Chicken Mites and the Surprising Way To Get Rid of Them

Saturday was our children's first poultry show. And it was a big one- 843 birds were registered. We had no clue what we were doing as we'd never even been to one... But I knew that the birds the kids had chosen to take needed baths. They had picked two silkies, a blue splash hen and a white paint cockerel.

The silkies had been kept in an indoor pen until a few weeks ago. We had transferred them to a larger, outdoor pen so that we could continue to breed and eventually add more to the flock. Unfortunately, moving them outside was a bad idea. When I brought them in to bathe them, I realized that there was an unfortunate side effect of moving them into the new coop before the show: MITES. They were loaded. I didn't know what to do. It was the night before check-in for the show. The kids were so excited about the show that I was determined not to have to pull them out. There had to be a way to get rid of these things overnight! 

Daddy Farmer and I quickly reached for our laptops. We went through article after article after DIY post... everything seemed like it was going to take a few days. After several hours, we found a few mentions of one possible remedy. It seemed a bit odd, but we were desperate. According to what we read, wood ash loosens the mites from the feathers and allows the chickens to literally "shake it off." What did we have to lose? So, we decided to give it a shot. 

Daddy Farmer got to scooping out the ash from the fireplace and put into a plastic tub. I took the birds and gave them a bath using a mixture of mild dish soap and olive oil. Once they were blow dried, we placed them into the tub. Now, it is important that you use a well ventilated container. Chickens have a very sensitive respiratory system and you have to be very careful. We sprinkled a layer of ash onto their backs and allowed them to dirt bathe in the ash pile for a few minutes. We kept a close eye on them and removed them after they had adequately covered themselves. 

The next morning, we went and pulled them out of the dog crate we had them sleep in the night before. Inside the bottom of the crate were tons and tons of dead mites. I took them and washed off the ash and checked them over. Not a single mite. Not only had they died, but the ash had indeed loosened them and the chickens had managed to shake or preen off all of the remaining mites. It was not only amazing, it was a lifesaver! Not only were we able to get the chickens in the show, but our Roo went on to win Best Variety!