My girls have mites. Nothing outwardly noticable, but since I hold and pet them all the time, I am seeing some. Certainly not qn infestation. So I am trying to learn all I can but still have some questions.
Here's what I do/have: about 20 chickens, 2 pheasants and 2 ducks. They have a huge outdoor run (about 430 sq.ft) that has sand, gravel, pumice, dirt and a large section of mulch. Their coop is large enough to sleep them all with perch to spare. I clean it weekly, sweepiing all bedding out, dusting with DE and rebedding. There is also DE added to their dust bath hole.
Questions:
1. As mites are so common, is there really any way to keep a flock completely mite free?
2. I DO NOT treat my birds with anything chemical and will not. Is there anything else I can do to keep the mites either away or under control?
3. If I do not treat them, will the mites inevitably cause damage?
These little creepers have greatly come between me and my chickens and none of us are happy about the lessened lovey dovey time, so what's the solution?
Here's what I do/have: about 20 chickens, 2 pheasants and 2 ducks. They have a huge outdoor run (about 430 sq.ft) that has sand, gravel, pumice, dirt and a large section of mulch. Their coop is large enough to sleep them all with perch to spare. I clean it weekly, sweepiing all bedding out, dusting with DE and rebedding. There is also DE added to their dust bath hole.
Questions:
1. As mites are so common, is there really any way to keep a flock completely mite free?
2. I DO NOT treat my birds with anything chemical and will not. Is there anything else I can do to keep the mites either away or under control?
3. If I do not treat them, will the mites inevitably cause damage?
These little creepers have greatly come between me and my chickens and none of us are happy about the lessened lovey dovey time, so what's the solution?