Mites in the Winter

[Disheygirl]

Haven’t seen any yet, but I’d rather be prepared and ready because I keep seeing new mite posts here.

I have Elector, but I’m thinking - in the winter (in Indiana), surely it can’t be good to be spraying them down with a liquid, right? Is a powder - Permethrin or the like - better in the winter for the bird bodies and I could use the Elector spray for the coop? Or ivermectin on the birds?

 

[HKG]

@cmom

 

[cmom]

I use permethrin. It shouldn't be used as a preventative because the pests can develop a resistance to it. I would only treat if I actually saw any pests. I use poultry dust in the nest boxes. Good luck...

 

[The Duck Dad]

I spray permethrin on my ducks and in their houses whenever they have lice or fleas. make sure the spray dries before letting the chickens peck around

 

[The Duck Dad]

https://www.sawyer.com/products/permethrin-fabric-treatment

you can find this at any farm or hardware store

 

[aart]

It shouldn't be used as a preventative because the pests can develop a resistance to it.

Ditto Dat!

Check the birds regularly for mites and/or lice.

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008