My Chicken Has Mites Now What?

[Reggan]

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

You linked a post here to a homestead site... I believe back in 2014. I just read it last week. I'm gonna try the CS, we'll see. Some say they have better luck with garlic. Who knows. I'm being flanked on all sides so I will give it go. LOL

 

[aart]

You linked a post here to a homestead site... I believe back in 2014. I just read it last week. I'm gonna try the CS, we'll see. Some say they have better luck with garlic. Who knows. I'm being flanked on all sides so I will give it go. LOL

Ah,yes...I do remember that I learned about CS on the homesteadingtoday site.

 

[aart]

Ah,yes...I do remember that I learned about CS on the homesteadingtoday site.

@Reggers214 I got curious and bolstered my memory by finding the thread on HT ad skimming thru it.
Conclusion was it didn't work to repel or kill lice....I figure it left my RAM because it didn't work. I've use permethrin on lice since.

 

[happyhencamper]

Whats NFM and RRM

Never

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.

I couldn’t possibly do all that. I just don’t have the time and go away so much.

 

[happyhencamper]

Whats NFM and RRM

They have NFM gray dusty bottom. On my white birds I can see on shaft of feathers. Going to buy what chicken chic said from her website. Not sure what prevents them from getting into the coop. I ran a paper towel under the bottom of each roost and didn’t get anything back. I also took a flashlight into the corners in the night and didn’t see anything so I assume it’s just an NFM which Chicken chick said to treat with a spray she sells on her website and spray bottle.

I am so over all of the problems with having backyard chickens. I am ready to give it up and try to find someone to take them. But obviously I can’t have someone take them when they have that might.

 

[happyhencamper]

They have NFM gray dusty bottom. On my white birds I can see on shaft of feathers. Going to buy what chicken chic said from her website. Not sure what prevents them from getting into the coop. I ran a paper towel under the bottom of each roost and didn’t get anything back. I also took a flashlight into the corners in the night and didn’t see anything so I assume it’s just an NFM which Chicken chick said to treat with a spray she sells on her website and spray bottle.

I am so over all of the problems with having backyard chickens. I am ready to give it up and try to find someone to take them. But obviously I can’t have someone take them when they have that might.

I completely empty my coop once a week and spray diatomaceous earth in every crevice corner Ness box.

 

[Reggan]

I completely empty my coop once a week and spray diatomaceous earth in every crevice corner Ness box.

DE is not effective once you are infested. I've used it for years as a preventative for many different animals, but not enough if the population explodes. Also the size of the DE matters, depending on the insect you are deterring - too big it won't cut them / too small it won't cut them.

I forgot to mention sulfur really helps in their dust baths and sprinkled around the coop.

Only a spinosad will kill eggs - Electrol PSP (contains A&D) or some use Monteray (contains A&D). I am having luck with both.
Smothering the eggs works miracles, the issue is treating 30 birds every other day with oil. It can be such a damn mess for them and me.
I still have some girls with eggs on feather shafts. I am going to mix some spinosad with Primo for this weekend's bird treatment. Spray the whole coop and enclosure again.
I am terrified they are going to build resistance to the dusts (Dust On & Viper).

Hopefully this gives you some ideas. You can win, just realize it's a long game and don't freak out. Hahaha, though I freak out weekly LOL! Especially when I know they have made it in the house.

I did find the source last night and it was something from a horror movie. A rubber maid cabinet up by our garage, against our siding (not good), which just contained some yard/garden spays, fertilizers, some tools etc. Well Birds had a nest in there (flew in through the vent holes) and the whole thing was covered in mites. I knew they had made the nest, but I left them alone. This was the 2nd nest since MAR.
My damn dogs run by it all the time, it's in the backyard. The chickens are also up there daily. Fricking nightmare.

So now we move on to treating the property with Garlic spray.

 

[happyhencamper]

DE is not effective once you are infested. I've used it for years as a preventative for many different animals, but not enough if the population explodes. Also the size of the DE matters, depending on the insect you are deterring - too big it won't cut them / too small it won't cut them.

I forgot to mention sulfur really helps in their dust baths and sprinkled around the coop.

