4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[beapea]

Four Orps and 2 Bluebelles suddenly infested with mites, despite strict hygiene regime! We've hosed down the Eglu, sprayed with Poultry Shield and dusted birds twice with Omlet mite powder but they're still not clear. Any suggestions? It is very difficult to dust the underside of an Orp because feathers and down are so thick.

[Egluntyne]

Try them with Xeno 200 *not licensed for use on poultry in UK.

 

It will do the trick.

[The Dogmother]

Are they mites or lice? Mites will live in the housing and lice live on the brids. Treatment is the same (what you are doing is fine) but mites are slightly harder to get rid of..

 

The Xeno spray is brilliant

[..lay a little egg for me]

The info I got with my Poultry Shield said to spray again after 7 days, but I suspect it might need to be repeated weekly for a few weeks. They also recommended combining the Poultry Shield regimen with diatom.

[sandyhas3chucks]

Did someone on another thread sat diatom won't kill mites? I thought it grated their ectosceleton? then they died?

[Gallina]

If the mites are on the hens during the daytime, they can't be red mites, which live in crevices and only come out at night. Do they look red?

 

I thought Diatom killed all mites, but as they are so small you can't see it happen. I have never had mites since using the stuff (and moving the nesting box I had hanging over the run).

[The Dogmother]

I have used Diatom in the past to get rid of lice and it works. I always dust the inside of the housing with it when I clean it out.

 

I now use either Ivomec Eprines or Xeno 200 mainly as a preventative. **Neither of these products are licensed for use on hens in the UK**, but most vets will recommend them. There is a 7 day egg withdrawal with both of them.

 

Far easier to treat with these than trying to dust 12 struggling hens I did some preventative medicating of my 'herd' 12 bantam babes yesterday - I wormed and lice treated all of them in 20 minutes.

[Jenny Smedley]

Hi ,

I posted a panicky post ten mins ago (I think in the wrong place!)re red mites - I think my chickens have them but they crawled onto me too!( UUUURGH!)

After showering etc. - yopu mention ivomec epinex & Xeno 200 - where can I buy them? Have used the usual louse powder & red mite powder but would like to nip this in the bud .

Thanks, Jenny

[The Dogmother]

They have the same active ingredients Jenny. I can get Xeno 200 from my local pharmacy, which stocks pet meds (Cross Chemist in Banbury). Neither of them are licensed for use on poultry in the UK.

[beapea]

Thank you all for your advice: they're definitely mites and I'm now fighting on all fronts with powder, diatom and spray. Haven't found a source of the stuff-not-licensed-for-chickens yet but will keep looking.

 

Cluck cluck!

[The Dogmother]

Just google the names or ask if your vet will order it in.