How to Get Rid of Chicken Mites

Co-authored by Amy Harrison

Last Updated: September 24, 2023 Fact Checked

If your feathery friends are scratching at their ears or shaking their heads a lot, these are signs that they may have mites and most likely that their coop is infested with mites. Most chicken owners will come across this problem and not know how to deal with it. There are a few different choices for approaching treatment. If you’re using diatomaceous earth make sure not to get it in your chickens eyes or face. It’s recommended to give them a dust bath in ash and dirt to help keep mights away.

Method 1

Method 1 of 7:

Wood Ash Treatment

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It does not have to be deep or any larger than your chicken but it does have to be able to hold the chicken inside it. To make sure of this, measure your chicken and the tub or lay your chicken inside the tub to see for yourself.
Ash from your wood burning stove, fireplace or from a friend's stove will work well; just be sure that it is a couple of days old so it's completely cooled.

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Pour the ash over their body and rub it in their feathers and skin, using one hand to hold the chicken and the other to pour the ash. Try to cover every part of their body whilst avoiding their eyes and nostrils^{[1]
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Make sure to not shake or clean the ash off the bird but to just leave it alone. After that, cover the rest of your chickens with ash.
This lets your chickens dust-bath which kills any mites on them. If it is a rainy day and the sand gets muddy, provide a tub filled with sand inside their shelter/coop.

Method 2

Method 2 of 7:

Garlic Spray

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Wash and rinse the bottle thoroughly making sure that any liquid that used to be inside the bottle is fully gone.^{[2]
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You'll need 10 ounces of water, 1 ounce of garlic juice and 1 teaspoon of essential oil such as lavender, cinnamon, spearmint, bay or thyme in the spray bottle.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 7:

Cooking Oil Spray

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Wash and rinse the bottle thoroughly, getting rid of all liquid still inside of the bottle.
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This will suffocate and kill any mites living in your chickens home.

Method 4

Method 4 of 7:

Neem Seed Oil

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This is available at most gardening centres. Acquire a sprayer bottle and clean it thoroughly.
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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Method 5

Method 5 of 7:

Diatomaceous Earth Treatment

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Diatomaceous earth will most likely kill all the parasites living in your chickens house.^{[6]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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Diatomaceous earth is harmless to humans and animals so your chickens can walk amongst the earth whenever they please. After leaving the earth to kill the mites you can now clean it up with either a broom or vacuum.
Following steps similar to the wood ash method, above.

Method 6

Method 6 of 7:

Bathing with Oils

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Make sure the water just about reaches your chickens body.
Avoid getting water in your chickens eyes and nostrils.
Wash your chicken with this soap which will most likely suffocate the mites.
This will get rid of scaly mites.
Make sure they are in a nice and warm place, making them comfortable.

Method 7

Method 7 of 7:

Cleaning the Coop

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Mites live in cracks, bedding and food bowls of the pen, so a clean start is important.
Hose down the coop.^{[7]
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services

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Tips

Ask your veterinarian for a medication which can kill chicken mites.

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Cleaning your coop is the most important step to getting rid of mites.

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Provide a tub full of sand at all times to keep mites away.

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