Mites: I've tried EVERYTHING

[countrygirl14]

Interesting prophylactic application. What concentration do you use (water to oil)?

Have rubbed down 2x4 roosts with the stuff but have not used directly on chooks (essential aromatic oils and avians sometimes don't mix):

Here is an older thread with the good/bad/ugly: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/180789/just-another-tea-tree-oil-thread

When we wash the chickens we will fill a five gallon bucket half way and add 10-15 drops of pure tea tree oil. I will put a little (just a drop or two) in my hand and rub it all over the chicken. if you were to spray it in the coop you might want it a bit stonger. I would put 15-20 drops in two cups water and put in a spray bottle.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

My hens have leg mites. I tried the vaceline and it seems to have worked. But one of the hens has her feet all messed up because of the mites. How does one fix this?

I have read that the leg scales molt. The scaly leg mites that I have treated were mild and thus the scales went back down quickly. So you might be looking at quite a while for a molt...don't know. If the damage is severe enough some chickens lose toes and parts of leg from it. Hopefully your situation is just a scale molt wait.

Please note that the scaly leg mites must be treated for 2 weeks though with something that smothers the mites, like dipping the legs daily in mineral oil (what I do).

 

[Chris King]

I haven't read all of the replies, so maybe this one has already been suggested, but I've been having great success with spinosad garden spray to control fleas and ticks on my dog, as well as to control pestiferous insects on my veggies. Spinosad is the active ingredient in Comfortis and Trifexis (flea-control products for dogs), but as they're really expensive, I decided to see if topical spinosad would work as well. It does!

It's OMRI approved for organic agriculture, and a quick PubMed search of the scientific literature revealed that it's safe and effective against poultry mites as well.

I ordered a bottle from Arbico Organics, but even before it arrived I found spinosad spray in a couple of local garden supply stores. Now that I look for it, I'm finding it all over!

For my dog, I use it at twice the recommended concentration for plants, which is 1/2 tbsp in 16 oz water. (So, for my dog I use 1/2 tbsp in 8 oz water). But for chickens, I'd probably start with the plant dosage and double or triple it to treat the inanimate objects (coop, bedding, bare earth in/around the pen, etc.). Spinosad has a very broad safety margin, and as a general rule, the higher the concentration, the greater the kill rate and the longer the duration of effect. Still, I try to use a light hand on the living things, particularly those whose products I plan to eat.

One other great thing about spinosad: on surfaces not exposed to water or UV light, it has a residual effect of about a month. So, it should help you break the mite lifecycle, along with the other management changes you've made or plan to make.

Good luck!

-Chris King-
(veterinarian)

 

[IrishAcreFarm]

Thank you for the response,Dr.King! So, is this product strong enough for red mites? Also, since it is also used in gardening, I am assuming it is ok to eat eggs right away. I am having a tough time with then in my older flock, and have tried everything. I have been about to try frontlne plus, but I keep hearing different advice on whether I have to wait to eat eggs. I would much prefer something safer, if you think this could do it!

 

[Hoosierchickens]

I had a mite problem for the first time at the start of this summer but caught it early. I used Sevin dust on my two broodies. I dipped three other chickens that were headed to the fair in a few weeks in a Permethrin dip. I then cleaned out all the wood chips in the nest boxes and coops. I then sprayed Permethrin in all the cracks and crevices in the nest boxes and coop and allowed that to dry. I then layed down a layer of Sevin dust in the corners or the coop and nest boxes and dusted the remaining coop and run with DE. After that I replaced the wood chips. Only one broody hen had a return of the mites a week or two later and I redusted her with Sevin dust and sprayed the nest box and adjacent nest boxes with Permethrin directly on the wood chips then mixed them around. I haven't seen any since. The Permethrin I use is a concentrate from my local feed store.

 

[Chris King]

So, is this product strong enough for red mites?

Yes, apparently it is effective against red mites. I haven't used it myself, as my young flock has been mite-free thus far, but there are published studies showing the efficacy of spinosad against the poultry red mite.

I am assuming it is ok to eat eggs right away.

Hmm... most folks would likely say yes, but personally I'd wait 2-3 weeks. Here's why: even after topical use, there probably is some systemic absorption of the spinosad, particularly through broken skin (e.g. mite bites) - which means that a small (actually tiny, but...) portion of the topical application may end up in the eggs, particularly in the yolks.

For plants, the manufacturer advises waiting anywhere from 1 day (leafy greens ) to 2 weeks (oily seeds and nuts) between spraying and harvesting. Given the chemical nature of spinosad, I'd be leaning toward the oily seed/nut end of the spectrum myself, which is why I'd wait. Besides, eggs from sick or stressed (e.g. parasitized) hens probably aren't as good for us as eggs from healthy, happy hens.

