4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[alison]

I was reassured when I saw poo in the nesting box this morning, I thought they felt it safe enough to sleep in again, but alas, when I put my hand in to get the eggs, I appear to have collected at least 6 little critters crawling on my hand!

 

The nesting box is thick with diatom, thee cube is covered, in avery crook and crevice with diatom. They are grey coloured, I can't see any trace of any red ones, so where am I in the cycle of eradication?

 

Thank you

 

P.S There is one on my foot now!

[abwsco]

Yuck at them getting on you. Even though I've a wooden coop I've never had that.

 

How many days have you been treating it and also have you made sure that you've washed everything that has come into contact with the cube including your clothes and yourself. I also put all my cleaning out tools in the diluted poultry shield solution. Sorry if that comes across as cheeky but it's not meant to be.

 

Another thing, do you have a WIR as they will live on the wood in that as well.

[The Dogmother]

Anne is right, you need to keep on treatign it.

 

Although Diatom is said to kill mites, I have see them walk straight through it before now!

 

The new Total Mite Kill cleaner contains Permethrin, so will definitely kill the little blighters, but as with all anti-mite and lice treatments; you need to repeat it regularly to break the lifecycle of the bugs. Just be careful not to use it near cats as Permethrin is toxic to them.

[Redwing]

I read that redmite can crawl up to 3 feet from the coop so I treated that corner of my walk in run too as well as the table that the Eglu is sat on

[xScrunchee]

This stuff stays active for up to 12 months and doesn't break down with UV light.

Lots of chicken folk use it apparently

 

Here

[Redwing]

I use this which is similar I think

 

http://www.quiko.co.uk/Ardap.htm

 

I found it really good but being a srpay it doesnt go very far so I reverted to Poultry Sheifl and Total Mite Kill

 

I am really impressed with the Total Mite Kill and will be using that whenever I can get my hands on it/afford it

[The Dogmother]

Both have the same active ingredients as Total Mite Kill, which comes in both a concentrate and ready-to-use spray form.

[bronze]

means I cant use their eggs but I'm treating my girls consistently as well as spraying the house and putting diatom in the bedding. I still have them but I feel like I'm winning

[Redwing]

Yes its a good feeling isn't it Bronze, I checked under roosting bars this morning and only found a few thank goodness

[xScrunchee]

so does Total mite kill and Poultry sheild last for 12 months too?

[The Dogmother]

so does Total mite kill and Poultry sheild last for 12 months too?

 

 

How do you mean 'last for 12 months?' There's no expiry on the packs so far as I can see.

 

I recommend treatment every 2-4 days if you have an infestation and weekly as maintenance after that.

[xScrunchee]

Once sprayed on it lasts for 12 months

 

(See link in previous message)

[The Dogmother]

Personally, I'd not trust anything which says that - it probably does... under lab conditions, but with weekly cleaning and chooks tramping in and out, I wouldn't rely on that aspect of its claims

 

I'd much prefer to clean weekly and remain vigilant. Nothing compares to good husbandry

[xScrunchee]

Nothing compares to good husbandry

 

Agree 100%

Haven't got red mite here at all right now, in fact so far I haven't had any red mite or lice in over two years but never say never I guess.

 

My hens are all treated with Ivermectin* and I recently spayed the Eglu with Raid crawling insect killer which supposedly lasts 6 weeks.

 

 

I will get a can of this however as it comes highly recommended from long time chook keepers and it cannot do any harm even if the protection doesn't last the full 12 months-a few months is better than nothing and the price is reasonable enough to use it a few times a year I think.

 

 

 

*Not licensed for use on poultry in the UK.

[The Dogmother]

Good call, but I'd be suspicious of anything that claims to last for any longer than a week - normal washing and wear and tear would be bound to rub it off.

 

An old poultry hand told me about Ant Powder (which contains Permethrin)* and I used it when clearing a nasty NFM infestation; found it to be brilliant in the housing and dustbath.

 

**Not licensed for use on poultry in the UK

[alison]

I have Indorex, I use it when the cats get fleas.

 

I did treat the walk in run with poultry shield and diatom, you can't see for dust and it is not easy to do it one handed ( just had Carpal Tunnel release surgery!)

[bronze]

I love that nothing really effective is licensed but we all use them anyway

[Snowy]

I've also just rezapped the cube with Poultry Shield - when I collected eggs this morning I had dozens on my hand!!!!

My skin is crawling just thinking about the blighters

Just waiting for it to dry then I will spray with Total Mite Kill and when THATS dry, diatom it

I've run out of Ardap, but that is pretty good too.

What else can I throw at them?

[The Dogmother]

A lot of the problems seem to come from the proximity of wooden WIRs

 

Make sure that you treat those too.

 

Snowy, is yours sited under a tree?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I thought wooden WIR's were OK as they are subjected to sunlight ? Or is it the nooks and crannies that the sun doesn't reach you have to watch out for? How far would red mite travel to "have a meal"?

[Snowy]

A lot of the problems seem to come from the proximity of wooden WIRs

 

Make sure that you treat those too.

 

Snowy, is yours sited under a tree?

 

Erm .... not quite under the tree .... the tree is actually under cover inside the WIR. I've just poured the bucket of poultry shield solution over it though

 

I ws concerned about the branches that they roost on, so have been poultry shielding and total mite killing those as well

[abwsco]

I thought wooden WIR's were OK as they are subjected to sunlight ? Or is it the nooks and crannies that the sun doesn't reach you have to watch out for? How far would red mite travel to "have a meal"?

 

A poster on the P P forum who hasn't written an excellent "How to get rid" reckons 3 ft away from their sleeping area.

[The Dogmother]

I'm in the process of writing an article for this forum, Guys

 

Trees are the worst culprit, i'm afraid.

[Snowy]

Claret is that because wild birds bring them to the trees, or because the mites find plenty of hidey holes in them?

[The Dogmother]

Both really; they live in the cracks on trees and under the bark and then come out to feed on the roosting birds at night, just liek the do in a hen coop