helenw Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I posted a few day ago about my mite problem (new member with a problem). I hadn't been out for a few days due to a head injury (long story) so husband been out with girls I let them out this morning and only 8 came out so I opened up the door and pearl, the one I had nursed back to health with a baby annabelle toy bottle ( weird I know but it worked). when i opened up the door I was shocked by the amount of red mites and grey mites all over the inside of the door. I have been searching the internet as to what to buy but now wonder what to do as one of them is dead. Would it have been the mites that killed pearl? I don't want to think about it really but does i t look like I'm going to lose them all? I also have a dog if we've brought any of them into the house with us will it cause the dog any problems? Any advice would be great. am going to phone the vet i think to see if i can get any advice too. Why is it that it's always my favourite chicken that dies. I know you guys will understand but it still surprises me how much I'm attached to them and both the ones I've nursed back to health now have died later and are always the affectionate ones. Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raina Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 So sorry for your loss Helen I'm sure someone will be along soon Raina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 (edited) Hi Helen, sorry you are having such a bad time of it lately, RIP Pearl & I hope the head injury wasn't too bad. Open the coop up so the sun can get to as much of it as possible, scrub down with Poultry Shield, scorch with a blowtorch (only on a wooden coop ), douse everything with Diatomaceous Earth (Diatom, DE) including the chickens...............boost the girls with extra protein (non-chicken cat food, tuna, scrambled egg & Life Guard added to their water, Poultry Spice to food) as the little blighters leave them anaemic.....if you can move them to another bug free house until you are sure theirs is clear...........I think this is all I have gleaned from here re red mite There are other powders to use for lice some of which are not licensed for chook use therefore have egg withdrawal periods, but I think the above treatments for the house would sort any lice as well as red mite. I can't say whether the bugs would affect the dog...makes me itchy to think about it!! I'd have thought a dose of Diatom wouldn't do him any harm though....don't forget to change & as hot as possible wash your clothes and have a hot shower after you've treated the house & chooks. Good luck with sorting this, & I hope everything settles in the next few days If any of the above is incorrect or lacking, I'm sure one of the more experienced bods will be along soon, Sha x P.S. check out viewtopic.php?f=11&t=49662&view=unread#unread....lots of info re red mite & treatments.... Edited to add you should only blowtorch a wooden coop not an eglu Edited August 8, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I'm so sorry to hear about Pearl - how sad . Very sorry to hear about your head injury too, I hope you're recovering OK . I don't have personal experience of red mite ( ) but Wild Mum has covered all the bases, I reckon . I think red mite themselves can't kill a chicken but if they have underlying health problems (as Pearl obviously did ), it can be too much for them to cope with . I hope you get it sorted - what a worry for you . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenw Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 Thanks guys, really appreciate it, heard from vet, we have an excellent avian vet nearby who is always so helpful if you just call for some advice. He thinks the mites would have killed pearl I must say one of my others babs is looking a bit thinner too so hopefully I'm not going to lose all my girls The vet kind of gave me the same advice as you guys which was to totally do the house over. It's so annoying because I'm really thorough with cleaning the hen house. Everytime i do it it is scrubbed down with vikron and then covered with lice powder. I always try to be careful as we live rurally and there are lots of bugs that come off of the crops. Wild mum you seem an expert so I'm going to follow your advice thanks. I haven't got any where to move them too so think it is going to take a few goes to really ensure they're gone. I just can't understand where they've all come from and so quickly. Am going to get all those bits , the vet also said if none of that work then buy a new shed for them. Might even be able to save up for an eglu, don't they reduce the risk? Unfortunately for my husband he's going to have to go in there and do it as i'm going into hospital for an op, (unrelated to the head injury by the way)on saturday and don't think they'll let me in if I've been in there. Keeping kids well away too. They're nasty little suckers (I mean the mites not the kids....actually....) But thank you for your help. It's so nice to hear from people I panic because i love my girls and just don't want to lose them all. My friends think I'm odd but they are proper pets to us and not just egg layers. Thanks again. Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Wild mum you seem an expert so I'm going to follow your advice thanks. I haven't got any where to move them too so think it is going to take a few goes to really ensure they're gone. I just can't understand where they've all come from and so quickly. Not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, this is just what I've picked up from Omleteers as a few have succumbed in the past week or two and it's been heartbreaking to read their posts....one also suggests moving the coop & run as red mites can live in/on the soil (?) for up to 6 months Your DH is going to be busy Re eglus/cubes, yes the risk is reduced with the plastic which is easier to jet-hose down & less nooks & crannies for the little beasties to hide in...I have with a mum & 3 babies, and with 9 other feathered girls in and am constantly on the lookout for unwanted visitors **shivers with skin crawling sensations** Hope all goes well on Saturday, Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romany Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Really sorry to hear about Pearl. I second all the red mite treatment advice. The plastic of the eglu really does help reduce the risk of mites because the environment is too hard for them to live in - no nice damp wooden nooks and crannies. I haven't had mites once since having an eglu (over 4 years). A word of warning though - it's good to blowtorch a wooden hen house, but very bad to do it on an eglu!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted August 8, 2009 Share Posted August 8, 2009 Good point, I've amended my original post to reflect that omission Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
