Baby chicks infested with bird mites

[Guest]

Time to do something about the free range chickens.
Our neighborhood is full of baby free range chicks, normally that would not bother me much. My next door neighbor came to me and informed me that she has to leave and is having her complete house debugged because of bird mites. The Department of health came to her home and verified that the neighborhood is infested. They also said that there is nothing that they can do.

She has grand children visiting with her and they have been bitten so bad that she is taking them to Oahu for a month or until the birds are gone. She has asked me if I could help because I got rid of most of the roosters in our neighborhood. My answer of coarse was “absolutely” I’ll call you every day until they are gone. I live in Hawaiian Beaches and have already trapped some and she is right they are infested with tinnie winnie mites hundreds on each baby chick. [!] [!] [!] [!]

The Lack

The Lack Toons

[hikatz]

We also have a problem with stray chickens/roosters coming into our yard and into the carport! Experimented with different bug sprays as it is very difficult to control mites. Found using flea spray around the perimeters works the best, kills mites instantly.

[centipede]

Since there are laws without social purpose, why isn't there one that protects people against such a menace?

[dan5]

I would recommend using a 1022 ruger rifle as long as you are careful what is behind you. The whole chicken should be burned afterwords to prevent the spread of the mites.Seems to me the county wont help so take this into your own hands.

[Shekelpal]

Diatomaceous earth works great, at times I have had the problem. Usually it is when hens are broody near or under the house, and sitting on eggs that hatch, she still sits and the mites get bad on the new ones as well as the hen. I have had mites all of a sudden take over the house before, itching like crazy, and stopped them by vigorously vacuuming and sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the house. Gone.

[sittall]

seems a bit of over reaction here. i have both domestic and wild chickens on my property. mites are part of the ecological chain. diatomaceous earth and Sevin both work. the chickens are just innocent victims. have a heart, please.

[hikatz]

Where do you buy the diatomaceous earth, Del's never seems to have it in stock. how do you use it, can it be also be put outside or just used in dry areas.
A friend who lives in Hawaiian Acres, is also having a problem with stray chickens on her property, does not mind the chickens, except now she has a mites in the carport and house, and her dogs and cats are infected.

[Bullwinkle]

have you tried a pool supply place? its used as a filter media. I think you dust the birds with the stuff. Sevin is pretty benign comes in spray or dust. Just guessing on the application. We don't have any chicken issues, did have a fair size porker on the lawn last night though.

Great painting day today, off to lay up some varnish, Aloha

[dcl]

Please make sure you get the food grade DE, DO NOT use the stuff for the pools, it is not food grade. We buy ours at United Agri Products 935-7191 900 Leilani St Hilo .It comes in a 50lbs bag for about $30
and lasts a long time. I use it in all the bedding areas, as well as dust bath areas. We also put it in the food for internal worms ect.. So far the only time it has not worked was on a hen who was setting on eggs and would barely come out. I ended up using the sevin dust on her before the eggs hatched, which killed all of the mites, then replaced her nesting bedding with new. We have over forty chickens right now and have managed to keep pests away, plus it helps with fly's in the coops, where the chickens sleep at night.

A good source for info is www.backyardchickens.com

[hikatz]

Thank you, went To United Agri Products today and picked up a 50lb bag, will share it with my friend.

Shekelpal, you mentioned sprinkling the d.e. around the house, can she still do that with her pets around?