Thanks,
Where are you getting your bedding from. What kind of bedding are you using. I think my Lulu might have had some other issues because, out of about 23 birds she is the only who has been affected. I wonder if the bugs attack the weak. I am not sure what preventative I am gonna use yet. The biggest problem I have is knowing how much to use of these products. For instance after I get rid of the problem with the Seven 5 % I am gonna put in about 3 inches of sand throughout the whole coop. That way hopefully if there is anything left I will bury it. Then I am gonna put in some DE as preventative but, I don't know how much to put. I don't know if I put it on the ground before I put the bedding in or on top or both. UGGGGH!!!!!!!!!!!! It all seems so confusing but, I just want to do it right so this doesn't happen again. I think I might give them a wormer once or twice a year for good measure and just not eat any of the eggs they lay for a couple of weeks. I never wanted to give them any of this kind of stuff but, I guess it is better losing my birds. The wormer people suggested to me was for goats and I tell you that really scares me. I was just looking at a catalog for Cackle Hatchery and I noticed that they sell wormer for chickens. I didn't realize they had some actually for chickens I am getting some of that. I just really wish I realized al of this before I lost Lucy. Have you ever lost a bird to worms, fleas or mites etc.
Oh yea, I feel your pain about having to clean out your coop over and over. I had just cleaned out the coop about a week before all this happened. I had removed all of the bedding and replaced and since this has happened I am doing it all over again.Not to mention the coop is about 20 feet by 25 feet. I like having a good size coop but, dang it takes me about 4 hours of non stop cleaning to get out all the old chips and they aren't exactly light when you have to carry them to the compost. I am sure having to shovel in all that heavy sand is gonna be fun.
Sorry I am done fusing now.
Good luck with getting rid of your mites. Let me know how it goes.
I buy the Dejno's pine bedding from fleet farm............... and I'm almost positive that is where they are coming from,
No I haven't yet lost any of my birds to any illness, injury, or predator. but I have only had my chickens since last March......... so I most certainly am not an expert, but I have read a lot on the net before even ordering them, I belonged to this site b4 I got them as well that is the best place anyone with chickens can go there so much info here and so many great ppl to ask for help, I have bought several books on chicken keeping, stories guide has alot of info in it, also I sub to Mother earth news and backyard poultry, so I do like to read about how to best keep them healthy and happy, so far I have been very lucky except for these dam mites. I sprinkle the DE under and over my bedding in the nests in the dust bathes, at least 1tx a week usually when I pick out the stall, I use alot also when I completely clean out the old bedding and put in new. I use a kids sand sifter fill it with a cup and sprinkle a good coat around, I do it when the girls are outside so they aren't exposed to the dust, which can be harmful to their lungs.......also use a dust mask when cleaning your pens, it is also not good for you too breath it either, neither is the dust, and gunk the chickens create.\
I used sand as bedding in my 10x12 coop last year and not once have I seen a mite flea or anything, until this late winter when I started using pine bedding because I thought it would help make keep the coop warmer over our severely cold late winter early spring............big mistake.............I'm going back to sand asap..........tomorrow actually, as soon as I get to Menards to fill my truck full of play sand, or to the quarry to get a load. Well again so sorry and I hope everything gets good for you and none of your other chickies ever cross the rainbow bridge b4 there time again.......... Hugz Kim
