Mites in Broody Coop

[mishka brownley]

My broodies are in their own coop, alongside the main coop. We're four days out from hatch. I noticed an explosion of mites in the main coop and run a couple of days ago . I have no idea where they all came from, but I've dusted everyone with permethrin dust and sprayed everything down with permethrin spray and treated everyone with ivermectin pour on.

The broodies were dusted too and dosed with ivermectin. I didn't spray inside their coop, obviously, but I did dust the nests.

What do I do if there are still mites in the coop when the babies hatch next week? Can I treat them with anything?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Mites could kill babies, so it would be a very good idea to treat the housing before they hatch.
Mites mostly hide during the day only to come out and feed at night, so if possible, clean up the bedding and spray the housing they will be in.

If the chicks do get mites on them, then I'd dust them with permethrin.

 

[FC16]

Just make sure you continue to treat the coop daily until those eggs hatch, and regularly check the broodies too, as mentioned the mites will be particularly dangerous to the chicks. But obviously can be dangerous to the hens too, broody hens are more at risk to mites than non-broody hens I’ve found from experience.
I had a Silkie girl who was very broody and determined trying to hatch eggs, I really didn’t want to disturb her much so I never really candled the eggs much and rarely even checked on her (my mistake 100%, was a while back when I was new to chicken keeping). When they’re broody they’re obviously just laying in 1 spot all day and all night, so if there’s mites underneath them they’ll multiply rapidly and just feast away at the bird. Honestly you wouldn’t think it but they can kill the bird in a matter of days if they’re broody, as I discovered the hard way with my Silkie girl.

Hopefully you can eliminate them and good luck with the hatch

 

[Shadrach]

It is for sure a coop problem. When we built this coop, we knew very little, besides what we read online about chicken keeping. There are so many places for mites to hide, that are near impossible to flush out. I've treated with Elector PSP multiple times, used pressure washers, permethrin sprays, poultry dust, ivermectin etc etc and we have a bit of success each time, but they ways return . I'm not quite ready to burn the coop down - it's pretty sizeable and cost a lot to build. But that might be the outcome one day...

Yup, it's a serious problem in the large wooden coops that seem popular here. They're great until some mites move in. Most are almost impossible to clean properly as you're finding out. Nobody I know in the UK or in Catalonia builds these types of coops.

 

[mishka brownley]

My broody girls have been bathed, dried till fluffy and warm and then dusted with permethrin again. I put them in the backup coop (which I preemptively sprayed down with permethrin yesterday, just in case there were any mites hiding in there). Thankfully they both went right back to sitting and all is well in that regard. I will certainly keep checking them and dusting daily and continue to dose them with ivermectin for the next three weeks. If I see any mites on the babies once they hatch, I will brood them inside, although I'm really trying to avoid this if possible! Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[BDutch]

Sorry to hear this. Hope it will work out one way or another.

Two things you can do imho:

1. Buy immediately a prefab and move the broodies to the new coop. But chances are not small the broodies wil reject the new coop.
2. Buy an incubator and everything else you need for chicks. If the broodies reject the new nest you have to buy these stuff anyway. If you live near to a supplier you could try to move the broodies during shopping. But chances are bigger if you move them in the night.

 

[BDutch]

Good luck.

 

[mishka brownley]

Red mites. I'm using pine shavings.

 

[BDutch]

When I clean out the nest box completely and make new bedding , I put a layer of sand mixed with a little diatomaceous earth underneath the shavings/hay.
The effect of DE is that it kills the larvae of the red mites. Not the adult red mites or the red mite eggs.
Maybe it helps to keep the red mite out if you move the hens/eggs to the third coop.

Please keep us updated.

 

[BDutch]

Don't put DE in a broody coop!
If you are sure you have red mites then that's a coop problem, not a bird problem. A sever red mite problem takes many treatments to sort out. Some keepers find it is easier in the long run to burn the coop and start again. Of course, a lot depends on the size and type of coop you have.

I think this - not use DE- is typical something that everyone is repeating without experience. I never had any problems with DE mixed with a lot of sand. I also make a ‘paint’ with it , to treat the walls and cracks. I use it for many years now, to prevent a red mite infestation. Even chicks have no problem with it when administered very carefully in sand under the bedding.
I never had problems with mite after using DE while sparrows and such fly in an out the run. Many chicken keepers in my country have problems with red mite. And some even buy plastic coops because they think its a better solution.