What precautions do you use for your flock to keep mites and lice away?

[kelly77]

This is my first year raising chickens so I want them to stay healthy. I have not done anything to prevent mites yet. It is also winter here in New Hampshire. But come spring I want to clean the coop..and do whatever needs to be done that is non toxic

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I sprinkle DE around the coop and run. I have only had an issue with mites once and it was a very minor infestation. . Only one bird actually had visible mites. Everyone got a DE bath anyway though.

 

[dawg53]

Putting sand in your run or pen will help cut down on parasites. I use hay as bedding, also in nests, and I lightly sprinkle sevin dust on the hay and pat it down afterwards. Never had an external parasite issue doing it in this manner. You could use DE in this manner as well.
Make sure you wear a mask when dusting.

 

[kelly77]

Why do you need to wear a mask? That sounds like its dangerous for the birds..their lungs are smaller then ours..?

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

DE settles fairly well so just don't go heavy with it. When I dust it usually clears out of the air in a minute or two. And as long as there isn't a ton lying in the litter the chickies shouldn't kick up enough to cause issues.

I have used Sevin dust too ( on the bird with visible mites) to make sure they were gone. Sevin is much more potent than DE but it is a pesticide so I go really light with it when I use it.