Mites, what do I do?

[crazyforfeatheredfriends]

Hi all, I'm pretty sure a few of my chickens has mites (red bugs crawling on them), what do I do? Where do I start?

I live in AZ where it's starting to get hot and my girls free range during the day (dirt conditions with weeds, etc)

Thank you so much for your help!!

 

[chickM4st3r(AL)]

give them a bath in room temp water remember they wont like it so use force scrub under wings dont use soap just water then let em dry in the sun cuz u live in az bathe them 3 times a week until there gone:cd

 

[crazyforfeatheredfriends]

Thank you, the bathing will start tomorrow on all 18 of my chickens

 

[Shannon's Chix]

Wow, that's a lot of work for 18 chickens. Don't know if you go organic but I use frontline spray only when I see something, then do the entire flock. Only had to do it once in a year. Just a spray under each wing, back of neck and above vent worked great, gone within hours!

 

[rufus]

We put the ashes from the wood stove in their dust bathing area. We have always done that, and it seems to work.

For scaly mites on the legs, we used to use Vicks vapor rub or vasoline. Now we just use WD 40. It is so much easier.

For worms, we give them pumpkin. For gape worms in the throat, give them black oil sunflowers.

Try the old fashioned remedies first.

Rufus

 

[LuvinMyPeeps]

You can also use Adams Flea, Tick and Lice spray (found at PetSmart or Walmart). I love the stuff!

Make sure you clean out the coop before putting them back though - remove all bedding and spray the wood, crevices. Sevin spray (found at Home Depot) can be used for the coop. Let the coop air out, then once clean and dry, put in fresh bedding.

 

[cheeps]

I wouldn't "bathe" my chickens, but that's just me. I try not to stress mine to death!

All you need is some Sevin dust or other poultry dust...available at your feed or tractor supply. I keep mine dusted, usually once every three months or so, and always keep the coop dusted in the roost and laying box area. Haven't seen a mite in over a year.

The first time I had this problem last year I posted the same question, and these were the answers I got from everyone. Bathing the chickens isn't going solve the problem.

Edited to add...if you use the dust...make sure to concentrate under the wings where the mites like to hide.

 

[Joy Irwin]

I am having a mite situation too, but mine are clear yellowish. I was told sevin dust too. I've never had mites before and I was told to put sevin in their dirt baths and clean and dust around theirs roosts and nests. If I do that do I really need to catch up 60+ chickens and dust them individually?? JOY

 

[WhetzelMomma]

I dust the floors of my house with Diaomaceous Earth. It's made from an organic earth that kills crawling insects (and mites) by deydration. You can also put it in the soft earth areas that your chickens dust bathe in regularly, and "dust" under their wings with it.
I use this kind from ACE .

 

[WhetzelMomma]

I don't like the idea of using Sevin. That's a pretty potent pesticide, and my cats have a reaction to it.