Please help!! Red mite infestation

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

It sounds like you got rid of the mites
Yep what Wyorp Rock said, they'll have to get use to their new coop again and you might need to place them on the roost each night till they get the idea. I only have Silkies and mine all roost (unless their broody!)
You could try putting fake eggs in the nest boxes to encourage them to lay in that area.
..And well done for getting rid if your mite problem, hopefully your Silkies will thank you for it by offering cuddles and plenty of fresh eggs

 

[HollyWoozle]

Good lucky, @Nikki71! It is war but you will get there. In my experience you will need to treat the chickens a few times, maybe a week or so apart, in order to break the egg cycle of any mites and kill them off for good. Permethrin (which I believe is the active ingredient in the product you're using) is the only thing that has worked for me so do keep at it!

 

[Nikki71]

I cannot tell you how grateful I am to you, for taking the time to help me.
I had a careful look at her (Salt) in the daylight (under wings and around vent) and saw no mites. I saw lots of feather spikes .
Yes, it is Spring here so I don’t think it’s molting. The other three girls seem fine. I put a piece of white fabric in their sleeping area and there are no mites on it.
I dusted them all today with Pestene, just in case. I will ditch the DE. It’s expensive and messy and I’d hate to cause new problems for them.
I feed them layer crumble, corn, cracked pea, vegetables, a little cooked mince, sunflower seeds, yoghurt. Today I made them grated carrot and apple, mixed with vegetable oil and wheat bran. They quite like cottage cheese too. They all seem to be eating and drinking and to be quite lively.
I’m actually a bit sad that Salt now hates being picked up or touched. She used to be so friendly and calm. Now, even when I pick her up very gently, she squawks like i am trying to murder her

 

[Nikki71]

I bought some grit but I haven’t given it to them yet. I’m not sure what to do with it. Do I mix it in with the crumble? Or just put it in a bowl by itself?
Re dirt baths, there is a patch of soil in my yard that they love to burrow into and ‘bathe’. I was horrified when they first did it!
I washed out the coop again today, and cut off any tree branches touching the roof. I will wait a few days for any eggs to hatch and then do another Coopex spray. I don’t see any mites in there now, even when I check at night with a torch. But I cannot bring myself to even consider moving the chooks back until I am sure they’re totally gone. I wish I could get some plastic nesting boxes- I am not sure I will ever trust wood again.
I have found it so useful to use the ‘white cloth’ test. The first few nights, it was crawling with mites. Last night, there were none. I am determined to win this battle .

 

[Nikki71]

Update: after three weeks and hundreds of dollars worth of product, I finally got rid of the mites. I have put my four silkies back in their coop.
But here’s the thing. They are still reluctant to go in at night and even when they do go in, they sleep on the floor and avoid the nesting boxes. I have put a white rag in the coop and checked it in the morning- no mites. I have stood in the coop at night with a torch, inspecting every surface. Nothing whatsoever.
They were in the alternate coop for three weeks. Is it possible they still have negative associations? Or could the mites still be there and I can’t see them. I looked carefully, it seems unlikely. I saw them well enough the first time

 

[Nikki71]

Thank you so much for your reply .

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I have been wondering why my four silkie bantams are losing weight, not laying and suddenly refusing to go into the coop at night. Tonight I saw an infestation of red mites on the nesting boxes and perches. I am a chicken newbie and I don’t know what to do.
For tonight I have moved my girls into the outside run into a big plastic travel box with a towel to sleep on. But what now? How do I get the mites out of the coop? How do I de-mite my silkies??They are adored pets and I’m distraught. Please tell me what I need to do? What’s the best product? Any advice very gratefully received.

Oh the poor girls! I have Silkies too and in the past some of mine have had dry leg /mite problems. I didn't know what it was untill I looked it up so I now regularly check my chickens legs and at first sign of any dryness I smother their legs in oil and repeat in a day or 2 then again in a week. That seems to get rid of it.
I had 1 hen that I bought off someone and she had the dry legs sooo bad! For her case I used Ivermectin -a tiny drop on the back of their neck. You can't eat the eggs for 2 weeks after dosing I think but it worked great for her.
Also, do your Silkies have access to clean dirt to dust bath? I made a big covered (stays dry) area for dust bathing -a sandbox filled with dirt, sand, DE and some wood ash. The dust bathing helps keep the mites at bay I think.
You should be able to get special sprays for mites at the pet store, ones you can use to spray the coop and chickens.
Maybe a good clean out with vinegar on roosts and whatever bedding you use, get rid of it completely, burn it if you can with those buggers in it!
Then spray the coop with what you can get at the pet store - Oristopet is the one called here in Australia if you are from here?
I'm sure there are lots of people on here more experienced with problem that can chime in for brilliant ideas!!
Good luck with it all! To start with just get some oil on those poor girls feet tonight if you can - just any oil you have in the house like olive oil will do. Vasaline maybe or something to start smothering those buggers on those girls!

 

[Nikki71]

 

[Nikki71]

I’m assuming I should keep the chickens in the ‘alternative coop’ (day run with creative use of tarpaulins and plastic vet travel box) until I am sure both chickens AND coop are clear?

 

[Nikki71]

Hi guys,
So I’ve treated the coop with Coopex and treated my silkies with Avian spray and diatomaceous earth. I think the coop will be ready for them to go back in a few days when I am certain there are no more mites. But I have two questions. The silkies have not laid any eggs at all for weeks- I’m assuming that is due to the stress of the mites and the move out of the coop to a makeshift ‘hotel’ on the back porch. Should I be worried? They are much more lively and are eating well now, though they are not as happy to be handled as they once were . Also, when it’s time for them to go back to the coop, will they remember the mites and be anxious? Or will they start going back in at night? Any thoughts?