Worst mite infestation I've ever seen!

[Lelilamom]

OMG I've never seen so many mites. A Buff Orpington hen is sitting on 7 eggs in a little box in the barn. I checked her yesterday morning and didn't notice anything. This morning she was off the nest so I quickly went in to candle all 7 eggs. After candling I started walking over to the coop when I looked down and saw dozens of mites on my hand and arm. I sprayed her and the nest with permithrin which is all I had, took a shower and went to work. I went out this evening to deal with them. Just touching the box she was in for a few seconds left dozens crawling all over my hand. I moved her and her eggs into a clean box after spraying her down with permithrin and then burned the bedding from the nest and hosed down the box. I sprayed everything with permithrin and dusted with a garden dust. Then back into the shower. Tomorrow its Elector PSP for the entire coop and flock.

7 weeks ago I had what i thought was a bad infestation that i took care of with Elector PSP. That was nothing compared to this. Someone please tell me that an infestation this bad can be resolved.

 

[azygous]

Elector will resolve it. But knowing if you are dealing with coop mites or lice is always helpful, mites being much worse than lice.

If you are indeed dealing with coop mites, it's necessary to spray every surface and every nook and every crack and cranny as mites hide deep within the coop where you can't see. Mites come out mainly at night to suck the blood of the chickens. A serious infestation can cause anemia and sometimes chickens die from it.

Lice live on the chicken and live off of dead skin and feather dander. A quick dusting with permethrin will take care of the lice. Lice inhabit the area around the vent and under the wings and neck. Dust those areas and you're good.

How to tell if these are lice or mites? Look at one under a magnifying lens and count the legs. Lice have six legs. Mites have eight. If you squash a mite, there may be a red stain from the blood it has consumed. If you go out after dark and shine a light on the perches, you will see mites all over them, crawling up the legs of the chickens.

 

[Lelilamom]

I dealt with lice a number of years ago. These are definitely Northern Fowl mites. Just like last time they are on the chickens during the day and I found a few on the eggs in the nesting boxes. I'm hoping this is worse in the barn with the broody and the coop is a few days or a week behind and I can get on top of it.

 

[early riser]

I dealt with lice a number of years ago. These are definitely Northern Fowl mites. Just like last time they are on the chickens during the day and I found a few on the eggs in the nesting boxes. I'm hoping this is worse in the barn with the broody and the coop is a few days or a week behind and I can get on top of it.

De on the floors (under bedding) and neem oil sprayed on perches and walls. It works great and is an organic product used to smother bugs on plants

 

[Lelilamom]

De on the floors (under bedding) and neem oil sprayed on perches and walls. It works great and is an organic product used to smother bugs on plants

Neem oil? Please tell me more about it.

 

[early riser]

Neem oil? Please tell me more about it.

5 percent neem to water and a bit of detergent. Every few days till under control. Doesn’t take long

 

[Lelilamom]

They're BAAAAACKK!
Ugh, one rooster is LOADED. I'm so overwhelmed.

 

[AGeese]

Get some sticky tape for underside of the roosts.

Also was thinking maybe put some Vaseline on their legs to help stop them from crawling up on them?

 

[Lelilamom]

I'm pretty sure these are Northern Fowl mites. They are on the chickens while they walk around outside during the day.

 

[AGeese]

I'm pretty sure these are Northern Fowl mites. They are on the chickens while they walk around outside during the day.

gotcha so the kind that stay on the chickens.