Need Help!!!! Mites infestation!

[Bryam]

Hello!

I had decided to give 2 of my white silkies a bath. I discovered in their crests lots of bugs moving around! They are red and plentiful! So I was disgusted! I washed both birds with flea and tick shampoo, as that is all that I had. While I was inspecting them I saw scabs on their heads, soIi am assuming they are infested with MITES!!!! Although I could see them with my baked eye. I freaked out! I decided to go to my vet and I bought Revolution for dogs. The vet told me not to bother washing the 3 other chickens, just to apply 3 drops of Revolution on their skin. So I did. Have I done enough to kill them off? Is dealing with mites going to be an on going thing? How long will it fake for the mites to die from the Revolution?? Should I bath all the birds?? And wash down the cage?

I don't think I want to keep my chickens if they are going to be a harbour for filth and diseases! I am really freaking out!! Advice is needed desperately!

Thank You!

 

[happyhens1972]

The Revolution will likely kill any species of mites on the birds in one go so no need to bath your other birds, just treat them all with the Revolution HOWEVER if the mites were small and red....i.e Redmite....then these do not actually live on the bird, they live in all the tiny cracks and crevices in the house so need to be eradicated from there. There are a whole variety of products available to do this with....Poultry Shield, Mitekill, ant powder, fumigators, diatomaceous earth (DE).

You'll need to throw away all the bedding, clean and scrub the house thoroughly, allow it to dry and then treat it. Usually a combination will work better.....treat with a chemical first, something like Mitekill, then 'back it up' with a permanent presence of DE dusted into the nooks and crannies. You may need to initially treat several times to get the problem under control but then, as long as you stay on top of it, there is no need to worry about your birds harbouring 'filth and disease'. Just remember that most wild animals have a natural burden of parasites and in fact, so do humans. You are not harbouring filth and disease, despite your bed crawling with bed/dust mites....and it is, I assure you

Your girls are not filthy hon and mites are not a disease, merely an inconvenience, one you can put paid to with a little effort

 

[Bryam]

I am not a 100 percent sure they are mites, maybe they are lice! Lol, in any case with the Revolution kill them? How often should I retreat?

Thanks

 

[dawg53]

Here's a link to chicken external parasites w/ pics to help you identify what you're dealing with:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig140

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Even if they are red mites, or roost mites as we call them, I would still think the revolution would kill them when they come out to feed on the birds at night.
That being said, I would still treat my coop as well. After you've eradicated the problem, an occasional dusting of DE works well as a pest preventative (as in, I wouldn't use it to treat an infestation, for that I'd use Sevin/poultry dust). Also, providing them with a dust box (filled with wood ash, sand, whatever) to dust themselves with will go a long way in keeping the creepy crawlies off of them.
About the only time I get mites is when everyone goes broody and I DON'T keep up with my preventatives. I've had broodies covered in mites, while birds in the same coop were clean (but those birds were taking their dust bathes everyday).
Your chickens aren't vectors for disease. They can get mites, fleas, worms, ect just like dogs and cats can. Its not the end of the world, just icky. Good luck

 

[appps]

I'd hardly say they are harboring filth and disease because a chicken has mites any more than I would say it about a dog with fleas. Even humans get lice its not a reason to freak out. You just treat it like you would on a kid or a cat or a dog.

Ours got them and within a couple days of giving the drops they were gone enough we could no longer see them.

You should also clean out the coop and spray with something like fido pet spray.

 

[happyhens1972]

I am not a 100 percent sure they are mites, maybe they are lice! Lol, in any case with the Revolution kill them? How often should I retreat?

Thanks

If they are very small and bright red, they are generally red mite, if they are a light brown colour they are generally lice. Red mite live in the house and feed off the birds at night. Lice live on the bird and feed from dead skin and feathers. The lice lay clusters of white eggs at the base of the feathers and these are pretty obvious, especially around the vent area so you should be able to distinguish between mites and lice by this alone.

The Northern Fowl Mite is small and red, like the red mite, but it will live on the bird itself. If this is the case, you will usually see blackended/darkened feathers and skin caused by dried blood.

All of these should be killled by the Revolution and re-treatment should not be done too often or they will become resisitant. I treat my birds two to three times per year with an Ivermectin based spot-on product.

My hen house is permanently sprinkled with DE and then I use Mitekill if I see signs of infestation in the house.

 

[SillyChicky]

My birds had lice years ago, I have long thick hair and made the mistake of holding one of them during (god, I'm so itchy right now) LOL.

 

[bucky52]

I just called the local vet.And ask if they sold revoluation.and they do.I was told it was to treat heartworm.and they would do some research on it.he was not sure it would be good to use on chickens for mites.I was very happy to read about this stuff.I have a hen that has a bald but.she lost her but feathers last fall.and she has not grown them back.she is the only one in the flock that has a bare behind.I dust them and they have excess to area in their run to dust bath.She loves dirt.when I let them out to free range.she heads for the soft dirt.While the rest is looking for bugs and eating grass,she's rolling in the dirt.This weekend I swept out their coop.sprayed it down with mite spray.than painted it.Even painted the roost board.I don't know if she has mites.I just don't know why she has lost all her But feathers.If the vet won't let me purchase it.I will somehow find it else where.

 

[bucky52]

The Revolution will likely kill any species of mites on the birds in one go so no need to bath your other birds, just treat them all with the Revolution HOWEVER if the mites were small and red....i.e Redmite....then these do not actually live on the bird, they live in all the tiny cracks and crevices in the house so need to be eradicated from there. There are a whole variety of products available to do this with....Poultry Shield, Mitekill, ant powder, fumigators, diatomaceous earth (DE).

You'll need to throw away all the bedding, clean and scrub the house thoroughly, allow it to dry and then treat it. Usually a combination will work better.....treat with a chemical first, something like Mitekill, then 'back it up' with a permanent presence of DE dusted into the nooks and crannies. You may need to initially treat several times to get the problem under control but then, as long as you stay on top of it, there is no need to worry about your birds harbouring 'filth and disease'. Just remember that most wild animals have a natural burden of parasites and in fact, so do humans. You are not harbouring filth and disease, despite your bed crawling with bed/dust mites....and it is, I assure you

Your girls are not filthy hon and mites are not a disease, merely an inconvenience, one you can put paid to with a little effort

I'am wondering about egg withdrawel If I choose to use this.