Only a spinosad will kill eggs - Electrol PSP (contains A&D) or some use Monteray (contains A&D). I am having luck with both.
Smothering the eggs works miracles, the issue is treating 30 birds every other day with oil. It can be such a damn mess for them and me.
I still have some girls with eggs on feather shafts. I am going to mix some spinosad with Primo for this weekend's bird treatment. Spray the whole coop and enclosure again.
I am terrified they are going to build resistance to the dusts (Dust On & Viper).

Hopefully this gives you some ideas. You can win, just realize it's a long game and don't freak out. Hahaha, though I freak out weekly LOL! Especially when I know they have made it in the house.

I did find the source last night and it was something from a horror movie. A rubber maid cabinet up by our garage, against our siding (not good), which just contained some yard/garden spays, fertilizers, some tools etc. Well Birds had a nest in there (flew in through the vent holes) and the whole thing was covered in mites. I knew they had made the nest, but I left them alone. This was the 2nd nest since MAR.
My damn dogs run by it all the time, it's in the backyard. The chickens are also up there daily. Fricking nightmare.

So now we move on to treating the property with Garlic spray.

DE is not effective once you are infested. I've used it for years as a preventative for many different animals, but not enough if the population explodes. Also the size of the DE matters, depending on the insect you are deterring - too big it won't cut them / too small it won't cut them.

I forgot to mention sulfur really helps in their dust baths and sprinkled around the coop.

Only a spinosad will kill eggs - Electrol PSP (contains A&D) or some use Monteray (contains A&D). I am having luck with both.
Smothering the eggs works miracles, the issue is treating 30 birds every other day with oil. It can be such a damn mess for them and me.
I still have some girls with eggs on feather shafts. I am going to mix some spinosad with Primo for this weekend's bird treatment. Spray the whole coop and enclosure again.
I am terrified they are going to build resistance to the dusts (Dust On & Viper).

Hopefully this gives you some ideas. You can win, just realize it's a long game and don't freak out. Hahaha, though I freak out weekly LOL! Especially when I know they have made it in the house.

I did find the source last night and it was something from a horror movie. A rubber maid cabinet up by our garage, against our siding (not good), which just contained some yard/garden spays, fertilizers, some tools etc. Well Birds had a nest in there (flew in through the vent holes) and the whole thing was covered in mites. I knew they had made the nest, but I left them alone. This was the 2nd nest since MAR.
My damn dogs run by it all the time, it's in the backyard. The chickens are also up there daily. Fricking nightmare.

So now we move on to treating the property with Garlic spray.

I have the kind in the coop that attack at night. Turned on big light and flipped hay and saw them run. None on girls during day. Checked 4 yesterday. Looking for how to start by treating coop

 

[happyhencamper]

Not sure if able to be seen in pictures but on video you can see them move. I had something on me in bed last night even after shower I think it was a mite. I did not bring any of my clothes inside and showered immediately and wash my hair. I don’t dare tell my spouse it was a mite.

 

[happyhencamper]

They have NFM gray dusty bottom. On my white birds I can see on shaft of feathers. Going to buy what chicken chic said from her website. Not sure what prevents them from getting into the coop. I ran a paper towel under the bottom of each roost and didn’t get anything back. I also took a flashlight into the corners in the night and didn’t see anything so I assume it’s just an NFM which Chicken chick said to treat with a spray she sells on her website and spray bottle.
They have RRM. How do I treat the coop?
I am so over all of the problems with having backyard chickens. I am ready to give it up and try to find someone to take them. But obviously I can’t have someone take them when they have that might.

I checked all yesterday no mites at Shaft of feathers and none at the vent. However, I put a large light on in the coop and turned over the hay and saw immediate movement. So it is.

They have NFM gray dusty bottom. On my white birds I can see on shaft of feathers. Going to buy what chicken chic said from her website. Not sure what prevents them from getting into the coop. I ran a paper towel under the bottom of each roost and didn’t get anything back. I also took a flashlight into the corners in the night and didn’t see anything so I assume it’s just an NFM which Chicken chick said to treat with a spray she sells on her website and spray bottle.

I am so over all of the problems with having backyard chickens. I am ready to give it up and try to find someone to take them. But obviously I can’t have someone take them when they have that might.