Why does only ONE chick have mites? Please Help

[MimiChick]

I've treated all 3 chickens with poultry dust, but poor Chocolate (CM) keeps getting mites. She's getting a lot of feathers in - I can see them. But the base of the feathers also has a lot of dirt and the sheaths don't seem to be coming off easily. I gave her a bath last month and a lot of dead skin came off too.
The other 2 chickens are fine. No sign of mites, feathering in nicely, etc. They are all between 18 & 24 weeks old.
I dust the coop with permethrin (sp?) and use it in their dust bath (they also free range when I'm home). I use DE in with their bedding (along w/poultry dust). I just don't know why only 1 keeps showing the mites.
Anybody else have a clue? And what more should I do?
Thanks.

 

[purpletree23]

She might just be caught up in the mite 'cycle'. Treat her for mites using the permethran and then dust her again in 7 days and again in 7 days. The dust will kill the adult mites but not the eggs so you have to get the mites each time they hatch. Make sure you are dusting her tummy, her neck and vent really well. Use your fingers to ruffle the feathers so the dust goes down the feather shaft to the skin.

One other thing you can try is a dip using a dog flea and tick solution. This would cover her whole body with the chemical and then you could dust in 7 days.

You can alos look up worming with POUR ON IVERMECTIN. You put several drops on her skin and the medicine kills mites, lice and internal worms.

 

[MimiChick]

Thanks. I've been dusting her about every 10 days for the past month. I'm not sure I can give her another dip. It's getting really cold here now and my DH draws the line at chickens in the house. I've seen posts on Ivermectin. I'm going to re check those for more info and maybe try that.
I still don't understand why she is the only one who seems to be getting/keeping them. Poor thing. They really seem to be bothering her.
Well, I'll keep trying. And if anyone has any other ideas about why it's only her, I'd really appreciate the input. It might help me solve the problem.

 

[KittyKelly]

I had a few birds in an outside tractor get mites and it took what seemed like FOREVER to get rid of them. My friend told me to go ahead and pluck the hind feathers that had the eggs embedded in them and dust every 10 days till gone. I did this and sprinkled DE everywhere and gave them a little bowl of DE to dust-bathe in AND sprayed the tractor with Pyrethrin..(SP?) It took a while but they are GONE!

 

[KittyKelly]

oh...and they had lice too. I guess they got them from wild birds flying in and eating their feed with them.

 

[purpletree23]

Wow! You've done everything you are supposed to do. Another bath is probably not a good idea. Have you treated the coop and cleaned it? That would be the source of the mites and maybe you can knock them down that way.

 

[Laurieks]

I was told to put eucalyptus leaf powder (dried leaves in the blender or coffee grinder) in their dust bath.
We also added DE and sand.
Ours have had persistent leg mites, and I think it's finally helping.

 

[MimiChick]

Quote:
I've cleaned the coop, dusted, DE'd, etc. Like I said, the other 2 girls are showing no sign of mites, just my poor Chocolate. I'm going to keep treating with the permethrin (maybe every 5 days) until I can read up on and maybe locate some Ivermectin. It's just so frustrating to see her. The feathers on her lower back that are coming in are gunked up at the base and the sheaths aren't coming off easily. And her but is dirty instead of being fluffy like the other 2. I'm going to keep working on it. Thanks for the input.

 

[vyshtia]

Mites and Lice will attack the most immune suppressed individual - then once they get hold, they suppress the immune system further. Maybe Chocolate would benefit from some additional vitamins/protein. Anything to help her overall system get stronger.

 

[MimiChick]

Quote:
Thank you. That makes so much sense now. Chocolate is actually the smallest of the 3, and might be a little weaker (vitamin deficiency) than the other 2. That could explain the problem. I've been giving her a little extra on the BOSS to help with protein for her growing feathers, but maybe that's not enough. OK, now I'm going to start looking up vitamins too, and get her started ASAP. Thanks again.