Possible mites?

[Mboothby]

So we started our flock with two chickens who had what we thought was mites. They have since died but all the chickens we have got since then are plagued with losing feathers, (feathers being eaten?) irritated bald spots, their vents are red and poopy....
We have treated the chickens and the coop for mites. Dusted them all three times. So far I don’t see a change. Over the winter they all got much better but spring came and it started up again.
Are we wrong about the mites? Could it be something else? Should we keep treating or try and different treatment? Thanks

 

[Hannahnic14]

Maybe it could be lice?

 

[poultryprofessor]

Hard to say based just on what you've written here, but you could definitely be dealing with an ectoparasite like mites or lice.

Here is a good resource for identifying and dealing with both: https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8162.pdf

If you can get your hands on the chickens and look at the skin around their vent, you may see lice on the chickens. You generally won't see mites, but you may see dried blood and other debris they leave behind. The key with treating either is that you generally have to do a few treatments over the course of a couple of weeks.

 

[SandiBrahma]

Sounds like worms

 

[SandiBrahma]

Hard to say based just on what you've written here, but you could definitely be dealing with an ectoparasite like mites or lice.

Here is a good resource for identifying and dealing with both: https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8162.pdf

If you can get your hands on the chickens and look at the skin around their vent, you may see lice on the chickens. You generally won't see mites, but you may see dried blood and other debris they leave behind. The key with treating either is that you generally have to do a few treatments over the course of a couple of weeks.

What would you treat mites or lice with?

 

[SandiBrahma]

Maybe it could be lice?

What is the treatment for lice, or mites

 

[Hannahnic14]

What is the treatment for lice, or mites

Here is an article that should help!
https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/

 

[poultryprofessor]

What would you treat mites or lice with?

Pyrethrin or something in the pyrethroid family (like Permethrin) is generally effective against lice and mites, but it will depend on whether that is what you are dealing with.

Something like this is what I would usually use against external parasites on poultry. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/y-tex-gardstar-garden-poultry-dust-2204294

 

[SandiBrahma]

Pyrethrin or something in the pyrethroid family (like Permethrin) is generally effective against lice and mites, but it will depend on whether that is what you are dealing with.

Something like this is what I would usually use against external parasites on poultry. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/y-tex-gardstar-garden-poultry-dust-2204294

That’s what we dusted with! Thanks for answering!

 

[poultryprofessor]

That’s what we dusted with! Thanks for answering!

One thing to note is that you often have to do more than one treatment. This only kills adults, but they may have already deposited eggs (nits). The eggs are not killed, so they will hatch and you'll still have a problem.

In my experience, doing a second treatment a week after the first, and a third treatment a week after the second will take care of the eggs for lice.

Mites can be harder because some species survive off the host. You have to know which particular mite you are dealing with to get the best results.