Mites/Lice advice for new chicken owner.

[vdmilam11]

Hey there,

I am new to this site as well as to raising chickens. I have lately had a mite/lice infestation, and I have been shopping around trying to find a good product to use for mites/lice, something with a low period of egg withdrawal (we get several eggs a day), that you've had good experience with in the past.

Thanks!

 

[cackleberrycam]

I use Sevin Dust .5 powder to cure lice on my hens. I just sprinkle it on their backs and get it down into their feathers. It really works great to kill off lice! I hope this helps!
Welcome to Backyard Chickens!

Glad you joined us!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I use permethrin poultry dust from the feed store.

Be sure to dust the coop, and everywhere on the chicken except the face (including under the wings and vent area), repeating in 7 days to kill the hatching eggs.

Toss ALL bedding and nest box material or they will be back. If you don't retreat they will be back. If it is a severe infestation you may need to do a third treatment at another 7 days.

I have dealt extensively with mites and they will go away but you must keep repeating the treatment.

If you collect some bugs in your home and they are biting you, don't worry- just vacuum and wash sheets over and over and they will go away. Take a shower and then take a bath. They will float up dead.

You can toss your chicken keeping clothes right in the hot water wash and run take a shower quick after doing chores until you get the infestation under control.

The Northern Fowl mite can live for 3 weeks with no poultry meal and the red mite that lives in the coop (comes out at night) can live for 9 months with no poultry meal. They will bite humans but cannot breed on human blood.

I have actually switched to sand in the nest boxes and the coop floors so I don't have to toss bedding anymore.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If you have an enormous flock and you simply cannot catch each chicken and treat each one, you can set up a dust bath for them with the permethrin in it but be aware they WILL eat it if you do this. Not so good. So I don't recommend that.

I don't want mine eating it so I choose to treat each chicken. Wear a mask/long sleeves. Take shower afterward. Wear gloves.

They do sell liquid permethrin which you can spray on each chicken (instructions for dilution on label) and spray the coop too. This may be a better option in warm weather so as not to risk inhaling the dust. Make sure you spray vent area and under wings.

 

[christie22701]

Sevin dust is a great product. Use the great advice given above and you should have no problems. I had mites (well my flock did, LOL) and it took care of the problem. Just make sure to do the coop too. Get all the crevasses. Great advice from above!