Big things come in small packages; and for mites and lice, those big things mean big problems. These micro-monsters can wreak havoc on your flock, leaving them weakened and susceptible to all sorts of nasty diseases.
The big threat to Chickens are lice and mites. These small creatures drove my mum crazy because her chickens were under siege. She had to do something about it and she eventually did and drove them out of her chicken yard. These are the pointers on how to identify, treat and cure mites and lice in chickens:
Identification
There are many different varieties of mites and lice, but most of them match the same basic description – little creatures roaming around your chicken’s feathers and feasting on their blood. A mite is so tiny, it’s hard to see, and some types of mites only come out at night. If you have good vision, you may be able to see them around your bird’s vent or beneath their wings, especially if your bird has light-colored feathers. Lice are larger, but they’re lighter colored – they are nearly as hard to spot as mites.
Treatment
- Dust all of your chickens thoroughly with diatomaceous earth or Pestene powder which is found in agrovet shops. Both of these are harmless to chickens but you should wear a dust-mask to avoid irritating your lungs.
- If you have a secondary chicken shelter, move your chickens there while you clean out their current one. If you can, give them some iron-rich treats like vegetables to offset any blood loss and keep them busy.
- Take everything out of their shelter, and clean it thoroughly. Dispose of any bedding because you want to kill the mites ,not relocate them. Burn it if you can, or double-bag securely, and throw it in the bin.
- Spray the chicken coop with a high-pressure hose and pour boiling water into the cracks and joints that might be on it. Clean with dehydrated lime and wait until everything is dry, then dust with Pestene powder or diatomaceous earth.
The mites and lice can undoubtedly have laid eggs in the little time they had. Therefore, after 7 days, dust your chickens coop with Pestene or diatomaceous earth to kill the fresh hatchlings. Check after another 7 days, and dust again if needed. In all this activity, you might get some mites or lice on you, but don’t worry—they can’t live on humans. Just wash the clothes and take a bath and you will be good to go.
Prevention
To prevent mites and lice from taking foot again, take these measures:
- Do what you can to keep wild birds away from your property. Secure your chicken feed, remove wild bird nests, or even build that scarecrow you’ve always dreamed of!
- Layer your chickens dust bathing area with diatomaceous earth and Use pest-repellents and change it every 1 to 2 weeks.
- Layer pest repellent dried herbs, like mint and lavender, in their bedding and mix a little cider vinegar, and garlic into your their’ water.
- Finally,do a full coop clean every 6 months.
A serious infestation can even be deadly. So act fast because mites and lice attack could be an emergency.