mites, mites, mites

[Grandmas Coop]

how is everyone's hens looking??? Are they mite free???? I used the drops on the 11th do you think its to soon to retreat???

 

[Grandmas Coop]

Hi guys. Greetings from Asia Pacific!

I am having some problems with chicken mites. i just got my chickens last Month. Therr were 2 batches. The first batch were mite-free but i am not sure with the second batch. i did not see any mite in them until one day i saw 1 or 2 crawling so i immediately treated them with ivermectin.

Anyways, everytime i clean their coop, i put their poop in a sack and throw it away. then i read about planting herbs around the coop to repel insects and mice. I planted mint, lavender, rosemary, and basil. I read that chciken manure is a good fertilizer so instead of throwing away their poop, i put it in my garden. After a week, i see a lot (and it's really a lot!! i suspect there is an infestation) of mites!!! I remember i did not remove the feathers when i put the manure in my garden. I sprayed some insecticide but it did not work. I put some DE but the mites are hiding under the soil. Is DE really effective? If so, how long does it take to kill the mites? I am afraid that they get into the coop in my pad. What do you suggest?

What finally did the trick???? to get rid of the mites

 

[snaffle]

how is everyone's hens looking??? Are they mite free???? I used the drops on the 11th do you think its to soon to retreat???

I applied eprinex a month ago and dusted them. Just about lost my mind.

today I put 2 drops of Frontline for cats on those in the hen house and did a little spraying for bugs. I did not gut the hen house today.

I checked a few of the hens for lice and did not see any thank heavens. I can see some new feathers coming in... but a couple of those hens lost even more feathers after the eprinex treatment.

I have 3 pens of chickens in the barn in stalls and will have to dose them next weekend. I have got to find a cheaper source for the Frontline.Bought it at the local farm supply store and paid $39. I have just a little left over after dosing 18 chickens at 2 drops each.

Anyone know about ducks? I have 2 muscovy adults and looked once but their feathers are so dense it didnt go much good.

 

[PapaChaz]

I've just read all 18 pages of this thread, and now I'm itching like crazy!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Just getting back into having chickens---in summary we had to move into town and the son in law got all my chickens---now we're back in the country, I'm building a new coop/run. I have bought 14 chicks, 8 blue americaunas, 3 black australorps and 3 leghorns.

When I had problems with mites before though, I bought the ivermectin at Tractor Supply, waited until the chickens were on the roost (easier to catch) and did the deed. Got the wife to help, I'd catch and hold she do the eye dropper. When we had to give the chickens away, we kept the ivermectin and used it on the dog in place of the frontline. Was a LOT cheaper and just as effective as far as we could tell.

 

[chicken04]

I put Poultry protector on your bantams we had Australorp that had mites we sprayed it on her weekly and now she is mite free.And it's all natural too.

 

[sonshine15]

We are now mite free!!! What a relief!!! We free range, have two large pens/coops in a quarter of a huge shop with a pet door that goes to the outside pen. The shop: I used a strong bug killer around all the edges (the chickens cannot get into it). The chickens: I sprayed them first with an all natural product (its outside). Then 2 days later dusted them all with Sevin. The coop: Besides cleaning, I sprayed the natural stuff then fresh bedding. On top of the fresh bedding I sprinkled a light amount of Sevin. Their dust tubs: fresh dirt mixed with Sevin and ash. I also covered all the regular places they scratch and dust outside with Sevin.

Dogs and one cat: Sevin

I've not come to the next period of the eggs hatching, so will treat the same way. I have not seen any mites or lice at all now. After reading some of the posts I got extremely concerned because we had them in our house too via the pets.


Thank you for the ash tip!!!!!!!!!!! Also this makes me wonder if all the Sevin is being pulled..............it seems there's a war on chickens

 

[pslane]

Best way to find out If the tiny Northern/Chicken mites are in your hair, sleep on a white pillow and in the morning, check it to see if there are any specks on it. If you are infected (and I was, once!) you will see the brown or red specks that are actually mite poop and also your blood. Wash your hair with a mild flea shampoo.

BTW this is for another post in this thread about the subject of mites in the hair.

 

[pslane]

Sorry another reply to an older post. I am catching up today!
Quote: If there are enough mites on a chicken and you don't remove them, a chicken will die of anemia. So you have to be very observant.

 

[sonshine15]

Sorry another reply to an older post. I am catching up today!
If there are enough mites on a chicken and you don't remove them, a chicken will die of anemia. So you have to be very observant.

I was horrified when I first discovered them! I just thought a few of our hens were molting!! As I checked them over sure enough........mites! The little critters are now gone unless they return on eggs hatching BUT I am going to clean and treat again vs waiting the 7 days, then repeat on the 7. I dont want any of them anywhere lol!!!

Thank you for the heads up on the head! Everyone (chickens, dogs, cat and humans) are healthy and happy now. I even put Tea Tree Oil in our shampoos. Something about the thought of little critters on them and us was just a bit much. The boundary with the strong pump spray around the areas they cannot get to was most likely the #1 thing to help. I watched beetles, spiders, everything that crossed that line die off.

So far so good!

 

[pslane]

Quote: Mite definitely crawl on humans. If I pick up an infested chicken to treat her, they all run everyway including up my arm! A horror story: I once laid down my eye glasses on the edge of a trailer while I was treating chickens. I had forgotten that I put some of the infected feathers on that trailer for destroying later. Then when I put on my glasses, mites started crawling all over my face!