Preferred method of treating for mites?

[aart]

undiluted form of the Monterey and mix it with SaferGro PestOut

@Debbi H Did you try either on their own before mixing them?

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I tried Permethrin and it didn't work here. Tried Seven Dust, diatomaceous earth, wood ashes, other poultry sprays, etc. I was cleaning out and replacing shavings every week. Nothing controlled the serious infestation of mites we had. Someone even tried to tell me to coat my henhouse with used motor oil!!! Oh, my gosh, NO! That stuff is carcinogenic...full of heavy metals, and a possible neurotoxin!

I found, through much research and trial and error, a mixture that will really knock out the mites, yet is safe to humans, pets, chickens, etc. It can be toxic to honeybees, though, but I only use my mixture inside the henhouse where no honeybees would go.

There is a substance called Spinosad that kills the mites. It is an ingredient in the tablets given to pets to control fleas and ticks. It is also in Monterey Garden Spray. I get the undiluted form of the Monterey and mix it with SaferGro PestOut (oils of cottonwood, garlic, clove) and water in a one-gallon garden sprayer and coat the inside of my henhouse. Depending upon how heavy the infestation is, you can use just one ounce each of the spinosad and pestout per gallon, or up to about 4 oz each if it's really out of control. There are more concentrated brands of spinosad online, too. The mites are controlled and the henhouse smells like Christmas. You can also mist the chickens with this mixture, just watch out for their eyes because clove oil can STING!

Ive looked into spinosad and what ive found is its expensive! Ive only found it on Amazon. My TSC doesnt sell it and neither does my Big R so thats really my only option. We have a local feed store that isnt a big box and ill have to check there. I hate buying online unless i have to. Luckily we havent had a problem yet with bugs in our coop. If we do ill have to pony up the dough

 

[Folly's place]

Spinosad works very well, never mind the rest of that mixture. It's also very expensive and harder to find. I'm planning to save it for the time when permethrin, properly applied, fails to work here. Until then using it will just hasten the day when it's also less effective.
And I'm not spending time and effort and $$ on ineffective products, especially when they are harmful to inhale.
Mary

 

[casportpony]

There is a substance called Spinosad that kills the mites. It is an ingredient in the tablets given to pets to control fleas and ticks. It is also in Monterey Garden Spray. I get the undiluted form of the Monterey and mix it with SaferGro PestOut (oils of cottonwood, garlic, clove) and water in a one-gallon garden sprayer and coat the inside of my henhouse. Depending upon how heavy the infestation is, you can use just one ounce each of the spinosad and pestout per gallon, or up to about 4 oz each if it's really out of control. There are more concentrated brands of spinosad online, too. The mites are controlled and the henhouse smells like Christmas. You can also mist the chickens with this mixture, just watch out for their eyes because clove oil can STING!

Which Monterey product are you using? Is it the 0.5%

 

[Debbi H]

@Debbi H Did you try either on their own before mixing them?

Yes, and alone they aren't as effective. The spinosad needs the oil to help it stick to the walls of my henhouse (made of wood...but also sticks pretty well to other surfaces).
When I originally finally figured out this mixture years ago, it was to use it on plants for spider mites. Doing my research back then, I found that the spinosad is safe to use on veggies and still be able to consume them right away. I had even found a video a woman posted on a gardening site where she would actually inject spinosad (without the oil) right into the stems of her squash plants to stop borer beetles.
Anyway, it works best mixed.

 

[Debbi H]

Spinosad works very well, never mind the rest of that mixture. It's also very expensive and harder to find. I'm planning to save it for the time when permethrin, properly applied, fails to work here. Until then using it will just hasten the day when it's also less effective.
And I'm not spending time and effort and $$ on ineffective products, especially when they are harmful to inhale.
Mary

Spinosad isn't expensive when you realize that you only use a small amount each time you use it. I'm not sure if you are saying that spinosad is harmful to inhale? It isn't. It's a liquid and you wouldn't be inhaling it unless you sprayed the mist directly over your head. But all my research shows there is nothing that can harm you in it.
Also, it's not "ineffective". It's the MOST effective product I've used, and I've tried everything that anyone has suggested on many threads on this site, short of painting used motor oil on my henhouse walls (which is carcinogenic!)
Permethrin is actually harmful to inhale. I would hope that you wear a dust mask when using Permethrin, and even then, each time you disturb the bedding, it's going to be airborne.

 

[Debbi H]

Which Monterey product are you using? Is it the 0.5%

Yes, the .5% is the one I use. It comes in quart or gallon sizes. Seems expensive until you realize how little you are using each time and how well it works.

 

[Kiki]

Spinosad isn't expensive when you realize that you only use a small amount each time you use it. I'm not sure if you are saying that spinosad is harmful to inhale? It isn't. It's a liquid and you wouldn't be inhaling it unless you sprayed the mist directly over your head. But all my research shows there is nothing that can harm you in it.
Also, it's not "ineffective". It's the MOST effective product I've used, and I've tried everything that anyone has suggested on many threads on this site, short of painting used motor oil on my henhouse walls (which is carcinogenic!)
Permethrin is actually harmful to inhale. I would hope that you wear a dust mask when using Permethrin, and even then, each time you disturb the bedding, it's going to be airborne.

Permethrin comes in liquid too and unfortunately some bugs are becoming resistant to it.

 

[Kiki]

Spinosad isn't expensive when you realize that you only use a small amount each time you use it. I'm not sure if you are saying that spinosad is harmful to inhale? It isn't. It's a liquid and you wouldn't be inhaling it unless you sprayed the mist directly over your head. But all my research shows there is nothing that can harm you in it.
Also, it's not "ineffective". It's the MOST effective product I've used, and I've tried everything that anyone has suggested on many threads on this site, short of painting used motor oil on my henhouse walls (which is carcinogenic!)
Permethrin is actually harmful to inhale. I would hope that you wear a dust mask when using Permethrin, and even then, each time you disturb the bedding, it's going to be airborne.

Spinosad is an insecticide just like permethrin.
One should not drink either.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...Vaw0p6W02yi_jNS2lJWq-iBZ2&cshid=1536170322645

 

[Debbi H]

Spinosad is an insecticide just like permethrin.
One should not drink either.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...Vaw0p6W02yi_jNS2lJWq-iBZ2&cshid=1536170322645

Yeaaaaah, I don't think I'd be drinking either one. Spinosad is the ingredient in pills for dogs and cats, though, to control ticks and fleas.