Hen house cleaning regime ?

[tlck9]

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.

I will have t re think this then, my biggest issue is space when im cleaning as I have no where for the birds to be put while doing it, so they try and come in, although I shoo them out again, also it will leak down the back onto the grass?

I usually rinse then paper it, but its still a little damp when I put paper back in

I need to think about varnishing the floor or something to stop it soaking into the wood

[Suechooks]

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.

Think the person in question had been poorly for a couple of days and someone else was feeding the chooks. I guess if it was in the dry hot spell that's all it would take. Never seen an Eglu in the flesh as it were so I don't know how they go together but the mites got into my cat carrier overnight!
OMG I'm itching again!

[dexterdoglancashire]

What an excellent thread. I've found everyones advice very interesting and informative. Hope to get my babies this weekend.

[colliebird]

Continuing the Mitey saga!
Opened the coop this morning, and in spite of all work, disinfecting, defestation yesterday, there is still a sign of mites on the perch. Just a couple of blood stains, but neverless, signs of mites. My birds were dusted with antimite too. The whole defestation and cleaning work has to be done all over again.
I'm really wondering whether I should continue keeping chooks.
sob sob sob

[RichmondHens]

Don't give up. I really do recommend Creocote, or Creotreat. No other treatment necessary. If you have somewhere to house your chooks temporarily, give the whole house a good painting over, pushing the liquid right into all the cracks and crevices. Can't remember if you have felt on the roof, but if so, get it off. Get a sheet of exterior grade ply on it instead.

That's all we do with ours - Creocote/Creotreat on the affected parts and potential mite sites, it kills all and prevents more coming. No disinfecting or spraying necessary. We have had some mite this year, but I can honestly say, just a few patches, no major infestation, and at the first sign of the critters, we repaint the problem areas, and they all die.

It's really worth doing, believe me.

[bluemoon]

One of my books recommends painting the perches with 2 parts paraffin to one part cooking oil as a creosote substitute. (only for preventing mites, not as a general wood treatment) I don't know if it works because touch wood, fingers and everything else crossed, we haven't yet had a red mite problem.

[womble]

Does anyone creosote inside the house as well as the outside?

[Hilary B]

Does anyone creosote inside the house as well as the outside?

Well of course! What would be the point of only doing OUTside? That isn't where the mites lurk! (the fact that every wooden hen-home we ever owned was creosoted, with the real thing in those days, may be why I am not sure I would know a red-mite if I saw one)

[RichmondHens]

As Hilary says, it is the INSIDE you need to do. You can do the outside too, of course, for weatherproofing, but what you paint on the outside can be whatever you choose, doesn't have to be creocote!

[vicky]

I have the inside of the coop painted with white gloss paint.
This seals the cracks in the wood and leaves less places for red mite to lurk. Have also sealed with decorators caulk along joins - same reason.
Outside of coop is treated wood (breathable).
White paint also means you can see any problems very qickly
It has really worked well for me. Still get the darn things but the problem has never got bad.
NB Gloss takes a while to dry so you need to leave the coop chook free till it is fumeless.
There's a piccie in my photo album

[womble]

Doh! I just assumed that I shouldn't creosote the inside of the coop as that's where the birds are!
I thought it might hurt them.
Bear with me, it's only taken me 8 years to get to this point

[RichmondHens]

The downside of creocoting is you have to remove the birds to alternative housing while you let the coop dry after treatment. This can take a couple of days. Apart from the fumes, the other problem is that damp perches can "burn" the chickens' feet. But if you plan treatment for a dry, breezy day, then the drying out shouldn't take too long. And chickens will cope with almost anything as temporary housing for a few days, as long as it is secure.