By Leigh -
There
are about 45,000 different known species of mites, but it is primarily the Northern
Fowl Mite (Ornithonyssus Sylviarum), Chicken Mites (Demanyssus Gallinae) and the scaly leg mite (Knemidocoptes
mutans) that are problematic for North
American and European flocks. These tiny arthropods are in the tick/spider (acari)
family. Like ticks, these external parasites feed on the blood of their host.
Unlike ticks, they may also feed on the skin
Believe it or not, 95% of all avian
mites are females, and in order to reproduce, they must have blood. In a
hospitable environment, mites can start reproducing in only 7 days and can
cover its host in up to 20,000 mites in just 9 weeks. While they will infest
young birds, they tend to prefer birds that have reached sexual maturity. Unfortunately
mites can also live up to 3 weeks without a host. This can make it very
difficult to get rid of these creepy-crawlies!
The first place to look for
Northern Fowl mites and Chicken Mites on your hens is around the vent. As the
population grows, they will become more apparent on the tail, back and legs. Interestingly,
mites tend to be more randomly spread out on cockerels and roosters.
Prior to consuming blood, mites
can be very difficult to see as they
are rather transparent and roughly the size of a particle of sand. Once they
begin feeding, they take on a reddish brown color. You will need a pair of keen
eyes to spot these tiny villains, so if you have a difficult time reading small
text, don your bifocals, grab a magnifying glass or get the kids to help check
over your chooks.
A bad infestation can eventually
cause poor laying in hens and anemia in birds of all ages and genders. Your
chicken’s combs and wattles should be a bright red color (unless they are
Silkies or other dark-skinned breeds). If the comb appears pink or gray, it is
a sign of anemia.
In severe infestations of the
Northern Fowl Mite, a black, sooty-like substance will become present at the
base of feathers and around the vent. This substance is a combination of dried
blood from your chicken and the excrement from the mites.
Northern Fowl mites generally
live on their host around the clock, unlike Chicken Mites which tend to leave their
host during the day and crawl into the nooks and crannies in the wood of the
coop, perches, bedding or nearby trees. If you see mites on your birds during
the day, chances are they are Northern Fowl Mites. Both types may be present on
your birds at night.
Note
– mites will hide inside straw bedding. Straw is hollow, like a… well… like a
straw (hence the origin of the drinking straw). Hay on the other hand is not hollow and therefore can not harbor these
parasites in the same way.
Finding mites on your birds is
not necessarily a result of poor chicken-keeping. These mites are carried in on
many kinds of wild bird species. Of course there are ways to help prevent an
infestation, like feeding plenty of fresh garlic to your flock.
How can you rid your birds of
these mites? The best natural and organic remedy (in my opinion) is wood ash.
Dan Sullivan, soil scientist with the Oregon State
University Extension Service explains, "When wood burns, nitrogen and
sulfur are lost as gases, and calcium, potassium, magnesium and trace element
compounds remain. The carbonates and oxides remaining after wood burning are
valuable liming agents, raising pH… " (Source
Link) These liming agents draw moisture out of insects, thereby killing
them. Diatomaceous Earth works in the same general way – by drawing the moisture
from the mites bodies and killing them. The differences are that many find DE harsher
if accidentally inhaled, and for anybody with a wood-burning fireplace or stove,
wood ash is free.
Scaly Leg Mites:
Scaly
leg mites (Knemidocoptes mutans) spend their entire life cycles on the legs and
unfeathered areas of their hosts. Unlike the Northern Fowl Mites and Chicken Mites, scaly leg mite
infestations are generally a result of direct contact with other infested birds
or from coops where infested birds have lived. The tell-tale sign of scaly leg
mites is a rough-appearing leg with lifted scales.
A
thick slathering of coconut oil, olive oil, Nu-Stock or petroleum jelly twice a week for 3 weeks will
kill these mites by preventing air flow and suffocating them.
Your Coop:
To
kill mites that may be hiding in the nooks and crannies of your roosts, coop
and bedding, it is advisable to remove the birds from the coop and spray
everything thoroughly with Neem Oil – an all natural oil available at most
garden or feed supply stores. For bad infestations, bedding should be removed
and burned, or at very least bagged in plastic and removed from the property as
quickly as possible.
Need
a good whitewash recipe? Here’s Pigeonguy’s Creepy-Crawly-Critter-Killing
Whitewash Recipe (as found on our Recipes and DIY tab):
(Will
help keep coops free of lice, mites and their eggs/nits/larvae)
In
a five gallon bucket, mix:
- 1 gallon barn lime
- 1/2 box 20 Mule Team Borax
- Hot water till it is thin enough to paint with.
- 2 cups salt dissolved in hot water.
- Stir everything together
- Let set over-night (for at least 12 hours)
- Stir again add more water (if it needs it) to paint with.
Put
on old, old cloths and a pair of safety goggles (not glasses).
Take
a 6 inch paint or dry wall brush and slop the white wash on with a painting
motion. Get it everywhere – roosts, in the cracks and all over the walls.
No need to be neat - you will see why after it dries.
This
should kill every creepy crawly critter in there. This is why out buildings
were white washed back in the days – for parasite control and not for looks.
*** It should be
noted that for the effective removal of mite infestations, the birds and the
coop need to be treated all in the same day. Otherwise the mites missed in
either area will simply jump back on to your chickens or back into your coop
after one or the other has been treated. Remember – just a few little mites can
turn into upwards of 20,000 mites in just 9 weeks.
- Leigh
Article Sources:
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Good article - and good "natural" remedies :D
ReplyDeleteTx for the article. Have ash coming. Will get Neem oil. Do I sprinkle garlic powder over the food or try giving them small whole or grated cloves?
ReplyDeletePlenty of fresh, grated garlic is great! About a clove per bird.
DeleteDoes this work for lice also? Chicken lice and mites are 2 seperate things, right? We are struggling with lice. We don't have a coop, but do have an all wooden "hen house" were they eat, lay and roost, but have constant access to the outdoors. Would we "white wash" the whole thing inside and out?
ReplyDelete