Solitary chicken - need advice

[Lewis]

Good news.

Hope she is feeling better, it might be worth getting some red mite powder for the other chickens aswell as the flubenvet, just incase you carried any over on your clothes.

[JS1]

Sorry for your loss, Tom, but thanks very much for posting. I bet I'm not the only person who dusted her chickens with red mite powder as a result.

Glad Lucy is well and enjoy your holiday.

[The Dogmother]

Please all be aware that Red Mite Powder is only a preventative - it doesn't seem to kill mites, whereas Diatom does.

[Olly]

:Eek - I hadn't realised that! Thanks for the tip, Claret. I have both, but I have been using the powder because it smells so nice ...

[Chucky Mama]

Please all be aware that Red Mite Powder is only a preventative - it doesn't seem to kill mites, whereas Diatom does.

:Eek - I hadn't realised that! Thanks for the tip, Claret. I have both, but I have been using the powder because it smells so nice ...

 

Beware of things that are labelled as 'repellants' and 'preventatives'. Proven medicines have a marketing authorisation (MA) number on the packaging.

[peta]

Hi,

sorry for the late add on, just read your post. We had the same problem last summer and lost 3 to red mite. The vet told us that they will live in the ground for 6 months and we had to move the house to a new location. So even if you get the house all clean, you would have to have it in a new location for 6 months to get rid of them.

 

I also now do night checks. If you open the hatch at night and light a flash light inside you will be able to see if you have red mites as they will only come out at night.

 

Glad to hear Lucy is ok

[Staffordmum]

The vet told us that they will live in the ground for 6 months and we had to move the house to a new location. So even if you get the house all clean, you would have to have it in a new location for 6 months to get rid of them.

 

Good point! Odd that no-one has mentioned it to date ...

 

Rgds, Pat & Steve

[The Dogmother]

Beware of things that are labelled as 'repellants' and 'preventatives'. Proven medicines have a marketing authorisation (MA) number on the packaging.

 

Thanks CM, do you have an example of what an MA number looks like, so we all know what we are looking for?

 

I still use red mite powder sprinkled in the nest - it keeps it fresh and deters and crawlers, but I certainly wouldn't rely on it to kill any.

 

Poultry Shield is very good. Net-Tex have brought out a similar product (pink liquid) in a spray and concentrate. I haven't had a chance to look at the label to see the active ingredients though.

 

You can always spray inside the housing with the Johnson's Anti-mite spray, but please remember that it's not licenced for use on poultry in the UK, and is toxic to cats. The same applies if you dust the housing with Ant Powder which contains Permethrin. Both very effective and recommended by an old poultry farmer, but not licenced.

[Chucky Mama]

I have just had a look and it looks like the MA number has changed to a vm number. Veterinary medines as many of you will know come in different catagories according to who can dispense them. Those veterinary medicines that are retricted will have the letters on such as AVM-GSL, NFA-VPS., POM-VPS, POM-V etc, they will also have printed on the packaging a vm number which usually appears next the these letters. I would advise that if you are buying meds that do not have a vm at least ensure that the product has a batch number and expiry date, this at least indicates that there is some degree of monitoring. Products without vm are not allowed to make any medicinal claims on the packaging.

 

Here is an extract from current regulations regarding Insecticides and Repellants:

 

"Any product appied to animals containing substances that kill insects such as pyrethrins or organophosphours compounts, is medicinal by function and therefore must have a marketing authorisation. Products containing repellent, such as diethyltoluamide (DEET) or ethylhexanediol, without any form of insecticial (meaning actually kills not repels) activiy may be marketed without a marketing authorisation providing they claim only to repel insects...... Products applied only to housing and/or bedding fall within the scope of the Biocides legislation and would not be considered veterinary medicinal products....

The same rules apply to Herbal products."

