Possible Mite Infestation?

[xoxodanamarie]

Hi all. I've been using backyardchickens.com forum for answers to my questions with my flock over the last couple of years but I haven't officially joined or posted until today. I've been keeping chickens, Easter Eggers to be specific, for about 2 years now and after some bumps in the road, I have 4 girls, 3 of which are under 3 years of age. We have overcome coccidiosis, molting, bacterial infection and have dewormed the entire flock. Everyone seemed to be happy and healthy until last July, we had a sparrows nest on our house that led to mites in our home. We had an exterminator come (twice) and the problem seemed to be eliminated but gradually over the last few months I've noticed the girls constantly preening. They also molted during this time and there was some diarrhea but seemed otherwise healthy and I attributed the behaviour to the molt and did a coccidiosis treatment just in case. Over the last several weeks however, there has been a lot of feather pulling, loose stool with orange pieces in it, a complete stoppage of egg laying and my girl who was always the healthiest seems to be ostracized from the flock when they're on the roost and her tail is completely gone. In conjunction with this, we've started itching inside our home again. I'm not sure what to do and we're all very uncomfortable!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi all. I've been using backyardchickens.com forum for lots of help with my flock over the last couple of years but I haven't officially joined or posted until today. I've been keeping chickens, Easter Eggers to be specific, for about 2 years now and after some bumps in the road, I have 4 girls, 3 of which are under 3 years of age. We have overcome coccidiosis, molting, bacterial infection and have dewormed the entire flock. Everyone seemed to be happy and healthy until last July, we had a sparrows nest on our house that led to mites in our home. We had an exterminator come (twice) and the problem seemed to be eliminated but gradually over the last few months I've noticed the girls constantly preening. They also molted during this time and there was some diarrhea but seemed otherwise healthy and I attributed the behaviour to the molt and did a coccidiosis treatment just in case. Over the last several weeks however, there has been a lot of feather pulling, loose stool with orange pieces in it, a complete stoppage of egg laying and my girl who was always the healthiest seems to be ostracized from the flock when they're on the roost and her tail is completely gone. In conjunction with this, we've started itching inside our home again. I'm not sure what to do and we're all very uncomfortable!

Welcome To BYC!
Can you post some photos of the poop and your hens

If you think part of the problem is mites or lice - treat the hens and housing with a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust. Repeat treatment in 7-10 days a couple of times to help kill any that hatch.

The feather pulling - are they pulling each other's feathers or their own? Have all molted or could some of the feather loss be attributed to molting?
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[rebrascora]

Cessation of egg production is totally normal with older laying hens experiencing moult. It can be normal to have some loose droppings during moult and for them to do it in phases rather than it happen all at once. I have some that have moulted in two quite distinct stages over a period of months..... they just looked like they were over it and then more feathers started dropping. They will preen more when their pin feathers are getting ready to unfurl, so what you are seeing may be totally normal moulting behaviour.... normal having some pretty wide parameters. They could also have mites. I prefer to make sure my animals need chemicals rather throwing stuff at them "just in case" especially with permethrin as it is an insecticide and I'm a bee keeper and very much aware that we are wreaking havoc with our flora and fauna by applying chemicals too liberally, but everyone has to make their own decisions on these things.
Poop can change colour depending on diet. Do your birds free range? There are usually lots of berries at this time of year that can make bonny coloured poop. If not, have you been feeding them anything different?

 

[xoxodanamarie]

 

[xoxodanamarie]

I've been treating the coop with DE and just this morning went out while they were sleeping and sprayed them with some mite spray. I also spray a garlic and peppermint oil mixture around the coop to try to deter pests. They are mostly in the coop, which is a good size for 4 birds, as we have a lot of predators but we do let them free range when we're home. They have a dirt run and I clean their bedding and rake the dirt every week to week and a half. I'm starting to suspect mites because even though I've never seen evidence on the hens (they also really don't like to be handled so they're tough to get very close to) we're starting to itch again and even though the coop is a good distance from the house, they do like to hang out on our front doormat when they're free ranging. Their diet hasn't changed, I feed them layer crumbles with mixed seed/berries/worms for treats.

 

[xoxodanamarie]

Welcome To BYC!
Can you post some photos of the poop and your hens

If you think part of the problem is mites or lice - treat the hens and housing with a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust. Repeat treatment in 7-10 days a couple of times to help kill any that hatch.

