My broody has mites

[Avonshire]

OK I need help I think! I have a broody silkie. Her eggs are due to hatch any day now. I brought her inside on Monday to the garage in my brooder to keep her away from the other hen and roo in the coop. Well I noticed Monday night that her eye looked funny but did not investigate too closely trying not to bother her. This is the first time I have had a broody. Then Tuesday morning I went to check on her and noticed bugs EVERYWHERE. Little tiny bugs that look like mites. I dusted her with DE and treated her with ivermectin. She seemed to perk up a little because she would lift her head to look at me and you could not see the bugs crawling all over her like before but she has this black stuff all over her head and other places that I have been told are eggs(ewww gross!). So today I checked on her and can see the bugs all over her again. I can see them crawling on her face and just all over her. I dusted her with de but I am wondering if there is anything else I can do for her? I don't mind losing the eggs if I can save her or I can put the eggs in my bator if there is something that I can do to help/save her. TIA!!!

 

[ChickensRDinos]

DE is a good natural bug killer but is not as strong as the harsher stuff. You might want to consider a stronger poultry dust or sevin if the problem is really bad. Dusting will only kill live bugs not eggs so you need to continue to dust as the eggs hatch. If it is mites then they can live in wood and bedding so dusting the bird is not enough you need to clean out the entire coop really well and replace ALL being with new clean bedding mixed with DE. Keep repeating until the infestation is gone. Mites and lice can be very seriously is allowed to continue.

 

[Avonshire]

What about the eggs? Is it safe to move her when the eggs are due to hatch any minute???? Well any day? I don't mind cleaning it all out even daily but I just did not know how to do it with the whole egg situation.

 

[missnu01]

Diatomaceous Earth is useless in most applications...
So get either sevin dust or poultry dust and give them a dusting. I got my first chickens off of craigslist, and I knew that they had mites, but it didn't seem to be causing any issue, so I figured they had a few but no big deal...but then my big roosters feathers started looking rough...so I dusted him and the coop and the nests really well with poultry dust...and added some to the chickens dust bathing area...the rooster doesn't dust bathe so that is probably why he started looking rough while everyone else seemed fine...anyway he looks great now. I mean the difference is night and day. I noticed a marked difference within 3 days after dusting him...he is usually bright white, but he started looking gray and grungy, and now he is bright white again. So...forget the DE and use something that works...don't let all the organic bleeding hearts deter you...kill those mites not cover them in useless silica dust.

So get some sevin, or poultry dust and dust her really well. and in 2-3 days I guarantee she will be looking and feeling better.

I just turned the can over my rooster while he was sleeping, and apparently that was enough...you don't have to hold them upside down or try to get it on all their feathers, just make sure they get a good bit on them...

I need to get a big bag or sevin, because the small bottle of poultry dust didn't go very far, and I only had 10 chickens at the time...Lol. I do have a really big coop though, and I just literally sprinkled the stuff everywhere.

 

[Avonshire]

Ok do you get that at TSC? Will it hurt the eggs she is sitting on?

 

[missnu01]

I wouldn't think so. Or it won't hurt the chicks anymore than the mites definitely will...you can get poultry dust at TSC and sevin dust anywhere that sells gardening stuff

 

[nazu]

I have the same problem with one of my hens, Neenee. I've always used DE in the coop, but it didn't stop one of my hens from getting mites. By the time I realized she had them, she was infested. I've isolated her from the others, cleaned out the coop with hot soapy water and a little bleach, and sprinkled sevin on the flooring, paying special attention to the cracks and crevices, before laying down fresh shavings. I treated Neenee with IVER-ON and and dusted her, and the others, with sevin, making sure I get down to their skin, under the wings and vents. I've been giving her medicated chick feed for now, and supplementing with iron rich veggies; she's devouring them! I add Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar to their water to help boost the immune system (2 Tablespoons per 1 gallon). Right now, she is being kept in a large dog crate, lined with newspaper, sprinkled with sevin. I've been changing the newspaper several times a day, and it's always loaded with dead mites/eggs. I'll continue to do that, until I don't see anymore mites. It's been a couple of days now, and she is still so weak that she could barely stand, but I'm optimistic that she will recover. I hope that you and yours will overcome as well. Good luck to you. Nancy

 

[Avonshire]

Two babies hatched and they are precious! I have not seen any bugs in two days. I have been feeding her boiled eggs and she does devour them! What iron rich veggies do you suggest?

 

[nazu]

Oh, that's great news

The dark leafy greens are the best..spinach, kale, chard and the like.

 

[dawg53]

Oh, that's great news

The dark leafy greens are the best..spinach, kale, chard and the like.

Too much greens can cause thyroid problems. Avonshire, continue feeding your silkie chopped boiled egg with regular feed for about a week. Then only regular feed thereafter.
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