Hen house cleaning regime ?

[beulah59]

Has anyone tried flea spray? If the house isn't really in need of a clean, rather than wash it down anyway with Poultry Shield, I simply spray with flea spray ... I'm still new at this, so haven't really had time to get any redmite yet, but I've heard it's effective, so I'm hoping not to!

[Bramble-Poultry]

we move birds in and out of runs regularily here as the need dictates. therefore at least one run every week gets the fullmonty which includes:

in this order-
a liberal spray with Smite - kills off the red mite and makes it more pleasant to work in as the buggers dont drop onto you for a sneaky feed!
spray perches with warm water as this will help lift any poo stuck to them
rake out bedding and put into the incinerator for burnig off. (gets rid of even more red mite and eggs)
wash down all coop parts with a dilute solution of ***** Fluid - as this kills pathogens and bacteria including bird flu
allow to dry.
replace bedding and fluff up for them
spray around all the crack again with smite, as the first spray tends to drive them out into the open so you can nail them again!
allow the new residents in.

NOte on flea spray. aerosols can aggrivate respiritory tracts in birds. make sure all is welll ventilated before allowing birds back in.

[Eco-Chic]

Colliebird,

It's thanks to your posts and to Lizzie on the sticky post that I've been made aware of how insidious the red mites are.

If you hadn't been so frank with what a problem they've become I doubt I would be so concerned to take preventative measures and to look for them, indeed how and where to look for them.

I note that steam cleaning the coop has also been recommended by a couple of posters. I will probably use this option in preference to the blow torch because I'll likely reduce the coop to a pile of ash otherwise (although that could well be the ultimate red mite solution).

[Suechooks]

Has anyone tried flea spray? If the house isn't really in need of a clean, rather than wash it down anyway with Poultry Shield, I simply spray with flea spray ... I'm still new at this, so haven't really had time to get any redmite yet, but I've heard it's effective, so I'm hoping not to!

I use Poultry Shield in a 5 litre sprayer much as you're using the flea stuff. I also have a small (1 litre) sprayer with Smite in that I do the perches daily.

[colliebird]

Has anyone tried flea spray? If the house isn't really in need of a clean, rather than wash it down anyway with Poultry Shield, I simply spray with flea spray ... I'm still new at this, so haven't really had time to get any redmite yet, but I've heard it's effective, so I'm hoping not to!

This is exactly what I did when I found the clusters of red mites a few days ago. Flea/wasp/fly/insect spray kills all insects, including red mites. Using cans of flea spray works out a bit expensive, so I've ordered a 5 litre container of Strikeback. It has a pump on the container. I will be using the Strikeback foggers first, then the spray.
If there's no disease in the hen house, I've been advised (by a vet) to just get rid of the insects.
The same advice was given to me when I had boarding kennels. If there's no disease/diarhhoea/vomiting/infection, clean only with a good detergent and spray with an anti-insect solution. By using disinfectant all the time makes the bad bacteria/germs get used to it then the disinfectants won't work. Same goes for antibiotics. They've been given out like sweeties for years "just in case" or when the medics didn't know what was wrong with a person or animal. Now they don't work on most things for humans, and bugs are getting bigger and stronger and more difficult to difficult to kill.

[beulah59]

Thanks for the advice re flea spray ...

[Hilary B]

This is exactly what I did when I found the clusters of red mites a few days ago. Flea/wasp/fly/insect spray kills all insects, including red mites. Using cans of flea spray works out a bit expensive, so I've ordered a 5 litre container of Strikeback. It has a pump on the container. I will be using the Strikeback foggers first, then the spray.
If there's no disease in the hen house, I've been advised (by a vet) to just get rid of the insects.
The same advice was given to me when I had boarding kennels. If there's no disease/diarhhoea/vomiting/infection, clean only with a good detergent and spray with an anti-insect solution. By using disinfectant all the time makes the bad bacteria/germs get used to it then the disinfectants won't work. Same goes for antibiotics. They've been given out like sweeties for years "just in case" or when the medics didn't know what was wrong with a person or animal. Now they don't work on most things for humans, and bugs are getting bigger and stronger and more difficult to difficult to kill.

Certainly applies to anti-biotics, but not sure they can develop resistance to disinfectants (most are simply toxic, but applied in such a way as to not kill us off). It DOES apply to the preparations for killing off parasites on (or in) animals, hence the need for most farmers to swap wormer from time to time.

[colliebird]

Latest news from the Mitey hen house!
When I looked at the perch this morning, there were barely a few mites (dead) on it.
I've been spraying the perch with insecticde for the past three days, let it dry then put it back in the hen house just before "bed time" so it appears to be working.

