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red mite!!!! *they're back again!!*-cube arriving next week!

By Guest Poet, in Chicken Clinic

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Guest

Posted
Posted (edited)

just been out to do a check as shalott is looking really pale on top of everything else. I found red mite at the end of the roosting bar! I've squashed as many as I could and covered the area with diatom. Not much else I can do at this time of night. Ian is going to take the coop apart tomorrow and scrub it down, blow torch the corners etc.

 

Ian has always been so fastidious about cleaning the coop with poultry shield and dusting everywhere with diatom. In fact, he only cleaned it out recently and saw nothing so it must be in the last few days that they've moved in.

 

That settles it, I'm ordering a cube NOW!

 

I'm so upset as we've done everything right to keep them away and I'm worried about the girls going to bed tonight. :cry:

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Poplars Chicken Eggspert

Poplars

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Don't mean to put you off your cube... but we have still managed to get red mite in the eglu, even though we always dust it with red mite powder when we clean it and regularly coat the chickens/dustbaths in it...

 

I think it is down to luck as much as anything else :evil:

 

Eve

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Guest

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thanks for the warning, did you manage to get rid of them completely? What did you do to get rid?

 

I'm thinking the cube will be easier to maintain than the current coop which doesn't come apart easily and breaks hubbie's back when he has to clean it because it's so low down :?

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Guest

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I had red mite in my Eglu once. Took about 1/2 hour to get rid of them. Jetted & scrubbed the eglu - scrubbed the old wooden roosting bars, flapped powder stuff everywhere and never saw a sign of them again.

 

It was easy. Job Done!

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Lesley Eggsistentialist

Lesley

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We have had red mite once as well - brought in by the new hen we'd just bought :evil:

 

We did the same as Pengy and haven't seen it since.

 

Can't say the same about our wooden coop though - we just couldn't clear it properly - they kept coming back :evil: - we changed to all Eglus then.......

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Guest

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Ian's out there now with my creme brulee torch, blow torching all the nooks and crannies, then he's going to scrub the coop with poultry shield and then he's making a paste with the diatom and painting it all over the inside of the coop and stuffing the paste into any gaps. Then the girls are getting a dusting with diatom.

 

Hi Tessa, I've ordered a blue one to match in with the pots and garden furniture, blue is my favourite colour :)

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Guest

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ooooh that sounds like a LOT of work.

 

Red mite is a reason many more experienced keepers switch to the Eglu - seen a few postings on other forums about them.

 

Of course if you order a cube you will be getting the plastic bars - it was the wooden bars the red mite took hold on.

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Sheilaz Feathery Fanatic

Sheilaz

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Poet, now you've had red mite, you & Ian will be delighted with the Cube.

As others have said, you may still get red mite appearing, I've had them every summer, my garden must be a good place for them. But, it will be so much easier to get rid of them.

 

There is a big difference between a few mite noticed & quashed upon regular inspection, and the misery of a severe infestation which then re-emerges all summer.

 

I know you & Ian have been so careful & thorough, but the little "Ooops, word censored!"s (yes, this is a family forum Mark :lol: ) just appear sometimes whatever you do, but with a Cube they will be shortlived! 8)

 

By the way, Diatom only works in the dry, powder form. It's not effective when wet. Still, I suppose the paste is a good emergency measure as it will fill in cracks & dry out. Pouring/rubbing dry powder into cracks might be better if possible?

 

Sorry to hear about the redmite, I had them appear once this summer but they were soon gone. You'll love the Cube! :D

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Guest

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hi sheila

 

what a day! I read somewhere that someone used it as a paste but Ian said he also sprinkled some dry stuff around as well. The girls also had a good dusting.

 

being so fastidious we never thought it would happen to us but it just goes to show you doesn't it!

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after blow torching, scrubbing with poultry shield and a liberal dusting of DE, they're back!

It's so depressing.

 

Ian is going to do all the above all over again tomorrow, just hope it isn't pouring with rain.

 

Omlet, please hurry up with my cube :pray:

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Tessa the Duchess Chicken Addict

Tessa the Duchess

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after blow torching, scrubbing with poultry shield and a liberal dusting of DE, they're back!

It's so depressing.

 

That is depressing news Poet:( A while ago I read an article in Practical Poultry on red mite and it said they are very very difficult to get rid of altogether, especially in a wooden coop.

Could you try making a plea to Omlet for a speedy delivery telling them about the red mite and the fact that you keep ex batts?

 

Tessa

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Guest

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hi Tessa, tried that, all they said was that they could send it sooner if there was a cancellation, otherwise it'll be 13th october! I might try e-mailng Johannes but I suspect he'll be on his honeymoon for a few weeks.

 

abs, have you got the link to that thread at all please?

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abwsco Feathery Fanatic

abwsco

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hi Tessa, tried that, all they said was that they could send it sooner if there was a cancellation, otherwise it'll be 13th october! I might try e-mailng Johannes but I suspect he'll be on his honeymoon for a few weeks.

 

abs, have you got the link to that thread at all please?

 

Wasn't sure if I was allowed to post the link. Here it is http://kelseyinfo.co.uk/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1218483768. HTH

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mrsallen08 Frequent Layer

mrsallen08

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Hi Poet

Mites have been awful this year and a lot of people have been getting them (even with eglus!) It does seem to be a lot harder to tackle with wooden coops, we have one too! We are rebuilding a new home for them all soon which will be easier to clean out and separate if needs be! Hope its dry where you are to give a good diatom-ing! Good luck!

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