Spinosad is used orally in dogs, and for the most part it's well tolerated. However, some dogs develop digestive upsets from it, and there are a few reported cases of abnormal lymph node enlargement in treated dogs, so although it's a naturally-derived product, I treat it with respect.

One option with red mites is to focus your efforts on spraying the coop, particularly the roosting and nesting areas, where it would be perfectly fine to use a more concentrated solution. The lifecycle of the poultry red mite involves some time off the chicken. However, if your chickens are being driven to distraction and illness by the mites, then it would be worth treating them at least once at the outset.

There are some practical issues with using spinosad topically in chickens, though. Chief among them is the importance - and the challenge - of getting the spinosad to where the mites are living and causing the damage: the chicken's skin and the base of the feather shafts. Although it's a chore, it's very important to thoroughly soak the skin. That means spraying or dunking each chicken... The good news is that the spinosad must be left on for residual effect, and even for a good kill rate, so no need to rinse

When bathing my dog with spinosad the other week, my chickens tried to drink the solution, so that's practical issue no. 2: don't let the chickens consume the solution. In theory, spinosad may safely be ingested, but the garden spray that I use is only 0.5% spinosad, and I've had no luck finding out what's in the rest of the 99.5%, but it's probably not anything that should be swallowed in any quantity.

A couple of other things: (1) spinosad is not stable in water for more than a day or two, so discard any unused portion of the diluted solution or apply it to your garden; make up a fresh batch every time you use it, and (2) it rapidly degrades in UV light, so it will have maximum effect on the chicken's skin and in the interior of the coop.

I have been about to try frontlne plus, but I keep hearing different advice on whether I have to wait to eat eggs.

I'd avoid Frontline Plus. Before taking what I jokingly refer to as "the nuclear option," I always want to know about possible adverse effects and how likely are they. Personally, I'd double or triple dose with spinosad before I'd use anything like Frontline.

And just as a general comment, parasitism (of any kind) is more of a problem in immunocompromised animals. One of the first things I do when investigating serious parasite issues is look at the animal's diet. Trace minerals in particular are often a good thing to supplement - in any species - when there's a chronic parasite problem. The stocking rate, hygiene practices, and stress from any cause are also things that we (humans) often overlook or think we have covered, but when we look at things from the animals' perspective, not so much.

Good luck!

-Chris King-

 

[IrishAcreFarm]

Wow, thank you so much for all of your advice, I really appreciate it!!

 

[Shark Akhrrana]

Went to buy chick food. But saw this product. ha anyone tried it.

 

[Chris King]

You're most welcome. I did a bit more reading and found a couple of interesting things:

1. Spinosad has been studied as an antiparasitic agent in commercial flocks (where other stuff has stopped working); when used orally, there are spinosad residues in all fatty tissues, including egg yolks, BUT the eggs contain much lower levels than the tissues of the chicken herself. I haven't been able to find 100% spinosad; just the 0.5% garden spray, with god-knows what else as the bulk of it, so I don't use it orally. I guess you could try giving your chickens a portion of one of the Comfortis chewables for dogs (scaled-down proportionately by body weight). The point of that would be that you wouldn't have to treat the chickens topically (as agreeable as my chickens are, I wouldn't want to have to bathe them!); the spinosad would be delivered to the skin via the bloodstream. I have no idea how safe that particular product would be in chickens, and I doubt it's been studied, but if you simply cannot get rid of the mites any other way, and you're at desperation point, then it may be worth considering.

2. In the one study I found that was specifically about the red poultry mite, the researchers used a concentration of almost 4 grams/litre, or almost 0.4%. They got a good kill rate and 21-28 days' duration out of that concentration when it was sprayed on floors, cages, etc. However, that's just shy of the "neat" garden spray, which is 0.5% (5 grams/litre). I would have no hesitation using the garden spray undiluted on inanimate objects such as nesting boxes and roosts, but I do wonder whether such a high concentration would really be necessary for a backyard coop. Based on my experience using a ridiculously low concentration topically to control fleas and ticks on my dog (here in flea heaven, where Frontline doesn't work anymore), and on my reading about the use of spinosad to treat/prevent cattle ticks (concentrations as low as 0.05%), I anticipate that you would not need anywhere near that high a concentration to kill the mites in your coop.

If you do try spinosad, would you please report back. It'd be great to know whether or not it worked, and if so, at what concentration.

-Chris King-

 

[Pepper3d]

Ivermectin normally works great at killing mites I have used it on cats with eat mites and on cattle, I'm not to sure if it works on chickens? I use poultry shavings with some lime in them, works great for mold! My ducks think they can swim in the water! But I know my chickens like to dust in it.