My Chicken Has Mites Now What?

[aart]

Northern Fowl Mites stay mainly on the bird. Red Roost Mites (red crawlies) live in the environment.

How to tell the difference @Lady of McCamley?
Is it easy to see the color difference(black vs red) with the naked eye?
Or is it mites on bird during day is NFM and mites on bird and roost at night is RRM?
I hope I never have to differentiate, have only had lice here(knock wood) but am very curious.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Good luck getting rid of those nasty critters!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

How to tell the difference @Lady of McCamley?
Is it easy to see the color difference(black vs red) with the naked eye?
Or is it mites on bird during day is NFM and mites on bird and roost at night is RRM?
I hope I never have to differentiate, have only had lice here(knock wood) but am very curious.

First test is mites on bird during day is NFM. Mites on roosts and birds at night RRM.

RRM cling to corners and roosts, so a flashlight at night will show them. They are clumps of black and red (black unfed, red fed).

NFM are black specks crawling like crazy during the day, usually at the vent, but other areas as well. A few can fall into the bedding in the coops, but generally they stay and live on the bird. NFM die without close contact with the bird.

On the other hand, RRM can live for MONTHS in the coop corners. They are very hard to kill and the old timers at times resorted to burning the coop down and starting again to get rid of an infestation.

Both are tiny, but can be seen by the naked eye.

I'll link photos for you.

I've had NFM, but thankfully, knock on wood, not RRM.

LofMc

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

https://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Red_Mite_in_Chicken_Houses.html

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/northern-fowl-mites

 

[aart]

Thank you SO much @Lady of McCamley, saved your post for reference.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

You are welcome @aart

 

[Bdeshetl]

First test is mites on bird during day is NFM. Mites on roosts and birds at night RRM.

RRM cling to corners and roosts, so a flashlight at night will show them. They are clumps of black and red (black unfed, red fed).

NFM are black specks crawling like crazy during the day, usually at the vent, but other areas as well. A few can fall into the bedding in the coops, but generally they stay and live on the bird. NFM die without close contact with the bird.

On the other hand, RRM can live for MONTHS in the coop corners. They are very hard to kill and the old timers at times resorted to burning the coop down and starting again to get rid of an infestation.

Both are tiny, but can be seen by the naked eye.

I'll link photos for you.

I've had NFM, but thankfully, knock on wood, not RRM.

LofMc

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

https://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Red_Mite_in_Chicken_Houses.html

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/northern-fowl-mites

Wow thank you! I’ll check tonight!

 

[happyhencamper]

First test is mites on bird during day is NFM. Mites on roosts and birds at night RRM.

RRM cling to corners and roosts, so a flashlight at night will show them. They are clumps of black and red (black unfed, red fed).

NFM are black specks crawling like crazy during the day, usually at the vent, but other areas as well. A few can fall into the bedding in the coops, but generally they stay and live on the bird. NFM die without close contact with the bird.

On the other hand, RRM can live for MONTHS in the coop corners. They are very hard to kill and the old timers at times resorted to burning the coop down and starting again to get rid of an infestation.

Both are tiny, but can be seen by the naked eye.

I'll link photos for you.

I've had NFM, but thankfully, knock on wood, not RRM.

LofMc

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

https://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Red_Mite_in_Chicken_Houses.html

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/northern-fowl-mites

First test is mites on bird during day is NFM. Mites on roosts and birds at night RRM.

RRM cling to corners and roosts, so a flashlight at night will show them. They are clumps of black and red (black unfed, red fed).

NFM are black specks crawling like crazy during the day, usually at the vent, but other areas as well. A few can fall into the bedding in the coops, but generally they stay and live on the bird. NFM die without close contact with the bird.

On the other hand, RRM can live for MONTHS in the coop corners. They are very hard to kill and the old timers at times resorted to burning the coop down and starting again to get rid of an infestation.

Both are tiny, but can be seen by the naked eye.

I'll link photos for you.

I've had NFM, but thankfully, knock on wood, not RRM.

LofMc

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

https://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Red_Mite_in_Chicken_Houses.html

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/northern-fowl-mites

Whats NFM and RRM

 

[aart]

Whats NFM and RRM

Northern Fowl Mite(live on the bird).
Red Roost Mite(live in the coop structure and feed on birds at night).

 

[Reggan]

I have been fighting mites since FEB. I have never seen anything like it. Definitely either NFM or a rodent mite, which can very well be one in the same. I have a great old school bug guy who helped identify.
It started when I noticed some feathers laying around, some itching and little black specks on eggs. By that time it was too late. I spend a lot of time with my birds and they are very well cared for. This isn't necessarily caused by neglect or uncleanliness. I believe mice brought them to us. Though they free range as much as possible and we live by a river, a lot of wildlife, so who knows.
At this point they have made it in the house and on the dogs, it's a nightmare!!!!
I fight them weekly outside, have burned all bedding and pine shavings in the enclosure & coop 2ce and I clean EVERYTHING once a week.
I spray the entire enclosure and coop with two spinosads (Monterays & Captain Jacks) and Martin's 13.3% permethrin weekly. I am going to use Talak instead of permethrin for a round this weekend - obviously without the birds in the coop.
I have used/dropped Eprinex 2ce now, at 14 day intervals. I have used topical Ivermectin both sprayed and dropped.
I dust them weekly with Martin's Viper. I spray them with a safe applicable animal spinosad (Electrol PSP) monthly.
I am now using 1% injectable ivermectin in water (4cc /gallon for two days) & am going to begin copper sulfate. <<< This, thanks to one @aart 's posts.
I also vacuum and spray out the nesting boxes weekly. I regrettably must use Viper in the boxes or I know I will be in trouble. Cedar, Neem and Lavedar oils do help.
Feeding a lot of minced garlic daily has helped. I had one girl who surely had them in her ears.
Vaseline mixed with permethrin under the roosts is incredibly effective.
What I have learned:
#1 They do bite us and other animals.
#2 They live without a bird bloodmeal for much longer than 7 days.
#3 They love all things cloth - Borax works, along with enzymes (Kleen Green) & lots of washing/drying of EVERYTHING in your house. I even bought an ozone generator.
#4 They are microscopic as nymphs, you think you are going crazy until you put one under a jewelers magnifying eye glass. They are tiny and white/beige. They will get in your hair / shoes / clothes / furniture / rugs / bed.
#5 When you think you have won - take a girl and look at the feather shafts.
#6 By the time you notice them, you are in trouble. I fully understand why people burn down their coops - I would, if my enclosure and coop wasn't so large and very nice.
#7 Cedar chips do help - Don't ever use straw
#8 They will thrive in sand too
#9 They will drop from the ceilings - spray EVERYTHING - They are fast and great hitchhikers
#10 It's exhausting - working full time & trying to plant for the season
I am making progress and hoping for a hard winter so I can finish them off when they go dormant. The girls look pretty good, but are still battling. They are slowly getting their sheen back. My boy is also fairing well, but too is still battling.
Heck, I don't even want anyone else going in the coop for fear of picking them up. We are camping for a long weekend this summer and I need to come up with a game plan for my neighbor.
Just know you're not crazy and when people say mites are a bit**, take their word and be ready for a war if you get them. These YouTubers who jump on and make it look like a "one and done" treatment are full of shit. Throw the kitchen sink at them as soon as you notice signs.

 

[aart]

am going to begin copper sulfate. <<< This, thanks to one @aart 's posts.

Which post was that?
I remember using CS a long time ago, can't even remember why,
but it must not have had much affect if I can't remember