The hen house has been cleared out of every bit of deep litter and sprayed everywhere with Poultry Shield. Crevises in the tongue and groove have been liberally sprayed with Strikeback. The coop shouldn't take long to dry as it's cloudy today and windy. I've got some new cardboard boxes which will be sprayed with the insecticide and shredded paper put in, not shavings, so that I can put new paper in every day/two days and the old can be burned.
The whole place will be treated with Strikeback every couple of weeks, though at the moment I'll do it every few days while the girls are outside.
This has really made me wake up to the seriousness of red mites. The geese don't appear to be affected in any way, not even in their part of the house which is separated by a meter high metal mesh panel.
Three rats were seen to scarper from under the hen house and signs of where they've been gnawing the corners to get in, which couldn't be seen because of the deep litter.

I'm seriously thinking of getting an Omlet cube for the hens and leaving the big house for the geese. The cost of an Omlet cube works out less expensive in the long run than the cost of regularly having to treat the big house with various treatments.

[di]

Bet you feel much better now it's been done!
I've not used the deep litter method,but it sounds like a daunting task come cleaning day.I'm sure you'll find it a lot more manageable now.
I'm a bit of an unecessary worrier,but I'd be wary of using insect sprays around the birds houses unless I knew for certain they didn't pose a risk to the birds?

[Suechooks]

I'm seriously thinking of getting an Omlet cube for the hens and leaving the big house for the geese. The cost of an Omlet cube works out less expensive in the long run than the cost of regularly having to treat the big house with various treatments.

Just a word of warning - on another forum I visit, there was a thread by someone who had red mite very badly in an Eglu. It was staying on the birds apparently as there was nowhere for it to go in the day. Having said that I would think it would be easier to clear mite from plastic than wood but I've never examined one so don't really know. I used a plastic cat carrier as a nest box and the mite got into the holes where the pegs go to join the top and bottom together.
As I write this my head is itching remembering finding the mites down the little holes.

[colliebird]

Just a word of warning - on another forum I visit, there was a thread by someone who had red mite very badly in an Eglu. It was staying on the birds as well as in crevuces in the eglu apparently. Having said that I would think it would be easier to clear mite from than wood but I've never examined one so don't really know. I used a plastic cat carrier as a nest box and the mite got into the holes where the egs go to join the to and bottom together.
As I write this my head is itching remembering finding the mites down the little holes.

I know how you feel. As soon as I've finished installing the ladies, I've got to have (another) shower and wash my hair (again I feel as if they're crawling all over me.

I've ordered the big cube without the run and it will be here next Friday, flat packed, so there's a day gone constructing it :unsure:
I've put in a cardboard box as a nesting box. One egg laid already. They are all going in and kicking up one heck of a ruckus. They have got a lot to say!!! I don't know if they like the changes or not :

With the Omlet cube, you can't put food in it, so I'm going to have to find some sort of shelter so it doesn't get wet if (when) it rains. Food is usually hung from the top of the wire run that comes with the cube. I suppose I could put the food in the big chicken house, which will be taken up each night and put in a big metal bin.

[tlck9]

***** fluid is toxic to hens while still wet??????

[RichmondHens]

If someone gets mite in an Eglu then in my honest opinion it is due to bad husbandry. They are designed to be easy to take apart and clean thoroughly, so there is really no excuse for getting mite in them.

[di]

***** fluid is toxic to hens while still wet??????

Let the coop dry before they go back in.I usually scrub mine nearly dry with scrunched up newspaper & then leave the door wide for a while.As long as you don't absolutely saturate it,it really doesn't take long.
I imagine it's if they injest it?I also have a little sweep out after to pick up any contaminated bugs that have been killed by it.

[colliebird]

If someone gets mite in an Eglu then in my honest opinion it is due to bad husbandry. They are designed to be easy to take apart and clean thoroughly, so there is really no excuse for getting mite in them.

I discussed this for a long time with the Omlet people this morning, and have spoken to friends who have Eglus and the Cubes, they told me to really clean the Cube properly, they have to be taken apart because mites can, and do get in the joins, even if you clean them out every day. If the hens get mites outside from wild birds, they taken them into their "bedroom."
It apparently takes between 1 1/2 and 2 hours (at least) to put one of these cubes together, and another 1 1/2 - 2 hours to take it apart. I figure even that must be easier than going through what I've had to today, and have to continue doing it for the next few days, then weekly.
I've ordered a cube which is being delivered next Friday. Can't say I'm looking forward to putting it together. I'm a bit of a technophobe. It's my early Christmas pressie to my hens.
Whoever thinks having your own hens for eggs is cheaper than buying them at an organic free range farm, think again

Ho hum