Preparing the run for new chickens after mites

[Shaliena Ursich]

Hello all,
I'm not sure if this belongs in this forum, or another one, but I'll start here. We have some new chicks in the garage that are ready to move to coop. Right around the time that we got our chicks, I noticed that my two big girls had scaly leg mites . I treated them and moved them from the coop to the chicken tractor, so they are recovering in a clean house and have been out of the coop for about 4 weeks. I've read different things about how long mites can live without a host, so I'm treating the coop as if it still has mites. Now I'm getting everything ready for the teenage chicks to move in. I've removed the bedding, swept, scraped, bleached and then I sprayed all the cracks and crevices of the interior with Permethrin. My question is about the run. It's made of sand and I'm wondering if I need to clean/treat the sand (other than removing droppings)? If so, how do you recommend doing that and how often going forward? Thanks for any advice you have for me!

 

[aart]

Only scaly leg mites?
They don't travel fast or far, IME.
What you've done should be fine, keep treating the old girls, and....

Regularly check them all over real well for mites and/or lice.

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[Shaliena Ursich]

Thanks so much for your reply and the good tips. Yes, hopefully just scaly leg mites! So, you wouldn't do anything to the sand in the run? Besides picking up droppings, do you ever need to clean/treat sand in the run?

 

[aart]

Besides picking up droppings, do you ever need to clean/treat sand in the run?

I don't use sand in my runs.
My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.