super mites

[missmaisie]

being new to chickens...I was slow to recognize mites until major infestation. and it's possible that I've got 2 types to contend with: red mites and northern fowl mites. I've blasted the wooden hutch with sprays and powders and no longer see little reds running around. My 2 chickens have been sprayed on a daily basis for almost a week and each morning there have been dead mites to brush off the tail area & dead mites on nesting litter which I change. But I don't want to kill the chickens with chemicals in the process of getting rid of bugs. Yesterday I heavily powdered them with food-grade DE, which is also in their nesting box litter and sometimes sprinkled on their pellets to prevent intestinal worms. I'm no longer getting mites on me when I clean nesting boxes or handle the chickens (why I think northern fowl mites - seeing movement on birds during day, moving black specks on egg, my hands & arms getting covered). Yet I continue to see moving mites on back of light colored hen every morning - only a couple today - but it's so depressing that the little buggers are still crawling!
I've ordered an Eglu - plastic - I just don't think I can prevent infestations in the heat & humidity of Philadelphia summers. Does anyone have any ideas about how to finish off the remaining bugs?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Have you given your birds a place to dust bathe? That helps them get the dust deep into their feathers, also.

 

[missmaisie]

I put a litter box with sand & a bit of dirt in their pen and it's got lots of DE sprinkled in. I've seen them perched on the rim & they've walked through it (footprints) but I don't know if they're using it.