A clean chicken coop prevents mite infestations.
Chicken mites are tiny arachnids which feed on the chicken's blood during the night and hide among the coop's bedding during the day. An infected chicken loses its feathers and forms scabs on the bitten areas. Chicken mites also bite humans if the person enters the coop during the night. The bite is painful and produces a red skin lesion. Since the mites live in the bedding as well as on the chicken, treatment involves a thorough cleaning of the entire coop.
Instructions
1. Remove all the chicken coop's nesting material. Scrap off as much of the chicken waste as possible. A shovel works well in large coops. In smaller coops, an ice scraper is easier to manipulate bedding.
2. Fill a bucket with warm water and add about 1/4 cup of mild dish soap. Stir the water so it becomes soapy. Clean the coop's entire interior, including walls and roof, with a scrub brush. Use a garden hose to rinse off the soapy water.
3. Disinfect the coop with a disinfectant designed for poultry. Follow the manufacturer's directions regarding sanitize the coop and how long the chicken's should stay out after application. Lay new bedding.
4. Pour a medicated powder used to treat mite infected poultry into a large garbage bag. Place the chicken into the garbage bag, with its neck and head sticking out of the bag's opening.
5. Gently shake and swirl the bag so that the powder coats the chicken's body. Wear a face mask while treating the chickens so you do not inhale the powder.
6. Disinfect the coop and powder the chickens again in two weeks. If the problem persists, call a veterinarian to prescribe a higher strength medication.
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