Mites!!! :-(

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

Did you treat the birds too?

Here a good post abut the different kinds of mites:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

I did treat the coop and the birds with both the first and second treatment.

They have the little white eggs and the mites appear black/gray.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

I've been dealing with mites on my birds since last year, and it's about reinfection here. the permethrin kills them, but then the wild house wrens bring in new ones weekly.
Unless I keep the flock totally inside, this will continue to happen. My current plan is to stay ahead of severe infestations and try to keep smiling.
Mary

Wow that seems like a terrible situation! I would hate to keep warding them off year round. That and my husband might release the hens into the wild if it becomes that kind of an issue. Do you have a covered run?

 

[Folly's place]

I have a nice secure coop and run combination, but do free range as much as possible. Then, the wrens come in, and the birds have contact with them outside too.
Mary

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

I have a nice secure coop and run combination, but do free range as much as possible. Then, the wrens come in, and the birds have contact with them outside too.
Mary

Maybe that’s the trouble! We just had a massive flock of sparrows in Redwing blackbirds take up residence in some arbor vita trees that they like to roll under. And I say massive and I’m not kidding as there may be 1000 of them!!!

 

[Justso]

I have been fighting these buggers for a year and a half. I started reading about the life cycle of mites and found conflicting information. One site says 3 weeks, dig deeper and some say 3 months. (it's definitely not 3 weeks, I can confirm that!) I've tried dusting, bathing, spinosads, permethrin and have moved on to trying liberty 50 (permethrine and pyiproxfen) frontline (fipronil =s-methoprene). Next, I'm washing everyone, frontlining and moving to a coop that hasn't been occupied since November. Wish me luck. I'm crossing every appendage I own.

How aweful! Where are you located?

 

[Blingchix6]

I had a problem this spring and I used Frontline for the first time. 2 drops on the neck,2 drops below the vent. Took care of the problem. I also cleaned out the coop and scrubbed the walls and roosts with Elector PSP. Good luck with your flock!

 

[Folly's place]

Just about any insecticide will work, but if you want to be in compliance with approved health and safety standards for poultry (see the FARAD.org website) there's a very short list of approved products.
There's a huge difference between 'pet safe' products, and products used in egg producers or any animal in our food chain. Fipronil isn't approved for any livestock, because it lingers for a very very long time.
I try to stick to approved products, because, in part, I expect commercial producers to do likewise. At a minimum, I wouldn't use anything not used on other livestock or humans already.
Rant over!
Mary

 

[aart]

I had a problem this spring and I used Frontline for the first time.

Yeah, I use that on my dog, and he wears a jacket for a couple days so it doesn't get transferred to the furniture, but wouldn't want it in my eggs.

 

[MuffMom]

How aweful! Where are you located?

Evergreen, Colorado

 

[aart]

Evergreen, Colorado

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