MITES *UPDATE* - Are these really mites or something else?????

[mrbstephens]

Just this morning I noticed a couple of red mites on the bottom of the chickens waterer. I'm hoping to get the chickens into their new coop tonight. Should I treat the area with DE first? And what about the chickens? Do I need to treat them too? How do I keep this from becoming a problem? I'm already feeling itchy!!! Thanks.

 

[hen-thusiast]

Luckily, I haven't had mites. From what I've read here it's all about prevention and once you have them it's a battle to get rid of them. If you use DE make sure it's the food grade stuff. Even after the first treatment, you'll still have to do a second after the eggs hatch. Try this link:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1966255

Good luck!

 

[TeresaT]

Hi. Sevin dust is great for mites. I made a sprinkler out of an empty peanut butter jar by drilling some small holes in the top and filling it with sevin dust mixed with DE. I sprinkle this all over their coop and squish it around in the hay/bedding I have for them to prevent mites. If you have them on your chickens, you can treat the chickens too, by lifting up their feathers and sprinkling it on the chicken, rubbing your fingers through their feathers to spread it around. Make sure you get their rear, under their wings and around their neck. Be careful not to get it in their eyes and that they and you do not breath too much of it either. It works great on my chickens and they had them once, and not since I have been doing this method of control. Good Luck!

 

[Msbear]

You can dust your birds with DE or seven dust. DE is all natural and 7 dust contains chemicals... both are safe for your birdies. If you saw them in your coop then your birds are most likely infested. It can happen and you don't even notice til they are lethargic and sick. Check their vent area at night with a flash light to get the best idea of how bad it is. They say if you see 10, you have several hundred on the bird.. or something like that.

I would get it under control before you move them to the new coop or you're just moving the infestation.

You can also give them oral treatment via ivermectin drops. This will kill any parasite that bites them and will also worm them.

If your infestation is really bad, you can bathe your chickens with puppy flea and tick. You will be horrified to see how many bugs fall off of them. This will give you a quick jump start. Keep your birdies under a heat light in a brooder or dog crate for half the day to let them thoroughly dry. Good Luck!!

Then dust them in 7 days to kill any remaining mites.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Use adams flea and tick spray with IGR. I kept getting mites back using the poultry dust with permetherine in it so this time i'm going with the spray. It is a battle royal once you got em, i'm still fighting them and i had them over the winter now again. You have to seriously get rid of all the bedding, spray the heck out of the coop, every nook and cranny then put DE in with the new shavings or straw. Its a huge PITA especially when you have several enclosures to treat but ya gotta take care of it before they suffer. Good luck!

 

[Msbear]

Quote:
Yes, and once they get sickly (enemic) it is nearly impossible to bring them back to health and they will die.

 

[mrbstephens]

I don't want to return them to the baby pool in the garage which is where they have been living. I'm painting the inside of the coop today. Then I'll dust with DE. I'll dust the chickens too. I'm hoping that a fresh new coop with new bedding and DE will nip it in the bud. Thanks!

 

[chickenmum]

Go ahead and treat the coop and chickens before moving. New coop, eh? Fun!

 

[mrbstephens]

I just examined one of the chickens and saw no mites anywhere. Maybe what I saw on the waterer was something else? I saw a couple of Small red spiders. Anyway, I'm getting the DE and dusting the coop with it just in case.

 

[lisadchicken]

I would really like to know the effectiveness of DE vs Sevin. ANyone ever used them both and have some input for me?

I have mites on a new chicken I will need to dust my whole flock and my coop. I just would RATHER do it with DE.