Natural animal care

[Beekissed]

All really great info! Will be storing some of this into my all natural wheelhouse. It's nice to have alternatives.

 

[Beekissed]

Here's an interesting study on chicken mites....

Housing and dustbathing effects on northern fowl mites (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) and chicken body lice (Menacanthus stramineus) on hens.
Martin CD1, Mullens BA.
Author information
Abstract
Hen housing (cage or cage-free) did not impact overall abundances of northern fowl mites, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini & Fanzago) (Acari: Macronyssidae), or chicken body lice, Menacanthus stramineus (Nitzsch) (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae). Cage-free hens received a dustbox with sand plus diatomaceous earth (DE), kaolin clay or sulphur. Weekly use varied from none to 100% of hens; 73% of hens used the dustbox at least once. Ectoparasite populations on dustbathing hens (users) were compared with those on non-user cage-free and caged hens. All materials reduced ectoparasites on user hens by 80-100% after 1 week of dustbox use. Diatomaceous earth and kaolin failed to reduce ectoparasites on non-user hens, and ectoparasites on user hens recovered after dustbox removal. A sulphur dustbox eliminated mites from all hens (including non-users) within 2-4 weeks. Residual sulphur controlled mites until the end of the experiment (up to 9 weeks), even after the dustbox was removed. Louse populations on hens using the sulphur dustbox were reduced in 1-2 weeks. Residual sulphur effects were less evident in lice, but the use of a sulphur dustbox by a higher proportion of hens extended louse control to all hens. This is the first experimental study to show that bird dustbathing in naturally and widely available dust materials (particularly kaolin) can suppress ectoparasites and thus the behaviour is probably adaptive.

 

[Mini Horses]

Me too, FEM! Waking up to a sight like that is not my idea of "good"...
Gonna try the Sage. Wouldn't sage oil work as well?

 

[ChickenMomma91]

How would you guys treat chicken mites? They've migrated to my legs which are now raw from itching. I've even been to the doctor who gave me ivermectin pills and it helped but it didn't get rid of it entirely. I provide the girls with a dust bath that has DE sprinkled in there on occasion but its been so wet here lately that nothing is dry.
Also my dog has fleas so bad shes getting bald patches from chewing/itching and I'm constantly having to stop her from chewing on herself. we've tried the chemical treatment and its not working.

 

[Beekissed]

I can't help much with curative treatments, as my approach is always geared towards prevention. Never had that type of mites on my chickens, so not sure what others are using.

It sounds like the type of mite that infests the wood in the coop...do you know what color they are?

Fleas....I'd treat your yard with garden lime when you are getting a few good dry days coming up. Then I'd do the same to your dog, then start regularly adding apple cider vinegar in his water. I'd repeat the lime in a couple of weeks for good measure.

Then, each spring and fall I'd do a lime treatment. I've gotten away from the chemical flea treatments, as I feel they possibly just breed a more resistant flea.

So far it's working for my dogs(and cats) and I'm loving it!

 

[baymule]

How would you guys treat chicken mites? They've migrated to my legs which are now raw from itching. I've even been to the doctor who gave me ivermectin pills and it helped but it didn't get rid of it entirely. I provide the girls with a dust bath that has DE sprinkled in there on occasion but its been so wet here lately that nothing is dry.
Also my dog has fleas so bad shes getting bald patches from chewing/itching and I'm constantly having to stop her from chewing on herself. we've tried the chemical treatment and its not working.

I would try Aloe Vera gel with Lidocaine, you can find it in the sun burn products. it is also great for practically any type bug bites. That will stop the itch. As for the mites....I haven't had mites on my chickens, but I read on BYC that people use vasoline on their chickens legs and it smothers the mites. Maybe for you, a jar of Vaseline and a pair of leggings?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Argh- makes me itch just thinking about it. Hope you get resolved quickly!

 

[Beekissed]

I would try Aloe Vera gel with Lidocaine, you can find it in the sun burn products. it is also great for practically any type bug bites. That will stop the itch. As for the mites....I haven't had mites on my chickens, but I read on BYC that people use vasoline on their chickens legs and it smothers the mites. Maybe for you, a jar of Vaseline and a pair of leggings?

Bay, those are scale mites and they don't leave a chicken and bite humans, just live under the scales of the birds. I think she's got a type of bird mite that sucks the blood of the bird on their bodies, just not sure what kind...would need to know the color of them.

For a low level mite treatment you could use garden lime or sulfur dust on the chickens, in their roosts and nest bedding. I'd clean out the coop and dust that as well, as well as their run.

If that doesn't work, permethrin is a more powerful choice.