and we dont use DE, i use a lice, mite powder from the feed shop.
I also use Malathon, which is a horrible smelling milky liquid which i mix in a bottle with water and splash around.
Since i started having woodshavings in pen, i havent needed anything

 

[paganfish]

Well, dang! Maybe I should do away with the straw bales I get every winter! What do you guys use for the nest boxes? Curious...

 

[Heidi]

I just got rid of red mites off my chickens. I used Sevin. I know it's not DE which I do have and dust my chickens regularly, but it didn't stop them from getting them. My dad delivered 12 bales of straw for the west and north walls of my coop. I noticed the white feathers in it, but didn't think anything of it - obviously some ones chickens had mites and left a few in the straw. Anyways this is what I did - pulled everything out of the coop, scrubbed it down, dusted it with Sevin, dusted the floor of the coop, laid down some wood shavings, dusted the nesting boxes, put a small amount of wood shavings in the boxes, and shut the door of the coop. Then I caught 1 chicken at a time and dusted by their vents, under their wings and their back/tail area and put them in the coop. While they were in the coop I dusted their bathing areas and where they lounge during the day. I've checked them twice since and they seem to be gone. There's another thread from today that mentions having to retreat 2 weeks later just in case of eggs being left behind which I do plan on doing.

 

[bantymum]

Hey, go to the thread about seven dust for mites by Karri, it has all you need to know!!!!
Yes about the hay, i forgot that you have really cold winters there so just use the hay but have lots of powder in there, i would hate for the girls to get cold!!!

 

[speckledhen]

Certainly, you should check them for lice/mites, but when they molt, they get bare-butted and bare-chested sometimes. Mine are molting now and feathers are everywhere, poor cold girls! Molting takes alot out of them and their combs can seem smaller and drier, as well, plus they can lose weight.