Need help getting rid of mites!!!

[trumpeting_angel]

The trouble is that there is a lot of folklore about some of these natural methods, but modern research has revealed that some of them are useless or harmful. DE is dangerous to the respiratory systems of chickens and humans. Research doesn’t support its use for killing these bugs.

Nonetheless, these methods are promoted in blogs, articles, books, and on forums, and we who long to keep our distance from chemicals when possible, hope desperately that natural methods will do the trick.

 

[cmom]

The trouble is that there is a lot of folklore about some of these natural methods, but modern research has revealed that some of them are useless or harmful. DE is dangerous to the respiratory systems of chickens and humans. Research doesn’t support its use for killing these bugs.

Nonetheless, these methods are promoted in blogs, articles, books, and on forums, and we who long to keep our distance from chemicals when possible, hope desperately that natural methods will do the trick.

This is true. I had heard from various places that DE was something wonderful, but when I had my mite infestation the birds got worse instead of better so I did some research and couldn't find one scientific study to support it. I was desperate so I decided to try the permethrins. It did take awhile but slowly they improved. I like that there is no egg withdrawal as there is with other products. I even used flea shampoo on them and it did help but they still had mites. Then I tried the people head lice shampoo (Nix) on the birds. It has permethrin in it. They seemed to enjoy their baths. Lesson learned...

 

[Mama fluff]

The trouble is that there is a lot of folklore about some of these natural methods, but modern research has revealed that some of them are useless or harmful. DE is dangerous to the respiratory systems of chickens and humans. Research doesn’t support its use for killing these bugs.

Nonetheless, these methods are promoted in blogs, articles, books, and on forums, and we who long to keep our distance from chemicals when possible, hope desperately that natural methods will do the trick.

How do you treat for mites? Or anyone? The poultry dust I’m using contains permethrin but is not working I still see them crawling! Someone mentioned Adams spray and tick spray? I need to get rid of these mites can someone tell me something that works please ? Is ivermectin for mites or worms?

 

[Mama fluff]

Look what these mites did to me ! This is a week later ! From holding a sick bird while feeding her !

 

[cmom]

As I have already posted the best product to get rid of them in my opinion is permethrin which is very cost effective. I had a severe infestation last year and the birds were loosing a lot of feathers which I thought was due to molting but upon closer inspection discovered the mites. I treated the coop weekly for awhile with permethrin because it does not kill the mite eggs. Permethrin works and there is no egg withdrawal. Initially I sprayed the birds too. If you have a TSC you can get the dust, premixed spray and the concentrate. I also use the dust on the birds and in their nest boxes and spray inside of the coops, every crack and crevice, on and under the roosts, ceiling, walls, floors, anywhere the mites can hide. I buy the concentrate but I have a lot of coops so I mix it in a gallon sprayer and the wand helps me to reach the hard to reach areas. For smaller places the premixed spray is good. Since it appears you have a severe infestation I would use the spray and mix it a little on the heavy side. That is what I did. I mixed a couple of ounces to a gallon in a gallon sprayer. Weekly spraying is a must. It took awhile for the birds feathers to come back in, but they are beautiful again. If do use the dust or spray, wear special clothing including a mask and gloves. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

If you want to bathe your birds, every over-the-counter (OTC) treatment for head lice contains either pyrethrins (Rid or Triple X) or permethrin (Nix). They are effective treatment. Both only kill live pests, not eggs.

 

[Folly's place]

Permethrin spray is my treatment of choice too! It needs to be done to everyone, and the coop, all the same day, and be repeated at least once at ten days, or three applications one week apart. And, if your birds go outside, or the wild birds come in, there will be reinfestations!!!
Happily, I'm not so allergic to mites myself, or to my chickens. Do wear protective clothing, especially if you are allergic!
Spinosad is the other approved and effective treatment in the USA, but it's very $$$$ and has to be ordered online. I won't get it until there's a time when the permethrin fails here.
ites are very frustrating to deal with, because either the treatment isn't done completely, or because of those rotten wild birds!!!
Mary

 

[cmom]

I myself did weekly treatments. It does not kill the mites eggs so if the treatments are not repeated the infestation will continue. I did repeat my treatments weekly for several weeks but at the time I had also moved birds around after some initial treatments and mites showed up in another coop. I'm not sure if some were on the birds I moved or were introduced by wild birds but I continued for several more weekly spraying's until I didn't see any more mites. I also put some dust in the nests boxes. I wish I had taken some before pictures of the birds but didn't but they were in bad shape. Their loosing feathers which I thought was from molting then I started noticing their combs were looking pale and their feathers weren't growing back in like they should have, so then I investigated further. I have usually around 200/300 birds. The mites weren't in all of the coops but I treated all of the coops as a precaution. In total the mites did show up in 3 coops and I'm pretty sure they were introduced by the wild birds as the coops weren't right next to each other where I discovered the mites.

 

[Mama fluff]

Thank you to All!! I will continue to use the permethrin then ! Keep spraying coops and dusting birds!! I just couldn’t tell if it was working I was still seeing mites after a couple days of dusting I didn’t realize it took awhile I guess I expected the poultry dust to kill them right away! Anyway I have 40 birds but only 4 or 5 of them are bad ! I can’t see anything on the others but I treated everyone ! The ones that were bad had actual little nests all over their crests so it was easy to see ! I think I might bathe the bad ones in dawn and blow dry and dust again as I was advised on another site! Thank you for All your help! I do appreciate it this is very frustrating and I live in the woods so wild birds are always gonna be a issue

 

[Eggcessive]

Be sure to read the label directions of each product for mixing the permethrin 10 concentrate. This one lists 2 different concentrations to treat mites on the chicken ( 1.5 ounces or 45 ml per gallon) and another less concentrated for the premises/roosts, nests (0.73 ounces or 24 ml per gallon of water) :
https://www.domyown.com/msds/Permethrin 10 Label.pdf

Please check my math. Each chicken should have 15 mlof spray, and repeat every 7 days until mites and eggs are gone. For coops, nests, and roosts, apply every 2 weeks. Bedding should also be removed from coops and nests.