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mites!

I'm dealing with my first mite infestation and wonder if anyone has any input on whether DE or 'dusting powder' (an insecticide) is better/more effective at removing mites. I'd rather go with DE, but have read mixed reviews on its effectiveness. Or, if you have other ideas, I'd welcome those too. thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Penny on August 13, 2013 at 2:04pm

Vicky:
There was a workshop at Homesteader's Emporium on Hastings Street recently about chicken nutrition. Some of the people there were discussing their mite problems and I overhead that Duncan Martin, the chicken coop guy http://www.dailyeggs.com/ had them as well. You could try contacting him or phoning Homesteader's and see if they have some information on how these people dealt with the problem. It is apparently a bad year for these.

Also if you go to Backyard Chickens.com you will find heaps of advice about how to deal with mites although some of the remedies they use in the USA are not available in Canada.

Good luck.

Permalink Reply by Alyssa K on August 13, 2013 at 2:46pm

Let me know what you decide to do. I have them for the first time this year, too. I was thinking they didn't seem to be bothering the girls that much, but realize they are all scratching areas of feathers off; poor Rosie looks like she's molting (she does molt really hard, but it seems a bit early?)

Frequent dusting with DE (and really aggressive coop cleaning) may be the only organic way, but I'd be curious if anyone has used essential oils on birds with any luck.

I have the chemical spray if you decide you want to go that route. It's permethrin-based like the "dusting powder", I'm pretty sure.

Permalink Reply by Vicky on August 13, 2013 at 5:17pm

One of my hens has stopped laying completely and looks worse every day (it's been like this for a while but I thought it was stress-related - I just saw the mites). Antoher seems to have stopped in the last week or so. I've cleaned and disinfected the coop, and will likely do an aggressive DE application. I've read it helps with prevention, but not so sure about treatment. I would like to have something stronger on hand just in case, but thought it would mean a trip to the valley. I'm leaving town in a few days so will likely do DE then check it when I get back. I may be in touch with you in a couple weeks if I still see mites around - thanks so much!

Permalink Reply by Alyssa K on August 14, 2013 at 8:43am

No problem. Duncan suggested multiple coop cleanings ("clean, dust, repeat"). My problem is I can't get my coop out of the pen - certainly not without help - to actually hose it down. So I can only dry clean.

Might be time for a new coop for me that's easier to clean.

Anyway, I got the spray at my regular veterinarian after the bird vet (Night Owl) used it on my girls.

Permalink Reply by Vicky on August 14, 2013 at 9:08am

Ok thanks Alyssa. Funny, I called Night Owl but they said they couldn't sell anything to me unless they saw the hen first. I may go big up a big bag of DE today, if anyone needs any I would LOVE to share it...50lbs is a bit too much for me....

Permalink Reply by Alyssa K on August 14, 2013 at 10:12am

Night Owl doesn't have it anyway. I got it from my cat vet.

Permalink Reply by Duncan Martin on August 14, 2013 at 9:07am

Hi Vicky,
Our recent battle with mites worked out well, and the key was constant vigilance for 2 weeks since they are so quick to reproduce. They started out sparse and then they were EVERYWHERE! We started by dusting all the birds (and the coop, especially roosts and the nest box) with DE, Dr. Bronners peppermint and lavendar soaps, and neem oil, but that can only do so much.

What seemed to work best was a manual cleaning in which I used the highest pressure setting on the hose and tried to get water in every crack. I took my coop to another area to do this, but even if that's not possible, at least they will be flooded away. I sprayed it, let it dry, then spray it again as more mites crawl out. I may have done this a third time. Be very very thorough. Once it dried again, I painted all surfaces with linseed oil (flax-based), letting it drip into the cracks. If you can caulk any small cracks, or wood joints, you'll remove their hiding places. The oil takes a while to cure, but after that, I dusted everywhere I could (make sure to dust around the base of the coop to keep the mites from crawling back up.

At this point you will be covered in mites.

The week after doing all that, I went away for two weeks and really didn't want to see them return, so I went to Army and Navy and picked up a can of "Knock Down" crawling insect killer. I removed the hens and very judiciously sprayed it in any cracks that mites may return to. Its active ingredient is permethrin (if you can find pyrethrum, that's the natural version and it's derived from chrysanthemum, though it's still poison).
Feel free to use some of my can. I think I used about 1/20th of it and hope to not need to use any more. Keep the hens out of the coop for the rest of the day. The Knock Down claims a 60-day effectiveness, which is both comforting and disturbing. I hated to resort to it, but I consider it integrated pest management. I haven't seen a mite for months.

In the end, I think the water hose (jet setting) and linseed oil were the best tools.

Duncan

Permalink Reply by Alyssa K on August 14, 2013 at 10:18am

Can you (or someone) help me get my coop out of my pen so I can try this this weekend? It would be very bad for me to flood my pen, even if the hose would reach.

I'd be willing to consider investing in another, easier to clean/move coop, too, if you have time.

Permalink Reply by Duncan Martin on August 14, 2013 at 11:26am

I'm away over the weekend, but could help on an evening too.

Permalink Reply by Alyssa K on August 14, 2013 at 1:25pm

Thanks. Supposed to start raining tomorrow. Is it important that it dry in between? (The hot, dry weather would have been perfect for this, alas...)

Maybe some ideas for a new coop. Nothing too fancy.

Permalink Reply by Duncan Martin on August 14, 2013 at 9:17am

I still have a lot of DE if you want some Vicky. I'll be around today.

Permalink Reply by Vicky on August 14, 2013 at 10:37am

thanks Duncan I'll give you a call.

Alyssa, I've got to deal with mine and am leaving town on Friday, but if i get time i will certainly help. Could the 2 of us move it? Feel free to call or email me