Mites on my Rooster and I treat with DE!!

[cluckychick]

I use DE on a regular basis, in the run, in their sandbox, and in the coop and nest. I noticed yesterday a hen kept picking at my rooster so this morning my husband catches "Randy" and I have a look see and low and behold he has what I think are mites. He doesn't seem to ever dust bathe so I'm wondering if this is the reason he has this particular issue. If he has them then I can assume the rest do correct?

I have seperated him, dusted him with DE and put some blue-kote on his raw spot. He is not a happy camper at all.

Why if I use DE on a regular basis am I having this issue. We have been getting alot of rain due to Hannah and those other mean hurricanes that won't go away. Could it be the wetness? Should I go to the feed store and purchase something else to treat the rest of them? Should I change all the deep bedding in the coop? I was trying to wait for dryer and cooler weather to do this but will do it now if it's needed.

I searched for Mites and got the nice long dicussion on Sevin vs. DE but it doesn't really point me into the direction I feel I need to go with this issue. Please help me experienced Chicken owners

Any help is much appreciated.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

If they are mites, they are really hard to get rid of, and you will need something alot stronger than de. I would use Sevin 5% dust. Dust the whole run. Plus, if one chicken has is most likely all the others do too. You will need to bathe them, a dog flea shampoo works great, and let them dry, and then dust them with Sevin 5% dust.

You will need to dust everything, the roosts, the runs, the nest boxes. Everything! Mites live off of the body and on the body. So they are everywhere until you get them all.

I would also change all of the bedding. Clean out all of the bedding, and then dust the floor with sevin, then put down a new layer of pine shavings for straw, and dust the top of it. Keep the birds of the house until the dust settles.

An easy way to apply the Sevin, is to use a mason jar with holes poked in the top. I would dust them at night, that way it is easier to get ahold of the birds, and make sure they are dusted really well. Make sure to dust under the wings, and around the vent really good.

Are you sure that they are mites? Mites look like tiny little specs of pepper.

 

[cluckychick]

No I'm not sure at all

but I seen little buggies on him crawling while my husband was holding him. It could be lice?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
It could be lice. Mites are tiny and looks like little tiny specs of pepper. Where were the bugs? Lice is usually on the shaft of the feathers down by the skin. If it is lice, they are easy to get rid of, dust the chickens once, and then dust them one more time 10 days later.

here is an article on mites. with pictures. http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/2/2-5/Laura_E_John.html

And here is a picture of lice http://images.google.com/imgres?img...ltry+lice&um=1&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADBF_enUS244US244

 

[cluckychick]

You are a godsend!! Thank You and yes I believe he may have lice instead of mites. I will treat as you suggested.

Thank you for your help

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Your welcome.

That god you have lice. Because mites are a pain.

You treat the chicken once, and then treat is 10 days later to kill the lice that just hatched out of the eggs.

 

[EllyMae]

will sevin dust be ok for them to ingest? Mine pick through the shavings in their house and eat any bugs that might be hiding in there.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
I havent had any problem. I also read a post on here about a guy who dumped sevin on a huge nest of earwigs ( i think ) and they were covered, and then the chickens came over and gobbled up the earwigs, and the chickens were fine, no adverse reaction.

Sevin 5% has the same exact ingredient as Prozap 5% poultry dust, just a different name.

 

[laughingllama75]

Dang it! Now I am itching like mental. Ewwwwww. I went and looked at those pictures.....and of course I looked at the cattle grubs too........

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Birds that don't dust bathe are always going to have a problem, if they are exposed. Broodies are also at more risk, because of this. If they don't want to dust bathe, then you can dust them yourself, with DE. We also dust where they are nesting.