New To Keeping Chickens...Think They Have Mites

[Canadeggs]

Hi All,

We're new to keeping chickens, as of a week ago. I had read quite a bit of information on this site to get us started so thanks for the shared knowledge!

At the moment I think the girls (red sex-link) have mites. Over the past 3 days I've noticed them pecking themselves as though they're itchy and their feathers have gotten progressively worse daily...ruffled and white patches showing through. If you think we have a wrong diagnosis, please let me know. Otherwise we'll start treating them with DE tomorrow, cleaning the coop (DE in there too), start ACV in their water, etc. Unfortunately we can't get a permethrin product here in Canada. If we are correct, we'd like to try to eliminate what may have caused this, so have listed a bunch of points below in the hopes of some help from you seasoned veterans...

-They looked great when we picked them up and for a couple days afterward. They're eating and drinking just fine but we're only getting one egg a day in total.

-Bought a brand new chicken tractor online. Coop is big enough for three birds but the run is small so I built a 15 sq ft extension that I can easily move around the yard to attach to the tractor daily. Came with a cheap plastic waterer and feeder that we're using.

-Bought a layer feed and a bale of straw from the local feed store.

-I roll the tractor into our shed at night just to ensure they're safe from predators at night but leave the extension out in the backyard.

-I keep the feed in its bag in our garage and bring the feeder into the garage (still with food in it) every night.

-We live on just over an acre in the country backing onto a small river.

-They don't have a dust bath area since we move the tractor and extension every day, so I have bought a cheap base of a cat litter box and will fill it with DE and sand tomorrow in the hopes they will bath in there from time to time.

That's pretty much all the facts, any idea where the mites could have come from? Perhaps the straw? Any other suggestions welcome and appreciated.

Thanks,

Russell

 

[rosemarythyme]

Might be tough because they're new, but you really need to pick them up and do a thorough exam first to see what exactly you're dealing with. Best places to check: part the feathers near the vent area and look for any sign of activity. Some good photos on here so you can see exactly what to look for: https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/ When spot checking I'll start at the vent and then check at random intervals about 1" from there. Check multiple birds.

Also check roosts at night by wiping a paper towel under the roost bar. Red smears or black dots are a sign of mites on the roost.

The mites could've already been on the birds (and now multiplied) or possibly in the straw if something else, like wild birds, carried them into the bedding.

 

[Canadeggs]

Thanks Rosemary. I'll start with that. Time to learn how to handle them!

 

[aart]

How old are these birds?
Chances are they came with mites/lice......if you do find some.
Forget the DE.....man, there was someone up there who found permethrin, can't remember who tho! Maybe @Ted Brown ?


My Bug Check notes:
Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.


Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[Ted Brown]

...
Forget the DE.....man, there was someone up there who found permethrin, can't remember who tho! Maybe @Ted Brown ?

@aart yes me, I got it at Tractor Supply Ogdensberg NY just before they closed border. Like $!2-15 for big bottle.

 

[aart]

@aart yes me, I got it at Tractor Supply Ogdensberg NY just before they closed border. Like $!2-15 for big bottle.

Oh, you did get some...but from across the border.

 

[Canadeggs]

Thanks for the info. I'll check it out!