Emergency! Mites & Hatching eggs

[MothrHen_of_the_ChicknPen]

We just had 4 baby silkie chicks hatch yesterday and all of them unfortunately had died this morning (due to a mite infestation that we just found discovered) there little bodies were COVERED in little red mites(extremely sad). We just got into a big heat wave and the mites seem to have tripled overnight.

We've used neem oil, tea tree oil and soapy water to clean coop and hens from mites but its still a big problem and we still have about 20 eggs left to hatch. We think we have no other choice but to remove the eggs from under the hens and incubate them or the mites will get onto them the moment they hatch and will kill them within 24 hours.

The problem is, we have no idea how far along some of those eggs are, so we don't know what humidity level to set the incubator and the days setting. Obviously will have to leave the automatic egg turner off and manually turn the ones that aren't as far long after candling them?? It's a tricky situation not knowing the time of gestation. But we feel it is the best and only chance of survival for these new coming chicks until the mite situation is under control. Any suggestions are welcome!

 

[Ridgerunner]

We've used neem oil, tea tree oil and soapy water to clean coop and hens from mites but its still a big problem

Might I suggest you use permethrin to treat the hens, nests, and the rest of the coop to actually kill the mites. Then repeat in 7 to 10 days to kill the ones that hatch out. You can safely use permethrin around the hens, eggs, and even baby chicks. The mites will be hiding in cracks in the wood, perhaps bedding, wherever they can get away from light.

 

[MothrHen_of_the_ChicknPen]

Thanks for the suggestion, but we're looking for a more natural/holistic solution. Permethrin is an insecticide, harsh chemical, known to cause neurological & other harmful side effects in both animals and humans. I don't trust the FDA safe deeming standards. We're an Organic practicing only farm with other animals that mingle with our chickens. So we have to be very careful. Thank you though for your response! appreciated.

 

[Kiki]

Thanks for the suggestion, but we're looking for a more natural/holistic solution. Permethrin is an insecticide, harsh chemical, known to cause neurological & other harmful side effects in both animals and humans. I don't trust the FDA safe deeming standards. We're an Organic practicing only farm with other animals that mingle with our chickens. So we have to be very careful. Thank you though for your response! appreciated.

Please get some permethrin and kill the mites before they kill more of your poor birds.

 

[nuthatched]

Most organic practices are not going to be effective in the reccomended dosage and are harmful themselves.
Natural and organic does not mean safe or healthy.
I recommend you take some classes from a professional naturopathic physician if you want to have a holistic farm, so you can do it safe and efficiently.
Tea Tree oil is very toxic to birds, even through smell and if it gets on the skin.
It's actually poisonous to all animals, even some people have horrible reactions.

Clean out your coop with dish soap, even though I don't recommend ever using water in a coop clean, and let it dry out completely before treating with permethrine (which, BTW is the synthesized form of pyrethrine, a compound in chrysanthemums) and letting it dry completely. Don't use Domestic Asbestos (D.E).
Withholding proper treatment to organic livestock is considered neglect in organic farming.
I'm not knocking organic or naturopathic medicines but I think you need more training in what you want to do so you can do it safely.

Candle the eggs to see how far they are.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Permethrin is a synthetic pesticide based on Pyrethrum, the natural poison in Chrysanthemums. You might check with your organic classification society and see if you can use an insecticide that contains Pyrethrum and remain organic. Different classification societies allow different things. You have seen how effective Neem Oil and Tea Tree Oil was against the mites.

With all pesticides, organic or non-organic, try to not overapply. They are all poisons and can affect the environment.

The problem is, we have no idea how far along some of those eggs are, so we don't know what humidity level to set the incubator and the days setting.

You can try candling and guessing at development level. Just do the best you can with that. I do not have any great suggestions for that.

I'm not sure how you got into this situation so I'll make some assumptions. In the future collect all the eggs you want a hen to hatch and mark them so you know which belong. Then start them all at the same time. Mark your calendar. Every day, after the other hens have laid, check under her and remove any that do not belong. As long as you remove the extras every day you can still use them. This can make your life a lot simpler.

 

[ChickaGalaxy]

I would use diatomaceous earth, it's perfectly safe for all farm animals and people, if you get food grade. I believe it's organic, and I use it to kill mites, and de-worm our chickens. You just sprinkle in in the nesting boxes, on the bellies of the birds, around the coop, ex. It's fine for them to eat to, it deworms them.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Don't bring them red chigger mites into your home. Once the red chiggers get into your rugs, furniture and bedding.. you will have an additional nightmare to go thru. Speaking with experience.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I found this quote in the linked article. They do not say why to keep it away from chickens but my assumption is that chickens have delicate respiratory systems, chickens scratch a lot and raise a lot of dust, and DE can irritate the respiratory system if it is breathed in. In commercial operations it is required for humans to wear respiratory protection when handling food grade DE. DE is generally considered safe for consumption in small amounts but there haven't been many studies on how much. I could not find any.

Luckily, there are no harmful effects on wildlife when laying DE for pests. It is recommended, however, to keep it away from chickens.


https://www.essentialhomeandgarden.com/how-to-apply-diatomaceous-earth/

It's fine for them to eat to, it deworms them.

DE works by dehydrating certain pests. It absorbs body moisture from them. It has really sharp edges so it slices their bodies, making them dehydrate even faster. It does not dehydrate them if the DE is wet. Digestive juices moisten whatever chickens eat so moist DE cannot dehydrate the worms in their bodies. How does the DE deworm them?