Red (Black) mites

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Scarlet. Looks like a trip to Countrywide tomorrow. I need some layers pellets anyway...........and there's a garden centre.

[kathyd]

I seem to remember the recommended thing in this forum is to paint your coop with Creocote? Then spread diatomaceous earth around liberally? Or I have a friend who uses a blow torch (carefully I assume!!) throughout her coop, followed by DE. As long as you're aware of the problem and monitoring it, anything that works has to be good xx

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Kathy
Creocote and blow torches wouldn't work for me as I use a plastic dog kennel as a coop. Don't think the girls would be too impressed if I melted their home!
The good news is - its easy to strip down and clean all the joints.
Just hope I can remember how it all fits back together!

[Scarlet]

Yes, I use creosote (the real stuff that farmers use) and diatom on the floors/perch joins as a preventative.

[fishpond]

Hi VC
Would front line do it?
You need to talk to a tame vet.

[veggiechicken]

I bought this https://www.countrywidefarmers.co.uk...ill-promo-pack
Have sprayed the kennel with the Ready to use squirty thing and dusted the floor and nestbox with the powder (Diamotaceous earth).
The chooks treadle feeder is up on a coffee table so, while they were up on the table, eating, I snook up behind them and puffed the DE over their rears! You should have seen the looks they gave me
Their bottoms are still well feathered and there was no sign of irritation on their skin. Also, they're still laying 2/3 eggs a day so I'm hoping that I've spotted it in time, before any real damage was done.

[Scarlet]

Don't forget to put the stuff in the dust bath ...they'll civer theirselves daily if you put so win there.

[veggiechicken]

I'll do that tomorrow - they have several bath holes
I bought this stuff as an immediate solution - now that I have a bit more time I'll shop around for bigger quantities. Buy some of the powder you mentioned too.

[mrsbusy]

Hi just thought I would add my sixpenoth worth. I agree with veggiechick - I had a mega red mite problem last year with a wooden hen house which was passed on to me and altho I jet washed it and treated with DE the problem only resolved when I sprayed with total mite kill ! OMG how many crawled out from seemingly no-where!!! But you must repeat x 3 a week apart to get the newly hatched ones - like dealing with head lice!! You must also change the bedding every week - and I hoovered thoroughly then chucked the bag out. Also take great care with disposing of any bedding if you have red mites - I put it in a big sack and burn it. Once I left the bag outside for a week or so - my husband picked it up and ended up with tiny grey mites (as they had not had a hen to feed off and turn red) all over his hands where they managed to get out of the bag! He had to stand in the bath, take all his clothes off which went straight in the machine on hot wash, and scrub himself under the shower. He was seriously not impressed!! I would say I am paranoid about red mites with reason.
I bought a large 2 litre concentrate of Total Mite Kill and a pump spray from Aldi - works a treat. But only use if there is an infestation not as a preventative. I scrutinise all the perches for any signs of mite. Spot On works but you need to make sure you get one with Ivermectin 1% - the one I get online is for large ornamental birds - some spot ons are for cats and dogs. I do not withhold the eggs but that is my choice - we eat them and have come to no harm - but I would not give any eggs away if the hens have had spot on treatment. BTW highly unlikely that you would find red mites on the hens as they live off the bird; but there are lots of other mites that live on the hen - if I find a hen with mites oh her I use a Johnsons spray from pets at home and also try and remove the eggs which will be on the base of the feathers. I know DE is the first go to treatment but I just don't think it works if there is already an infestation.

[veggiechicken]

Just a heads up.
Cleaning the chook kennel out today and spotted a small patch of red spider mites on the cardboard that I line the floor with.
Keep your eyes peeled when you clean your chooks out.

[roitelet]

We have been plagued with the critters this summer. They are everywhere!!!!!!! Bad infestation in one chook house so moved the chooks to another while I dealt with house one. They were even congregating in the cobwebs. Tried all sorts to get rid of them in the end resorted to a flame gun, which after a couple of goes seemed to work. Now have a slightly charred house, then, blow me they were as bad in house two. Flame gunned it, dismantled it, creosoted it inside and out and now in the process of putting it back together with some new bits. Hope it works and then I can do the other one. What you for chooks and they are not even laying!

[veggiechicken]

Just bumping this for the chook keepers.
I've just cleaned out the coop and given it a spray with Red Mite stuff. Trying to be proactive this year!!

[fishpond]

If its of any interest to keepers of poultry, you can buy proper genuine old style creosote online(this is not creocote).
Or invest in a cube or similar(plastic) coop.
Never had Red Mite in many years (lucky or plastic?)
Never likely to now as I am having a couple of years off------really miss the eggs though.