Red roost mites... do I treat the chicken or not? Discard eggs?

[Berritt]

I bought some permethrine powder(Garden and poultry dust) and I cleaned out the nest boxes and put a little powder in there and then put new pine shavings on top. I checked the birds skin, and they don't look irritated at all. I can't find any bugs on the girls. I only happened to see a few last night crawling on 2 eggs. I usually get the eggs in the daytime, I am reading that these mites are active at night, so i suppose the late gathering of eggs was a good thing.

I also got some DE. I plan to use that on a regular basis now.

I have read a few threads here... but I didn't see whether I was supposed to put this powder on the chickens. And since it says that the mites don't live on the chickens, but in the coop, is it necessary if I powder the coop?

Also, do I need to discard the eggs laid while we are treating for mites?

After I treat with the powder, do I just add the DE to the coop with each cleaning?

I hate bugs. I am so grossed out. It's also been raining a lot, I read mites like warm weather so why are they here now? I was cleaning out the coop and only found 1 little red mite in the shavings I took out of the coop. I don't see any in the cracks. How do I get the powder onto everything. It's in a shaker? Can I add water and put it in a spray bottle to spray the ceiling and directly in the cracks?

Thanks!

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

You will want to treat your birds too. Put the dust in a panty hose and use it like a powder puff. Make sure you wear a mask.
here is a link about this https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=410617

 

[Berritt]

Got it. Thanks.

So do I keep the eggs? Can I add water to get it into the little cracks between wood panels?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Permethrin comes in a liquid also, that you dilute with water, for spraying the coops. I would save the powder for your chickens and shavings.

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/prozap-insectrin-1%-pour-on-xtra/camid/LIV/cp/LE-PB/cn/3504/

I get mine from my feed store- a little goes a long way.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/0018.html
info on mites and treatments