 

Those using words such as 'Relieve, Remedy, Repairs, Solves, Treats, Pesticide, Ointment, Herbal Wormer, Heals, Protects, - even the word dose, implies a 'medicine' and should have a vm number on packaging. If it doesn't it is flying below the radar and is breaking Veterinary Medicines Regulations.

[The Dogmother]

Thank you for that clarification CM

 

Just to get this clear, does this apply to products containing permethrin?

[Chucky Mama]

According to the documentation that I have Permetherin is considered 'medicinal by function' and is classed as an 'insecticidal'. - as you know, deadly in concentration in cats

[JS1]

I've rubbed the chickens with red mite powder and puffed the house with Diacotamous (sp>) Earth - is that the right thing to do? And is DE the same thing as Diatom? It's preventative as there is no sign of any problem so far, touch wood!

[The Dogmother]

DE and Diatom are the same thing. Its method is mechanical as it works on the outer shell of bugs and causes them to dehydrate. I'd use it for both dusting and the housing - save yourself a bob or two.

 

It is easier to use if you decant the big tub into a shaker container or one of those squashy ketchup bottles.

[JS1]

Thanks Claret - looks like I've wasted the money on the big tub of red mite powder and should have spent it on more DE. You live and learn (I quite like the packaging, though )

[The Dogmother]

You can still sprinkle it in the housing, dust bath and nest box as a deterrent. I just love the smell when I open the pop-hole

[tom123]

* * * * BUMPING TO KEEP PEOPLE WARNED ABOUT RED MITE THIS SUMMER * * * *

[Millie-Annie]

Thank you Tom, what a thoughtful idea.

 

I hope Lucy is still well and you have recovered from your awful summer.

 

My girls had red mite last year, luckily despite quite a heavy infestation they were fine. I think like some other people said your girls were probably under the weather anyway.

 

My husband completely removed our felt roofing and burned all our perches. He also sealed every single crack, then painted the inside of the house with a non-toxic glue stuff and completely pebble dashed it in diatoms. We cover the floor in diatoms and the girls have plastic trays over the top with their bedding in.

 

Hope that might help someone too

[The Dogmother]

It would probably help Millie-Annie. I usually recommend for people with wooden houses to replace the roofing felt with Onduline, and to fill all the nooks and cracks inside before painting with gloss paint or varnish - of course, you'd need to air it very thoroughly before putting birds in it.

 

It's coming up for the quarter, so I'll be dosing mine for worms and lice/mites. It really helps to keep on top of it (as you say) with preventative measures to keep the girls in top condition.

[sage]

Many Thanks Tom.

As a newbie getting 6 girl on Saturday I didn't realise red mite could be so bad.

 

Sage

[The Dogmother]

It depends on the general condition of your hen; if it has a bad infestation of worms for instance, the red mites could possibly finish it off.

[staceychristie]

Good luck with your new hens SAGE. Never under estimate the power of naughty little bugs. Keep an eye out. and Worm with Flubenvet.

 

Stacey

[Jools]

I usually recommend for people with wooden houses to replace the roofing felt with Onduline, and to fill all the nooks and cracks inside before painting with gloss paint or varnish - of course, you'd need to air it very thoroughly before putting birds in it.

 

I've used wooden houses for over seven years and while I would recommend replacing roofing felt, the rest is not necessary. For red mite prevention in wooden houses, you need to be vigilent and never let your prevention measures slip, whatever powders, sprays or treatments you choose to use.

[Sheilaz]

Good advice. It's easy to develop a good routine of preventative measures, and step it up quickly should a few mites slip through.

Much harder to deal with heavy infestations, prevention is much simpler, and necessary with this warmer weather.

[Egluntyne]

A friend of mine, who is an experienced chicken keeper, recommends a product called **RIP**.

 

Whilst the manufacturers make no claims about its red mite zapping properties, it is supposed to have excellent results. I've seen it mentioned on other forums too.

 

You spray the housing (not the hen!) and then spray again a few days later to catch stragglers/hatchlings.

[tom123]

*BUMPETTY BUMP!*