Mites killing my chickens, please help!!!!

[RockyVanRhodes]

I lost a rooster to lice, i didnt know where to get permethrin, or ivermectin where i live and by the time i noticed that he needed stronger medication (i had been dusting him with DE), he got sick, and died. It's really hard, im very sorry that you lost him

 

[micstrachan]

I’m so very sorry for your loss. While I haven’t had to deal with a mite infestation myself yet, I’ve looked into it a fair bit and agree (sadly) that DE is not going to cut it if your birds are already infested. Having said that, I need to research further, as I’m a not quite up to speed on the difference permethrin vs. pyrethrum vs. pyrethroids.

 

[junebuggena]

I lost a rooster to lice, i didnt know where to get permethrin, or ivermectin where i live and by the time i noticed that he needed stronger medication (i had been dusting him with DE), he got sick, and died. It's really hard, im very sorry that you lost him

Most stores with a garden section will have permethrin sprays/dust. It's effective bug control for organic gardeners. DE can cause serious damage to the respiratory systems and should never be used as a treatment for mites.

 

[RockyVanRhodes]

Most stores with a garden section will have permethrin sprays/dust. It's effective bug control for organic gardeners. DE can cause serious damage to the respiratory systems and should never be used as a treatment for mites.

Oh well, thats good to know. Ill check out the garden section then, next time i head to lowes

 

[georgieboy11]

This is a link to a thread I made about mites. One of the replies has a link about identifying what kind of mites they are which will help you find out how to kill them.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/mites.1197698/#post-18953063
I used poultry dust on the birds and Permethrin 10% spray on the coop. Good luck! I hope he gets better.

Thank you so much, I will definitely read that.

 

[georgieboy11]

I lost a rooster to lice, i didnt know where to get permethrin, or ivermectin where i live and by the time i noticed that he needed stronger medication (i had been dusting him with DE), he got sick, and died. It's really hard, im very sorry that you lost him

I am so sorry for your loss I know when you take care of them when they are sick you get really close and they become like your baby and its hard to lose them

 

[georgieboy11]

I’m so very sorry for your loss. While I haven’t had to deal with a mite infestation myself yet, I’ve looked into it a fair bit and agree (sadly) that DE is not going to cut it if your birds are already infested. Having said that, I need to research further, as I’m a not quite up to speed on the difference permethrin vs. pyrethrum vs. pyrethroids.

Im so glad you are researching it before you get an infestation I wish I would have known to do that but I barely knew they existed until they got my chickens and I had no idea what to do. I will be more prepared now.

 

[georgieboy11]

When one has mites, they all have mites. Treating one bird will not do the job. You've got to treat every single bird in the flock. Then you've got to clean out all the bedding and spray down the whole coop with pyrethrum, paying special attention to the little nooks and crannies. Then repeat treatment again on all the birds in two weeks. You are not the only one to have lost birds to mites this winter. Mites are a very common problem in winter, when the birds are spending more time inside the coop and dust bathing isn't always possible thanks to weather.

Thank you so much for your help, I am not sure what to do as it is only 20 degrees and snow is on the ground here in Indiana and I really want to get out there and clean out the whole coop but I cant even get the chickens to come out of the coop . And when I spray down the coop do I rinse it off with water? Or do I just leave the spray and put the chickens back in? I am willing to take them all out, clean out all the bedding, spray the coop down, rinse it out, and add new bedding no matter the weather if thats whats best for the chicks.

 

[junebuggena]

You don't need to rinse off the pyrethrum. It works on contact to kill insects, but it is completely harmless to anything with vertebrae. It's basically an extract from the chrysanthemum flower that acts as a neurotoxin to anything with an exoskeleton.
Mites are most commonly an issue when the ground is frozen, preventing regular dust bathing, and birds spend most of their time inside the coop. A few tubs with sand will provide an unfrozen dust bathing area to help prevent future outbreaks.

 

[apryl29]

You should let the spray dry before putting the chickens in but it's understandable if you don't have anywhere to put them. Just make sure there isn't standing puddles of spray on the floor. I ended up getting a one and a half gallon sprayer from Tractor Supply for $10 that worked really well. Make sure you get the bottom and ends of their roosting bar where the mites maybe hiding. You'll also want to make sure that you retreat in 7 to 10 days to kill off any eggs that have hatched. Of course weather is a factor right now but what I did was lock the chickens out of the coop into the Run then cleaned out the coupe completely burning the bedding. I sprayed down the entire Coupe and left it's dry then I got a package of wood shavings to put on the floor and nesting boxes. I didn't put down a whole lot because I knew I was going to have to clean it out in a week anyway. I kept the remainder of the shavings in my car to keep them from getting contaminated by mites. Then I took the birds one by one to an area in the side yard and used a dust ball that I made by taking a pantyhose leg feeling it with the poultry dust and tying the end off. I wore a face mask and holding the bird with the head facing towards my back I did a dab on they're back their chest and there bottom. Then I use my fingers to work the dust down to their skin a little bit. I also took Bag Balm and applied it to their legs and feet just in case they happen to have any mites on their legs. Then as I finished each bird I put them into the coop which made it easier to keep the treated bird separated from the untreated and made it easier to catch the birds to be able to treat them. Also I noticed after the fact that my rooster never dust bathes. I don't know if this is common but he has never done it and my little rooster has only ever done it once to my knowledge. My pullets love dust bathing.