Red Mite

[its hilly]

Doing my regular clean out today and for the first time ever I actually found red mite sitting on the end of one of my roosting bars, just two or three, but even so. So instead of a quick spray round after mucking out every crack and crevice got scrubbed out and saturated with *****. Glad it was a nice warm day to leave the residents shut outside while it dried. Cant believe I'd managed to avoid them for so long, but they really dont like ***** do they

[Suechooks]

They not too fussed on Creocote either!

[Glutton4...]

I had them in one nest-box last year. I zapped them with Smite, and they were never to return - I hope!

[petal]

we had a real problem with red mite last year, I am cleaning out today, so it will be interesting to see if its returned! Got the poultry shield and diatom to hand, vaseline for the edges of roosting bars....

[polo]

The girls I rescued last year had red mite living on them they were that badly infested in the house. They were all over us as well when we picked them up.

Double sided sticky tape on the ends of the perch was particularly satisfying but poultry shield and diatom had killed every last one in the house within 3 days. Good stuff!

[its hilly]

I normally diatom (well Get Rid) round the floor and nest boxes too, but have run out so not done it this year...think maybe thats what is making the difference.

[jimred]

They had the oil based creosote at BQ £10.00 for 5ltrs, i also use Johnson coop spray, diatom & Poultry Shield and a mini steam cleaner 2-3 times a year

[grenhouse]

Had a nightmare with red mite last year both at the lottie and with the girls at home. At the lottie I mixed gardening lime and water and painted the whole of the shed which worked a treat!
At home I used poultry shield and then used diatom which cleared it up. However, it has just reared its ugly head once more, just a case of keeping on top of it I think.
Steam cleaner is good for getting in all of those cracks.

Steve

[polo]

Just inspected, scrubbed and poultry shielded the whole coop again just to be sure! Good day for it - dried out in a couple of hours.

[BUFFS]

i used ***** fluid earlier in the year to kill off the mites and then dusted with diatom,as i have a 2ft square plant tray (i roll the floor papers onto it) up one end of the coop,i lift it out,with all the days/nights deposits,and empty it onto the compost heap,when i put it back,i place one end down and let the other end drop,quickly closing the lid,this causes the diatom powder to be blown into the air in the coop,like a fine mist,covering all the surfaces and so the powder that was sprinkled on the coop floor redusts the inside coop each day,since i accidentally did this the first time,it is now a ritual each day and really makes the most of the ingredients in the powder,saving pennies at the same time as keeping the chook mob clear of "visitors".....