treating for mites again

[Miss Lydia]

I need to treat for mites again was going to wait for 10 days but they are scratching now and it will be a week since last treated tomorrow. Can I go ahead and use the spray sevin again and use the ivermectin pour on on my chickens? Thanks so much

 

[jhm47]

Do you see any mites when you handle your birds? Chickens naturally scratch a lot, so just because they are scratching doesn't necessarily mean that they are infested.

Did you carefully spray their roosts and nests, and did you change their bedding, and replace it with clean bedding that you have treated with Sevin?

 

[Miss Lydia]

well jhm I could just be paranoid since they got on me the last time. I have handled them and haven't seen any, but not only are they scratching but they shake their heads too, what does that mean?I just don't want it to get like the last time uck!! Hey your resume is very impressive.

 

[jhm47]

Some breeds of chickens tend to shake their heads a lot. Cornish bantams seem to be the worst. I have no idea why they do this. Your birds may need another treatment, but until you see actual mites, I would hold off. Be sure to treat their surroundings well. Mites hide in tiny cracks in many places, and come out to feed in the night. They are very hard to get rid of completely. It helps to let your birds dust themselves in dirt/sand/ashes that have been treated with an insecticide. Need to change my resume to 6 granddaughters!

 

[Miss Lydia]

It has been 1 week since treated for mites, should I go ahead and treat again on day 10 to make sure I get the eggs that hatch out? Still don't see any mites on the chickens, but my goodness they are all shaking their heads even the ducks. I have cochin bantams, game, game bantam, brahma and muscovy ducks plus an emden goose, he's actually the only on not shaking his head. Just want to be sure it doesn't get out of hand.

 

[jhm47]

It shouldn't hurt to treat again on day 10. Again---have you treated the premesis for mites? If not, you will be treating your birds every 10 days forever.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes I have treated the premesis but I will do the whole thing all over again and hopefully this will take care of it. Thanks again

 

[CMV]

Good luck. Mites are a royal pain in the

I feel for you. I dealt with them last winter and it was way too much work. In the freezing cold to just add to the fun.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What all did you use CMV? Do you think because they a free range is why they got them?

 

[CMV]

I use Eprinex- 1/2 cc on the back of their necks, twice, 10 days apart. Easy as pie. But then there's the house keeping which isn't so easy.

They could have gotten them free-ranging or they could have gotten them from wild birds hanging around. If you have chickens for any length of time, you will have bugs. It just happens. If you have birds for any length of time you will also have rodents. It's the price you pay for having poultry. Good thing they're worth it!