Chicken Mites

[AndyV]

We have just come back from 2 weeks holiday, and having been to see our girls we cam back from the coop covered with tiny round looking bugs - we are assuming that these are red mites (although to the naked eye they look sort of white). Don't quite know where they cam from as the coop was cleaned out by my wife every day up until we went away.

They are awful things, and seem to get in your hair, and itch like mad. We have completely stripped the coop, washed it down, and put in new bedding and straw in the nestboxes and treated the girls with Red Mite Powder which contains p-methane-3 and 8-diol. 7 showers later we feel clean again - and we have treated the dog with frontline as she was covered as well - disgusting bugs!.

Is treating the girls the only way to get rid of these things, or can we treat the coop with anything to kill more of them?

[velvetmoonchild1]

OMG that sounds awful, havent had them yet so sorry can't help but (shudder) like a horror movie
lisa

[Mo]

I think they are only red when they've been bloodsucking.

[stace]

Get some Diatom this works well along side the red mite powder takes a while to work around 12 hours but should gradually kill them off, red mite come out and suck the blood then turn red, before hand they are grey in colour, lots are having problems with them this year, diatom can be ordered online

Take a look at the link

http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenho ... _Pack.html

Stace

[p.penn]

You can spray the coop with poultry shield - try to get it into all the cracks and in the perches as that is where they live.

[ihatejacknjills]

I have had a mite problem for a couple of weeks now. I am currently using poultry shield to spray down the coop and diatom in the bedding. I think this is working pretty well - the number of mites has decreased but it has taken a long time to get them under control.

Every time I come in after dealing with the coop I find the mite crawling on my skin...

[4c lady]

Ooh after reading this I feel all itchy. Thankfully I not had the dreaded red mite - yet. I did have 2 new chickens bring lice with them when I introduced them to my batties but thankfully I had some frontline for cats in and gave them that just 2 drops on the neck each. Next day - no lice and never had them since. I check my girls over once a week as a matter of routine and my girls do resign themselves to a checkover especially as they know they get a few mealworms for being so good - bribery works so well!

[p.penn]

You would think that one of these pet firms would jump in and do a spot on treatment for chicken lice/mites wouldn't you?

[4c lady]

You would have thought especially at the price they charge for Frontline and as I have 2 cats I have to have the bigger pack size and stupidly I brought my last lot from the vet!!

[Delsangel]

Hi,
When you use frontline do you have to have a withdrawal period for the eggs?
I was in Wilkinsons today and noticed that they sold flea drops like frontline only a 1/3rd of the price, but the package stated that it was dangerous to cats, so if they make a cat version of this, can I safely use it on my girls?

Regards

Gail

[wendy]

I have heard that frontline etc. shouldn't be used on chooks ?
Wendy

[p.penn]

I wouldn't use frontline myself.

[chickenlicken]

I agree with ppenn. I wouldn't use frontline. I bought some louse powder from mole valley farmers. It worked our our ex-batts.

[Betty]

Hey I'm glad that mites seem to be a general problem this year - never had them before and we are still trying to get rid of them. We have lost two hens to mite infestation before we realised exactly what was going on so do be careful to really check them out and the hen house. If you run your hands along any ledges high up you will be able to tell if you have mites in your hen house - they will be all over you! They can live for up to 36 weeks away from food source and will congregate at the top of anywhere - so that they can drop down to eat! And not just on wood either - one of our food bins was infested under the rim of the lid.

After our first invasion and the clearing out session, I combed out my hair with a lice comb and lost count of how many I had after the first thousand.
You certainly know when you have mites - they do itch!

[kezby]

is prevention better than cure, i was thinking last night maybe i should use poultry shield or diatom down the cracks on our new coop before the hens go in it as ive got it in my head they are going to bring mites with them when i pick them up and rather than start stressing them out when they do arrive maybe i should treat the coop now before i do the hens at a later date?