The feather pulling - are they pulling each other's feathers or their own? Have all molted or could some of the feather loss be attributed to molting?
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

I have seen one of my girls pulling at the other's tails but nothing too aggressive. My feeling is mites adding difficulty to a molt but I want to treat appropriately and if there's something else I should be looking for I don't want to overlook something serious.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've been treating the coop with DE and just this morning went out while they were sleeping and sprayed them with some mite spray. I also spray a garlic and peppermint oil mixture around the coop to try to deter pests. They are mostly in the coop, which is a good size for 4 birds, as we have a lot of predators but we do let them free range when we're home. They have a dirt run and I clean their bedding and rake the dirt every week to week and a half. I'm starting to suspect mites because even though I've never seen evidence on the hens (they also really don't like to be handled so they're tough to get very close to) we're starting to itch again and even though the coop is a good distance from the house, they do like to hang out on our front doormat when they're free ranging. Their diet hasn't changed, I feed them layer crumbles with mixed seed/berries/worms for treats.

I have seen one of my girls pulling at the other's tails but nothing too aggressive. My feeling is mites adding difficulty to a molt but I want to treat appropriately and if there's something else I should be looking for I don't want to overlook something serious.

What did you de-worm them with? (dosage too)

If there is a mite infestation, then DE, garlic, peppermint oil, etc. will not take care of them. You will need to use a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust to treat the coop and birds.

Poultry Mites may get on you and possibly bite, but they are species specific. Generally they will only live in the housing that your birds live in. Look through your hen's feathers around the vent, under the wings, etc. for any critters. Go out at night and inspect them too, this is when you will likely see mites since most varieties do not live on the chicken, they just come out for a meal. Good photos in this article
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

If the poops all look like the one you posted, it would be a good idea to have a fecal float.
What do you normally feed, including treats?
Molting birds can benefit from extra protein - either provide meat, egg, tuna or change to a higher protein feed like Flock Raiser or Chick Starter, provide oyster shell free choice.

You mention they live mostly in the coop but have access to a run - how large is the coop and run (sq ft of each)?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Since you may need to spray around your house too(?) It may be more economical to purchase Permethrin concentrate then mix according to the label. Get a sprayer too.

There's also pre-mixed sprays you can use

And dust too

 

[dawg53]

You're going to have to go out in the coop at night with a flashlight and very closely inspect roosts for crawling mites. They look like red or black pepper, very tiny and are slow moving, they have 8 legs. While you're at it, snatch one of your birds off the roost and closely inspect her as well. Take your time doing it and pay particular attention to the vent area where it's warm and moist. If you see mites, you're going to have to dust them with either Sevin dust or Permethrin dust. It will be too cold to spray them with liquids. Then you'll have to remove all bedding from inside the coop and nest boxes. Thoroughly clean everything and then use a liquid spray to spray inside the coop. Permethrin 10% liquid concentrate would be your best bet. Instructions are attached to the plastic container. Once sprayed, the Permethrin liquid is effective for 28-30 days.
Another thing to consider is overcrowding. Crowded coops and pens can cause picking and pecking among birds. If this is the case, expansion is necessary.

 

[xoxodanamarie]

What did you de-worm them with? (dosage too)

If there is a mite infestation, then DE, garlic, peppermint oil, etc. will not take care of them. You will need to use a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust to treat the coop and birds.

Poultry Mites may get on you and possibly bite, but they are species specific. Generally they will only live in the housing that your birds live in. Look through your hen's feathers around the vent, under the wings, etc. for any critters. Go out at night and inspect them too, this is when you will likely see mites since most varieties do not live on the chicken, they just come out for a meal. Good photos in this article
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

If the poops all look like the one you posted, it would be a good idea to have a fecal float.
What do you normally feed, including treats?
Molting birds can benefit from extra protein - either provide meat, egg, tuna or change to a higher protein feed like Flock Raiser or Chick Starter, provide oyster shell free choice.

You mention they live mostly in the coop but have access to a run - how large is the coop and run (sq ft of each)?

We dewormed over the summer with whatever the vet gave us, I'm not sure what it was or the dosage but it was given to them each orally and then again 10 days later. I'll have to inspect them at night as they won't let me touch them otherwise. We also did a fecal float when the diarrhea started a couple months back and everything came back normal. The poo I'm not sure if it was a couple isolated incidents or if it's still happening as I often leave in the dark and get home in the dark but when I clean the bedding there's often nondescript "wet areas". They are fed layer crumbles with mixed birdseed with worms for treats and I will give them bananas with powdered vitamins, crushed eggshells, various fruit and vegetable scraps as treats. Their coop is I believe a 4x6 with 4 nesting boxes and the entire bottom is run. I also hang a cabbage to prevent boredom.