Mitey Mites=Mitey Bad

[DyingPhoenix]

I used to believe in DE for all kinds of insect treatments until I noticed it not working so well for my parent's dog's bedding for fleas when they had them really bad one year. There were eggs all over their beds even with a generous dusting. It just kept getting worse.

I then decided to do a test. I put some DE in a jar and would place random insects inside it. None ever died. Days later they'd still be crawling around like normal covered in the stuff.

I now put sevendust powder in the chickens nest boxes, bedding ( sand ) and especially wherever I see them choose to dust bathe in the yard. They dust themselves and thoroughly too!

Never had a single problem with bugs on my flock and we had flocks and flocks of starlings infesting the place the last couple winters so I know there was lice around. Plus the barn swallows build nests everywhere and they are notorious for mites.

 

[Folly's place]

Just switch to permethrin instead of carbaryl. It works fine too, and is approved for poultry.
It's best NOT to use anything outside, to protect the beneficial critters, like bees and others. Only use it in the coop and maybe the run.
Mary

 

[cmom]

I use the permethrin spray. I spray everything in the coops, walls, floors, ceilings, on and under the roosts, inside and outside of the nest boxes, every crack and crevice where mites can hide. In the evening after the birds went to roost I gave them a spray. Repeated application is necessary because it does not kill the eggs. Initially I sprayed weekly. No more mites.