red mites?

[brutus9643]

I just changed the water in my duck and chicken pool lge kid wadeing poolis the size. I noticed it was all redish brown . Not like the other times (weekly change) could this be red mites ? I use the d.earth in my dust bath place 14 inches by 5 foot 6inches deep,with good soil.
if you think it could be red mites.how much of D earth can i use. Seems to me the chickens may be eating it. I use about a cupfull mixed in the soil?

 

[ChickyCh00k]

I just changed the water in my duck and chicken pool lge kid wadeing poolis the size. I noticed it was all redish brown . Not like the other times (weekly change) could this be red mites ? I use the d.earth in my dust bath place 14 inches by 5 foot 6inches deep,with good soil.
if you think it could be red mites.how much of D earth can i use. Seems to me the chickens may be eating it. I use about a cupfull mixed in the soil?

Pics?

D. Earth isn't really very effective and it is also a respiratory irritant.

Is the water looking discolored due to an abundance of bugs in it or blood? Your post doesn't specify.

Red mites typically stay in the coop. They hide under roosts and in cracks/crevices until night, feed on the chickens, and then go back to their hiding places. I wouldn't expect to see them outside of the coop as they do not live on the host.

 

[brutus9643]

the mites do not live on the chickens? i thoight may be the blood? came off the hickens, but i did not see any on the chickens, the water was very red. i will recheck the chickens tonight, thank you for your help

 

[brutus9643]

the mites do not live on the chickens? i thoight may be the blood? came off the hickens, but i did not see any on the chickens, the water was very red. i will recheck the chickens tonight, thank you for your help

there is no bugs in the water just duck feathers.
i fed them water mellon before i cleaned the pool last week.it may have colored the water?

 

[ChickyCh00k]

the mites do not live on the chickens?

Red Roost Mites do not live on the chickens. Lice and Northern Fowl Mites do live on the chickens.

You may want to check the chickens and ducks for any injuries/cuts to see if any of them are bleeding. You can also check near the vents of the birds and see if there are any tiny black dots moving around the vent area (mites) or small yellowish rice-shaped bugs (those would be lice - lice eggs also make white clumps at the base of the feather shaft, so you could check for that as well.) My guess would be that mites or lice would not cause enough bleeding to turn water color.

i fed them water mellon before i cleaned the pool last week.it may have colored the water?

As for watermelon, I have not noticed that watermelon changes the color of my chickens' droppings (but I suppose it might be possible if they ate enough of it ).

If it were me, I'd check for cuts on the birds first, and while you're looking, check the skin for any creepy crawlies.

 

[nuthatched]

D.e is ineffective for mites, you're going to need permethrine or elector psp.

 

[Eggcessive]

Maybe is just the DE coloring the water or reddish mold. Here are good links on recognizing mites and lice on pouktry:
https://poultryhealthinspection.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk6711/files/inline-files/Lice & Mites of Poultry - McCrea 8162_0.pdf

https://the-chicken-chick.com/poultry-lice-and-mites-identification/