New hens & new hen house, to treat or not to treat

[minskey]

Hi All, need some advice; just finishing off a hen house my OH has built, going to gloss the inside so its easy to clean [hen's will still be a while so lots of time to air] Would it be a good idea to treat the new hen house for mite's etc before the hens arrive & also should I de-louse the hens when they arrive, I will ask at the time of collection when they were last wormed

[Birdie Wife]

Hi minskey, glossing the inside would be a really good idea, it's supposed to give the mites fewer places to hide. Prevention is always better than cure so give the house a squirt of something like Poultry Shield or similar. Giving the new hens a dusting of anti-louse powder would be good too, the move can stress them out a bit and make them more susceptible to attack. I wouldn't be overly worried if you can't though, if the birds are unused to being handled and seem stressed it might be a better idea to leave them until they are settled and then dust them. They might not need worming - some people do this regularly and others as it's needed. It's up to you really! Good luck with your new girls, and be sure to post some pics when they arrive

[minskey]

Cheers Birdy Wife, it's so good to have a second opinion..............this forum is just soooo good!