mites

[gina kay]

I need to de-mite my chickens and wanted to know if any of you can tell me the best and easiest way to do it. I have 39 hens and 3 roosters. Don't tell me I'll have to catch each and every one and treat them individually! They have small brown bugs (looks like fleas)around the eyes. I've noticed them in the chicks more than in the adults. But I'e also noticed that when I do manage to catch a hen to hold then I see the gray things that resemble mites. Thanks in advance for all the advice I know I'm going to recieve.

[JamesC]

gina kay:
There are two major kinds of mites that affect poultry. The Red mite that does not live on the chicken but lives in cracks around the roosts and other sleeping spots and moves to the birds at night to feed. They show up during the day as a red cluster, that's because they are full of blood, otherwise, just before feeding they're straw coloured. The Northern Fowl mite is black and makes a nest in the soft feathers under the vent of the chicken. These mites feed, live, and reproduce on the bird and the lump in the feathers can be very firm if they are well established.
I'm not sure what you're seeing, but if they're around the head and eyes and move quickly they are likely chicken lice.
The bad news is that you will have to dust each bird individually. Most things that you can administer to birds, that keep external parasites at bay, do just that - control the numbers so they never get out of hand. Once they are out of hand, you have have to take fast action .
So, look in your garden centre and try to find a vegetable dust that contains 5% Sevin (carbaryl). You will have to dust every bird thoroughly. I don't recommend buying one of the sprays that are on the market because the infestation is around the eyes.
One of our members advised recently that Sevin is no longer available and if that's the case in your area you should contact a vet's office and get a recommendation. Whatever you use, be sure to read the directions regarding a second application, most have to be reapplied 10 days after the first application. That's the only way to break the cycle. If you don't in a couple of months you will have to do it again.

Good luck,
James

[gina kay]

Thanks, James. I knew you'd have an answer. Sevin dust is available in my area--at least it was last year when I used it in my garden. I can dust them when they go in to roost. It won't harm them if it gets in their face (if they inhale the dust)? Should I dust the roosting and nesting areas? Also, do I need to get it down to the skin and under the wings?

[JamesC]

gina kay:
Yes, you have to get down to the skin. Some will get into their eyes and they will breath some in but at this point I think the harm being done by the lice is more danger to them than the dust.
I have never had a problem with them on the face and around the eyes. My usual method is to hold the birds upside down and dust onto the back end, under the wings and into the neck feathers, then work it in a bit. If you notice any clumps anywhere but especially under the vent (mites), you have to work it right into the clump, down to the skin. All you want left are unhatched eggs and those young will be taken care of in the second dusting - before they have a chance to mature and lay new eggs. You should also do the head well.
Change the nesting material and dust before you add new, making sure to get into the corners. Dust the roosts to get any that might get off the birds.
A couple of suggestions:
1) Do it at night so there is no chasing involved.
2) Have help - someone to hold the birds while the other dusts.
3) Wear rubber gloves and rub some of the dust onto your gloves before beginning.
4) Wear face masks to avoid breathing in as much as possible.
5) Again, be sure to dust a second time in 10 days - I can'st stress that enough, and most people ignore that advise - so the problem persists.

James

[gina kay]

Thanks alot James! I have a helpful husband so I'll tell him today that we have a mission this weekend.

[RonL]

James. That's some excellent reading :) . Don't want to say, "Can't wait to try it!" ...... But if need be in the future, I know I'll be prepared :D .

Thanks.

[JamesC]

Ron:
Here's hoping you don't have to! :wink:
I'm about to dust all of my birds just as one of my precautions before the hot warm begins, and to make sure that the eggs I get from my breeding stock are the very best they can be.

James

[Burlsun]

The last time I dusted my chickens, I used a feed bag. I put the dust in the bottom of the bag. Got a chicken, and put it in the bag. Then shook the bag some and took the chicken out. I was pleased with how well it worked.

[RonL]

:lol: ...... Like getting ready to deep fry them !

[sail2617]

That's great Burl,
I'll have to remember that. LOL it is just like frying them. :)
Also, I hope you get your predator. Or have you thought about just
moving your run away from the canal?
Peace,
Sail

[JamesC]

Burlson:
That method is a good one and would certainly help to get total coverage. The only thing that would have to be done in addition would be to check under the vent for mites. If they have a lump of mites, that would require a little extra attention but otherwise it would be a quick and thorough method.

James

[Burlsun]

I felt like I was torturing them with that method! But, they were covered in dust when they came out so I was happy.

Sail: As far as the predator deal, I might just have to build a fence so the chickens don't have access to the water. I then thought of ripping the old fence out of the water and building a new one. I am not sure what I will do.

[WVGRANNY]

I know this is an old thread but I hope someone can help. Can you dust chicks as young as a week old with the seven dust? When my older chicks were young I would put wood ashes in their cages once a week or so, but now it's hot and I'm not about to crank up the air conditioner just to build a fire for the ashes. With the older ones I did it just as a precaution, I never saw any signs of lice but the last ones I bought about a week ago have lice, I thought it was probably from birds building nests in the roof of the brooder house but today I was at the feed store I bought them from, and the ones they haven't sold yet looked to me like they had them. So I think they might have had them when I got them.

[RonL]

Granny. I would think it would be OK. And easier than full grown birds, too. Just don't over-do it. Did you mention the mites to the feed store?

[cgmccary]

I found all the methods of dusting got the sevin dust everywhere else, on me, in the air, etc. I ordered and use this dusting pistol that allows me to get down right to the skin without the usual cloud with other methods:

http://www.biconet.com/tools/pp.html

Also, I thought worth mentioning: here in the SE U.S., we have a mite (I think it may be a Tropical Fowl Mite) that if you get it, it is very difficult to get rid of as it is resistant to sevin dust, DE doesn't kill it for sureand permethrin sprays and such have no effect. If any of you ever encounter it, then post and I will lead you through a multi-tiered effort to attempt to get rid of it-- no need to do it now on this old thread. Someone up in the NW U.S. once had it on some birds they purchased from someone here in the S.E.

[athena]

CG...

I will investigate that dust gun, and....wow... its really inexpensive when you think about it. A one time buy, and its good for all sorts of things.

I have a slew of masks, that hospitals use... and can see myself dusting the chickens with mask on...lol... maybe this will keep that dust from going in my lungs.

I wear those around here (Balad) too, during a sandstorm...lol...

They may look silly, but I can breathe...

and thanks for the links, (this one and previous links you have mentioned)
I add them all to my favorites list.... for future ref...


Athena :thumbup: