tania Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Do others on the forum use red mite powder, or other type, as a pro-active device rather than wait for an infestation and then use it? I am wondering if I should start to use it now although, to my knowledge, the girls are clear of lice and mites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Yup, I always puff into nooks and crannies after a clean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleTree Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I puff DE powder all around when I remember, usually weekly and after a clean. Try and get some on the girls now and then too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I confess I have never bought any red mite powder. I've had an for 2 years and never had the dredded mite. I know it can happen so I am vigilant though. I use sometimes (but not always) put some DE (Diatomaceous Earth) in their dustbath. And I do have some Louse Powder which I shake on the hens every now and again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 When we had wooden roosting bars, I sprinkled Diatom liberally around after a cleanout. I don't bother any more. I do put red mite powder in their nestbox though (I like the smell!) I try to remember to dust their armpits periodically but don't remember very often . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Does anyone know if there are no wood-to-wood joins in the run/coop whether the red mites will congregate? I have taken delivery of a Cube extension and have two wooden rails (like curtain rails) that I intend to instal as a mezanine for the girlies at the end of the basic run. They will be parallell and attached and stabilised by a single metal plate and metal screws (sorry for the poor description). Since one of the (many) things I love about the Cube--especially since replacing the original wooden roosting bars with the plastic ones--is not worrying about red mites (though I do have a huge canister of the dust!) I don't want to unknowingly introduce an opportunity for the red mite. It's rather weird to be involved in red mite thinking patterns: oi, do we want to live betwen metal screw and wooden dowel in order to creep into the bed of the sleeping feathered ones? Thanks for any information! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moochoo Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I did have red mite in my cube last Summer it was in the notch where the nest box partition fits. It was incredibly easy to get rid of, I just wiped them out and put plenty of DE in the notch and that stopped it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I scatter it into the nest box and into any corners and crevices after the cube has been cleaned. Apart from anythng else, it smells lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Thanks Sarah and Egluntine! I guess I will break out the red mite dust then. I didn't know that red mites would hide in plastic--Darwinian adaptation at work, I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
