How do I bathe my chickens to get rid of mites?

[chloezoebob101]

We have mites, BAD. I was looking at my bantam, and they have made a nest out of her butt area! I need to bathe these guys, before they all get killed. We are building a new coop, so what I was going to do was-
1. Bathe tomorrow, and the next day
2. Clean out coop
3. When time for moving the chickens into new place, bathe them again, and then place them into new area.
4. bathe once a month, mites are gonna be bad this year


One problem though, I don't know how to bathe these things, I don't wanna drown them. And what do I use as shampoo?

 

[Judy]

I've never bathed a chicken, but have read here of people doing it all the time. Any mild soap, and not much of it, is fine. Dawn dishwashing soap is used all the time to bathe birds after oil spills. It's just a matter of getting them dry before you put them outside. You can blow them dry with a hair dryer on cool or low heat -- if they will put up with it, lol.

You can also dust them with Sevin 5% garden dust, or dust or spray them with a permethrin/pyrethrin formula, sold as poultry dust in feed stores or Adams flea and tick spray in WalMart or at the vet. (Dust them by putting one in a grocery bag, head excluded of course, and shake well.)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/472405/lethargic-chickens-and-now-dead-help

http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/8162.pdf

 

[WatchYourStep]

I've bathed my chickens before, it isn't too hard. (I've had someone else hold the chicken in the water for me, but that's just me.) Just keep their neck and head above water You can have their backs submerged, but if only their butt is dirty you don't have to cover their backs if you don't want to. Mild soap should be fine.

 

[chloezoebob101]

I've never bathed a chicken, but have read here of people doing it all the time. Any mild soap, and not much of it, is fine. Dawn dishwashing soap is used all the time to bathe birds after oil spills. It's just a matter of getting them dry before you put them outside. You can blow them dry with a hair dryer on cool or low heat -- if they will put up with it, lol.

You can also dust them with Sevin 5% garden dust, or dust or spray them with a permethrin/pyrethrin formula, sold as poultry dust in feed stores or Adams flea and tick spray in WalMart or at the vet. (Dust them by putting one in a grocery bag, head excluded of course, and shake well.)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/472405/lethargic-chickens-and-now-dead-help

http://ucanr.org/freepubs/docs/8162.pdf

Thank you!
This was very helpful.

I've bathed my chickens before, it isn't too hard. (I've had someone else hold the chicken in the water for me, but that's just me.) Just keep their neck and head above water You can have their backs submerged, but if only their butt is dirty you don't have to cover their backs if you don't want to. Mild soap should be fine.

none of their butts are dirty, except for my cochin, so I won't have to cover their backs. thank you!

 

[8 hens]

Easy, even though I'm 11 I've bathed a chicken many times because of four H
First make the water comfortibaly warm a little more hot than cold
Then put the chicken in and scrub her butt good with dog flee shampoo you can use a tooth brush or tooth pick as an aid
Finally take the chicken out rap her tight with a towel ,she will be dazed so don't worry about that.
But don't worry about them drounding the usually float but if not confident about her floating put your hand underneath her.

 

[mkeawsh]

I just dust them with food grade DE and within two days I see feathers starting to grow back where they were starting to bald. Works every time for me.

 

[remisophy]

I only fill the tub up under the crop my chicken shr does good in the bath. she likes being blow dried.

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

And?

Success?

 

[AceSierra]

And?

Success?

make sure they dont get cold use a heat lamp if needed there are probably mite and lice shampoos out there but a puppy flea shampoo will work too

 

[AceSierra]

make sure they dont get cold use a heat lamp if needed there are probably mite and lice shampoos out there but a puppy flea shampoo will work too

I'm not sure if dawn is effective though