Okay, so my first thing is I'm not new, it's just I can't work out how to do a normal post in the main stream of posts. I only use the mobile website and I don't know what to do?? 2nd Question-URGENT Okay, I am one in millions who suffer the mite problem, but I just found out that they can die from it!!!!!! Can someone please tell me what to do! I ha e already used the total mite kill spray and the powder but they still won't go away!!!!! Please help!!!
Hello there and welcome to BYC! Sorry you are having issues with mites. Here is a long thread on mites and how to treat them.....https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/749736/mites-mites-mites You must be diligent with treatments on the birds themselves, in the nest boxes, roost bars and underneath the roost bars. Make sure you are using a good dust or spray. Something with permethrin is the best stuff. Clean out all bedding from boxes and coop. Dust everything down. Get the roost bar and underneath the bar well. Repeat every 5 days for 2 or 3 weeks. When you get the chickens, get down to the skin. Not just on the feathers. So you may need to blow or gently pull the feathers back to get to the skin. Get under the wings, behind the neck and at the vent area well. Repeat on birds every 5 days as well for several weeks. Eventually you should get a hold of this. Post in that thread if you need more help. Good luck and I hope you can get this under control!!
Hello and Welcome To BYC! TwoCrows gave you some good advice on dealing with mites, good luck getting them under control!
hi and welcome. first dont worry, it takes a serious mite problem to kill a bird but they can become a bit anaemic and poorly and the sooner you treat the better. make sure you fully clean and disinfect the coop completely and repeat the clean every few days for a couple of weeks to ensure no wee buggers have been missed. I also dust the walls with diatom and brush them down so it gets right in the cracks. Don't use hay as bedding, straw is better, or sand, and a wee bit of orange peel and lavender buds in the bedding discourages mites but wont harm your birds, they may even like the smell! and as TC says make sure you really treat the birds themselves well over a couple of repeated treatments. I use diatom and protect their faces with a cloth while applying but I know some bird keepers dont like it as it can cause respiratory problems. Make sure any treatment gets right in all the feathers and skin and around sensitive areas like the vent (mites love a juicy vent) and give them a good check over regularly even after you are sure the mites are gone. When I got my girls from a rescue they were literally crawling with mites and lice, disgusting! but I treated them for 2 weeks intensively and made sure they had good access to dust baths and they have been happily mite free ever since. I'd also suggest doing their legs and combs with a little olive oil or coconut oil at the same time as it prevents leg mites getting hold and only adds a few more minutes stress per bird to treat at the same time. Slightly warmed coconut oil mixed with a tiny drop tea tree oil is my magic mix and I brush it on with a pastry brush to ensure it gets in their leg scales without hurting them.
cant edit, but on the leg thing I've read about dipping the hens into oil, dont. it just means you get oil everywhere, over you, the floor, all the birds feathers, over it's belly and for a day or two your poor bird will smell like a chip shop and hate you just a little for it.
THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR ADVICE!!! I will do all of the above and I might just get a new coop as mine is not going to survive the British winter! How do I post things in the main hub of posts from the mobile website??? Thanks again!