Other than Creocote/sote...

[OverWyreGrower]

Found a bad infestation of red mite this morning in one of our sheds... wasn't there when I cleaned out on Sunday...

For the time being I've sprayed everything with ***** fluid and shut the house up. The hens have a second shed, small ark and old dog kennel, so they'll just have to lump it....

Apart from creocoting the shed (which I'll have to do at the weekend.... is there anything else I need to do??

Blerk, I had the mite on my hands, and now I feel horribly itchy all over... off to have a shower!!

[RichmondHens]

Should be ok. How much "fluid" did you spray about? Just wondering whether it will react with the creosote. I use copious amounts of Diatom if I can't immediately creosote and that usually does the trick. I found a massive sack on line this time last year (about 30 odd kilos) which worked out much cheaper than buying smaller tubs/buckets. Buying it like that does mean you can be more cavalier about chucking it about without worrying about cost so much.

[OverWyreGrower]

It's J*y*s fluid - I have a spray bottle of it, for cleaning out the houses... everything got a blummin' good soaking, so it was running down the walls, and dripping off the perches etc...

It will have dried by the time I paint it at the weekend....

[petal]

best thing to do! can you get a bug bomb? i have heard they are really good.

[OverWyreGrower]

Ooh, what are they? I read you can use a g/house sulphur candle....

[tlck9]

I've had redmite first time in ages. I used ***** fluid and then once I could get hold of it a redmite fluid I had to mix myself - I powder after every clean so I couldnt understand why I got them - perhaps the little monkeys have got used to diatom!

I've creosoted the perches and exchanged them while they dried )took 2 days in total to dry out. I've removed the paper every morning and sprayed the nettex stuff each day leaving it to dry and then wiping it over.

Only trouble with creosote is I cant see if theres any on the perches (i'm hopefully assuming and someone can put me right on this) that red mite wont got near the creosote?????)

Anyway a week on having found a few stragglers I seem to have quashed them fingers crossed. poor chucks havent had any proper bedding, only ripped up newspaper as I was worried it would hide in the bedding. At least with ripped up newspapers you dont mind throwing them out every day

[Glutton4...]

I sprinkled Diatom liberally over my shavings/sawdust that I use as bedding and nest-box material, and mixed it in. I washed out (and dried! ) an old washing-up liquid bottle, filled it with Diatom, and puffed it in all the awkward areas, too.

Until this year I have always sworn by S mite that you mix yourself, as it has always worked, but this year it just wasn't enough. I'm itching now, just thinking about them.

I thought J***s fluid was a no-no around Chooks?

[RichmondHens]

I

I thought J***s fluid was a no-no around Chooks?

It contains phenols which are harmful to chooks. However I'm sure creosote contains nasties too which is why it's imperative it is dry before putting the chooks back in the house. I think J fluid used sparingly on the house is probably ok (although it is a strong disinfectant and not an insecticide so personally I would not use it to try and kill mites), but I have heard of some people putting it on the ground in the run which I think is not wise, any area that a chicken feeds on or in really needs to be chemical free otherwise you do risk poisoning them.

[OverWyreGrower]

Everything has been liberally doused with Smite and left to dry.... I'm itching just thinking about it! I ended up wearing a decorators coverall and respirator, as well as latex gloves.... the blighters were everywhere - I had to shower again straight afterwards, as I was still covered in them...

Going in with the powder tonight, in the hope that the birds can move back in this week....

[jessmorris]

I find the stuff from Nettex that you mix up yourself good for keeping mites away. Its contains Permethrin which is a nasty chemical but it will kill mites. It is harmless to poultry. ***** fluid and creosote/cote contains phenols (*****) and other volatile substances that are released into the air. They are no good for anyone (this is why creosote has not been allowed for sale for some time) including mites, poultry and people. Diatom is an inert mineral that cuts the mites. It is innocuos (how do you spell that??) to larger creatures and can be used as a dusting powder. Personally I'd rather use substances that are specific to a problem/pest that a more broad brush approach. I must add though that creosote preserved wood better than anything else since!

Good luck,
JM

[BUFFS]

a lad down the road told me he gets a steam cleaner from his brother in law,one of those big ones with a long lance and in august he moves his birds out,cleans, then steams the whole thing out and the surrounding walls,he says it works 100% and he baths his birds before they are allowed back in,they always look like drowned rats when wet ,but i found myself that it was worth it,it kept them bug free and comfortable...