Organic treatment for tiny black mites or bed bugs?

[cmom]

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[nancypo]

I've used food grade DE for over a year, works great! I sprinkle some in the coop bedding and mix it in (doing the deep litter method) when I deep clean. If I see any bugs at all in between, I dust right away, but only the bedding. My girls (who I checked regularly) have never had mites...

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Borax washing soda, its sharp and pops the little buggers.
totally natural non toxic etc.

I think you're confusing it with DE:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borax

Toxicity

Borax, sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is not acutely toxic.[14] Its LD50 (median lethal dose) score is tested at 2.66 g/kg in rats:[15] a significant dose of the chemical is needed to cause severe symptoms or death. The lethal dose is not necessarily the same for humans.

Simple exposure can cause respiratory and skin irritation; ingestion may cause gastrointestinal distress including nausea, persistent vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Effects on the vascular system and brain include headaches and lethargy, but are less frequent. "In severe poisonings, a beefy red skin rash affecting palms, soles, buttocks and scrotum has been described. With severe poisoning, erythematous and exfoliative rash, unconsciousness, respiratory depression, and renal failure." [16]

A reassessment of boric acid/borax by the United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs found potential developmental toxicity (especially effects on the testes).

[17] Boric acid solutions used as an eye wash or on abraded skin are known to be particularly toxic to infants, especially after repeated use, because of the slow elimination rate.[18]

At a recent European Diagnostics Manufacturing Association (EDMA) meeting, several new additions to the Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) candidate list in relation to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals Regulations 2007 (REACH) were discussed. The registration and review completed as part of REACH has changed the classification of Sodium Tetraborate CAS 1303-96-4 to toxic for reproduction​

 

[gjensen]

Mam, it sounds like mites, but I cannot see them. There are over a hundred different kinds. Often the offenders are the juvenile form and are noticable with the naked eye. It helps to have a positive i.d. to address the problem. I get a little nervous when I read the shotgun approach suggestions. I am also concerned that we are quick to treat our birds with the newest avaliable products without a good solid approach to dealing with the properly identified offender. Also if you suspect them in your house call a proffesional.
I am not saying that any advice that you have recieved is good or not. I just want to express a need for caution and thoughtfulness when dealing with these kind of problems. With you being pregnant please get your husband to handle any chemical. Also I hope that everyone is mindful of the fact that mites have a uniquely flexable DNA and are famous for becoming immune to particular chemicals. Also with their super reproductive life cycle it is worth considering that we could end up breeding a resistant strain on our property. If we treat for a particular offender we should do our best to erradicate them.
I also have not read anything about using heat to assist treating housing. I use a roofer's torch to treat the walls and floors of my houses. I then plastic off the openings and heat the houses. In the summer it is easy to get the temeratures up high enough to kill EVERYTHING in the house meaning mites, lice, bacteria, viruses etc. This can present it's own dangers if not done thoughtfully but is a non chemical method. The soil in the house is the most difficult to treat with chemicals or heat. For example chlorine becomes in active when applied to organic material. It is best to remove the top few inches before the house is treated. I use Sevin after heat treatment and a bleach clean out.
If we are going to deal with mites or similar we should make a good attempt to erradicate them from the birds, housing, and area around the housing (carefully). Then a product like ivermectin could be used as an aid.
I am not claiming that this is qualified advice to anyone, just an encouragement to be thoughtful, cautious, and thorough.

 

[LauraN]

Almost 2 years later and we're still BUG FREE!

We're still putting food grade DE in the coops (have 2 now) and a tiny bit of cedar shavings. They still get garlic in their water. I still have a couple of light scars where those bugs bit me on my upper thighs!

I'd do it without chemicals again. I'm thankful for my husbands help cleaning out the coop. I couldn't do it. Biting insects LOOOOOOOOOOOVED me while pregnant.
Laura
obsessively organic mom of 7

 

[goldfinches]

I'm glad you got rid of them. And, I hope I never get them in my coop, whatever they are!

I don't think what was biting you was bedbugs. They aren't nearly as easy to get rid of as sprinkling your mattress with DE and vacuuming. They usually require a big initial treatment and then monthly treatments. Be glad that's not what they were.

 

[Jackie B.]

Try this stuff. It is simply wonderful. All organic, no lingering smell. Great for livestock and humans: www.naturalginesis.com. I spray everything with it to get rid and keep bugs away!

 

[tiffanyg2]

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Awesome!

 

[mshuey1]

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I do believe that it was a black mite that u wore talking about. One of my roos I bought had these in mass poor guy. They would get all over me and bite it was bad, don't get a lot of help and I wish I couldve done it yur way but I used Adams flea & tick shampoo and spray.
Now my silkies have lice and red mites. I ran for Adams flea med again.

 

[LauraN]

Aaaaaah! They're back 3 years later and this time hubby's done with chickens. Any easy way to deal with these? My organic way was not easy. I might even be willing to use something less safe and natural. I just want them gone and I just can't lose sleep because of these bites again. We have a rooster who is slightly aggressive now so I can't see washing him or treating him with anything. I was just about to sell him but who wants a mite infested rooster. I also have one mean hen I was about to sell. Hubby says I can keep one hen, our favorite. We're really not spending much time with them anymore because of the mean rooster, which is why I was selling him. I googled "chickens chiggers" because that's what they feel like. One site says they get them. Last time we had to treat them twice (saw a few a month after first treatment??). I don't even want to go near the tractor, much less pick up a chicken and treat her and the tractor TWICE. We only have 7 hens now and one rooster. I'm not sure what I'm asking. I don't know what to do. My poor hens. I hope they aren't itching as badly as I was a few days ago (took a while to figure out they really weren't mosquito bites). Well, it's late. Anyone have answers? Want some mite-infested chickens?

Laura