# Do chickens spread mites to goats?



## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

We are in a fairly cold dry climate and I have never seen animals with mites. I was recently asked by a 4h family that plans on buying their 1st show goat. They have chickens and read that chickens carry dust mites and can spread them to goats. They want to know how far apart they need to keep the chickens and goats to prevent this. 

I am completely ignorant on this subject. Any info would be appreciated.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

I live in the tropics. We have 2 chickens, and yard fowl (wild village chickens) that wander around the goats and goat pen. I've never noticed a mite problem....

If your chickens have mite problems, you can toss diatomaceous earth around the chicken coop and where the chickens take their dust bath. That'll take care of the mite problem.

Hope that helps...


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## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

When I was a kid I boarded my horse at a place where the chickens free ranged n roosted wherever. .usually in the barn on the rafters over the horse and they did give the horses lice...if they think their chickens have mites or lice the best bet would be to treat the chickens. Seven dust where they dust bath should do the trick. But otherwise I doubt the goats would catch anything unless they share the same living area(chickens roost above goats or even possibly directly beside goat pen) our chickens go into the goat pen to scratch around...my goats don't have bugs


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

Thank you. That's helpful info.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

chickens cannot give goats lice...lice is breed specific : )


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## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

Hmm maybe it was mites then? Do they look the same? They were quite big...easily visable?


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## bayouboergoats (Dec 30, 2012)

My chickens like to go for piggy back rides on my goats over here.....no one has lice or mites.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

yep..same for mites...sorry I read Lice lol..both are very breed specific...


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## fultzfarm (Apr 28, 2014)

We have chickens and goats in pens next to each other, and the goats are infested with the same mites/lice that the chickens are. We are treating all of them with DE, and it seems to be working.


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