Permethrine Resistant Pests

TheBeardedNerd

Songster
6 Years
Jan 20, 2015
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I've been looking into the use of Permethrine and have seen that pests can become resistant to Permethrine if used over a long period of time. What should you do to alternate treatments to prevent pests from becoming resistant to Permethrine? I've dusted my coop with DE before in the past and it didn't appear to help with pests at all, and caused some of the birds to develop respiratory issues and dry skin.
 
I've been looking into the use of Permethrine and have seen that pests can become resistant to Permethrine if used over a long period of time. What should you do to alternate treatments to prevent pests from becoming resistant to Permethrine? I've dusted my coop with DE before in the past and it didn't appear to help with pests at all, and caused some of the birds to develop respiratory issues and dry skin.

They will become resistant Any treatment that's why it's good to have like three or four different types and then just do a rotation.

What kind of problems you having?

De normally works for really really tiny stuff like spider mites. Not going to work on bigger stuff cuz the powder is just too fin!

Have you looked into beneficials? Didn't particularly work for me but I know people use it!
 
I've got some issues with scaly leg mites and possibly red chicken mites. It's been a very wet summer so far and fleas are also on the rise.

I haven't yet tried beneficial nematodes but that will definitely be my next step.
 
I've got some issues with scaly leg mites and possibly red chicken mites. It's been a very wet summer so far and fleas are also on the rise.

I haven't yet tried beneficial nematodes but that will definitely be my next step.

You got a picture of them on your chickens feet? I honestly don't think the beneficials would work in this scenario
 
I've got some issues with scaly leg mites and possibly red chicken mites. It's been a very wet summer so far and fleas are also on the rise.

I haven't yet tried beneficial nematodes but that will definitely be my next step.
To prevent resistance one thing I do is NOT treat when it isn't needed or as some people like call it "preventative". I treat only as needed and it kills them dead every time (so far). You also need to make sure to treat again if it is recommended and WITHIN the correct time frame so that the life cycle is completely interrupted. Otherwise this is resistance in the making. :old

Scaly leg mite CANNOT be treated with permethrin. You can treat it by applying Crisco, vaseline, castor oil or other thick substance that will stick to the shank and suffocate them. Or they can be treated with Ivermectin. SLM are a systemic feeder and may never come to the surface to be treated by any dust/spray. Also they are microscopic so while you may see evidence of they were there you NEVER will see them with you naked eye. Ivermectin would not be my first choice for SLM but it is also effective against many worm species, other mites and lice.. so if ya got more than one issue might be worth hitting it once. It is not labeled for use in chickens and I believe would require some egg withdrawal time. But dosing information IS available.

Red mites must be treated in the environment since they live in cracks of wood and come out to feed on the chickens. (Though treating your chickens may be one of the ways to help accomplish that) I have seen them in my yard too... though my roosts are clear of the pest and eggs, my birds hang out under trees and shrubs all day! I haven't yet decided what to do in this regards. :barnie

Glad to see someone REALLY looking at not creating resistance. We need tools that work when needed. :highfive:

ETA: I prefer spray over powder.
 
possibly red chicken mites
Possibly?
How have you been using the permethrin?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!
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Scaly leg mite CANNOT be treated with permethrin.
Mixing some of the powder into the oil/petroleum jelly can help.
 
I've used ivermectin in the past, but not for several years. It's not approved for poultry in the USA, and I do try to 'do the right thing'.
Permethrin spray is working very well here for mites and lice, and would work for fleas too. I've never had to treat for leg mites, thankfully. With forty or more chickens, Ivermectin would look really good then.
Spinosad is another, very expensive, approved alternative drug for mites and lice. I'll consider it when and if permethrin fails here.
I only treat for parasites that are actually present!
Mary
 
Yes, I am treating because the mites are actively present and I wanted to make sure that going forward I'm not building up resistances in these pests that will make it harder to deal with in the future.

Sounds like the next step is to try and suffocate these SLM's. If I don't get good results with Petroleum jelly I will try some ivermectin paste.


Possibly?
How have you been using the permethrin?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!
View attachment 1433309



Mixing some of the powder into the oil/petroleum jelly can help.

I am located in the Western North Carolina Appalachian's. I've only sprayed my coop down one time with permethrine in the past 5 years. This is the first year I've had issues like this with mites. Today I gave all of the birds a dip in the permethrine (I have about 30 chickens.) I'm going to be spraying the coop with it as well.
 
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One reason that pest become resistant is because the people treating for these pest use an insufficient amount to kill the pest in question. However if you alternate Permethrin with something like Sevin then the likelihood of mites developing immunity is greatly reduced. Humans have been using Pyrethrin (the less effective and so called Organic version of Pyrethrin) for maybe a 1,000 years and so far the bugs have not developed immunity to either Pyrethrin or Permethrin.
 

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