Northern fowl or red roost mite (hopefully not both!)

[Chicken Esquire]

Hi all,

I know mites have been asked about many times before, and I've pored over those posts. But I still cannot figure out what type of mite I have!

I discovered mites on one chicken's butt the evening of 9/28. I went out yesterday 9/29 and totally emptied out the coop. Here is where I am on the type fo mite:

Here is where I am with what I've learned:
- active on chickens (and hopped on me) during the daytime --> NFM?
-a couple were bright red (but mostly black or translucent, and I've read that northern fowl mites can also turn red right after a meal)--> RED
-I was getting mites on me while working in the coop. NFM should be on the chicken's, not in the coop, right? --> RED
-mites were active in the daytime --> NFM
-ran a white tissue paper under the bottom of the roost bar, not much stain--> NFM
-Chickens might be reluctant to be on one part of the roost bar, but that could be me just guessing--> RED
-active this time of year in Michigan, not summer--> NFM

Treatment seems almost the same for them, but I'd prefer NFM if I have to choose the lesser of two evils lol.

 

[Eggcessive]

The treatment is the same. Permethrin spray or powder used at 7 day intervals at least 2-3 times on chickens. Remove all bedding from nests and coop and place far away. Treat coop, roosts, and nests and then place new bedding in coop. Roost mites only come out at night. If you find them on chickens during the night, that is most like what you are seeing. If they are on day and night, those are northern fowl mites.

 

[Chicken Esquire]

Thank you! They were in the coop and on chickens in the daytime, so that's good to know that the daytime thing is fairly indicative of NFM. I removed all bedding yesterday burned it, and washed the whole coop (very sore today lol!). I have Poultry dust and pen and Poultry permethrin spray coming later today, and then elector psp arriving Saturday. The elector psp seems to have the best record, but I read i can apply it even after a permethrin treatment. Would using all 3 be okay, or could that lead to the mites developing a resistance?