Procedure for external parasites?

[cmlew99]

Hi! So apparently my rooster has a bit of a mite infestation… He is slightly bald behind his comb (as shown below)


I have several questions!

1. What dust/spray is most effective? Garden and Poultry Dust? Sevin Dust? Flea shampoo?

2. How do I dust the feathers behind his head without getting it in his eyes?

3. How do I treat the coop? I have an open bag of pine shavings in the storage portion, does that mean that these are infested too? Like should I get rid of them? When I clean out the coop, can I use these or do I have to go back to the TSC and get a whole new bag?

4. How should I clean out the coop? Remove the shavings, and then what? Do I use the dust in the coop as well, and if so, how?

I really appreciate any advice/help you can give! Even just your experience with mites will help. I have no idea what I am doing, and the stress is very real

 

[Folly's place]

Did you see mites? Look at the birds at night with a flashlight; they are easier to see then.. UGH! Tonight I'm going to be out there treating my 55 chickens individually, as I saw mites on a hen yesterday..

I will wear a N95 dust mask, and use permethrin powder in the coop bedding (no time to empty it today), and give each bird Ivermectin. The time I powdered all of them, my lungs were not pleased; never again! Either permethrin or carbaryl will work, but permethrin is approved for use, and Sevin is not. Neither is Ivermectin, but it's so much easier, and gets intestinal parasites too. Mary

 

[cmlew99]

@Folly's place

I didn't see any mites, no… I was wondering it it could possibly just be a molt since he hasn't done that yet this year, but then I saw him itching his head tonight, and my hen has been rather reluctant to roost…

Oh wow, 55?!

What exactly are permethrin and Ivermectin? are they drops? or dust?

 

[Folly's place]

Okay, so I lied; actually only 54 birds! And I just returned to the house after dusting the coop and most of the birds with permethrin (Poultry Dust). Didn't do Ivermectin tonight, but should have made a dent in the mite numbers at least. I spread dust over birds in groups as they roosted, not ideal but all I was going to do today. Mary

 

[cmlew99]

This sounds like a whole lot of work, yikes! Do you think I have to get rid of my open pine shaving bag if it's been in the same area as my chickens?

 

[cmlew99]

And also, my hens laid outside of the nest box today, could that mean that their nestbox is infested?
@Folly's place

 

[cmlew99]

And finally, do the pictures, in your opinion, look like molt? Or mites?

 

[cmlew99]

So I did a more thorough examination of all my chickens tonight. I looked at every vent, and at the rooster's bald spot skin. Here is what I found:

1. Mr. Edith (the rooster) had some reddish skin near his vent, though no egg bunches or crawling mites visible. There was a bit of dried poop on the feathers right above his vent. No crawling mites or egg bunches visible on his bald spot either

2. I swiped my finger along the roost and nest box and didn't see any red streaks that signify red mites

3. The other vents were similar to Mr. Edith. My two heaviest layers had firm, round vent areas with dried excrement on feathers and no visible mites. My Buff Brahma was perfectly healthy everywhere, but I should mention that I have been treating her for scaly leg mites for the past month or so (bag balm on legs every other night)

*also, my RIR and heaviest layer has been laying very poor egg quality recently. They are thin, and pale with a dark spot on the very top :/

Any further ideas/theories are welcome!