Chicken picking at feet

[Kit]

I think I have had red mites for 4 weeks now..

 

When I first discovered them (a few red blood dots on the eglu door) I took the whole thing apart including bolts and screws and power washed with poultry shield, treated the girls with red mite powder, sprayed poultry shield and left to dry on eglu.

 

Then 4 days later the few red blood dots appeared on the same place and I did the same again this time adding diatom powder as well.

 

I have now done this a total of 4 times and I have just discovered a few of those dots.

 

I have read the threads on red mites and I am at a loss to what to do next.

 

I am about to do the same again, but this time blow torch the concrete floor as well.

 

I have today bought some Johnsons anti mite spray to spray on the 3 hens and some red mite eradicate which I will mix 1:10 to spray on eglu...

 

Will this be enough or shall i use frontline...taking cat to vets later so will enquire about the invomec (sp)

 

 

Thanks

[The Dogmother]

See advice here

 

Sorry to hear about your infestation; they are especially bad this year.

[Kit]

Thanks Clare...where would I be without your wonderful knowledge!

 

Took my hens to the vets today and she said that there are no mites on them but as one of them has lost all her breast & crop feathers she was going to treat them with xeno 450.

 

Martha's bald skin around her crop is looking very red but vet just said that it could be due to the red mites in eglu. I took the thing apart this afternoon and only found 3 spots, does this mean it is a mild infestation?

 

Shall I spray the Johnson's anti mite spray to top up the xeno 450?

 

Kit

[sandyhas3chucks]

i just bought a replacement for my broken hand steam cleaner. £30 from Argos.

Shouldn't that kill them?

How about taking them right out at night for while for a rest. cat basket, dog crate nice big cosy box would do.

Then you could go out after dark and blast the little critters with that kill stuff ftom B&Q that people are having good results from.

[cavysqueak]

I hope your red mite eradication efforts pay off. We've been wondering if we have them as our chickens have been bald either side of the breastbone (although you can't tell until you pick them up) since the spell of exceptionally hot weather in June(ish) time. We have looked all over the eglu & didn't find any signs of any mites/insects. We treated them & the eglu with the white Diatomaceous Earth twice anyway & have still been keeping an eye out since - all to no avail, so we still don't know what (if any) beasts have been the issue.

 

I'm wondering if they could go bald for any other reason, e.g. they pulled some feathers out as they were very hot?!?!? As we've never actually seen any parasites, the chickens are laying well and don't mind going to bed at night. Also the skin shows no signs of any problems. Their skin is smooth, warm (isn't it surprising how warm they are at skin level!!) & a lovely pale pink, not red.

 

Puzzling! (For a newbie chicken-hand, anyway!)

[sandyhas3chucks]

could they be moulting ?

a few of us seem to have depluming mite this year, perhaps you should read the threads and see what you think

[cavysqueak]

could they be moulting ?

a few of us seem to have depluming mite this year, perhaps you should read the threads and see what you think

 

Thank you for your advice. I'd never heard of that type of mite! Sounds horrible! I'm not sure what to try if they seem fine, but as things can become worse quickly & the neem oil is quite 'gentle' on the environment, maybe its worth trying it.

[Sarahsausage]

They are horrendous aren't they! I had a big problem with them this year and still get the odd few in the (wooden) coop. I have found that Poultry Shield is the best thing to use as it seems to kill them on contact. It took a few weeks of regular weekly dismantles and thorough dousings to get rid of most of them but as I say I'm still getting the odd ones appearing. Horrid!

[urbanchick]

Sorry to hear about your red mite. I had a nasty infestation in my cube last summer and I've kept them away with poultry shield and diatom ever since. I think the 2 products used in combination provide the most effective treatment. Have you got wooden roosting bars? If so upgrade to plastic. Also, make sure you smear diatom over the walls and roof, in fact every surface, I use a cloth or do it with a rubber glove on my hand. I hope things improve.

[Kit]

Hi Urbanchick and everybody else

 

I have plastic roosting bars and I have sprinkled diatom everywhere today.

 

I also used the total mite kill, sprayed it over everything and fingers crossed that will do the trick.

 

incidentally how do you smear diatom everywhere?...do you mix it with some water to get a paste? So far I have mixed it in with the nest box, sprinkled on the poo tray, on roosting bars, on the door and egg port.

 

I have also stuck some sticky fly traps in the eglu hoping to trap a few beasties.

 

regards

Kit

[The Dogmother]

I have found Total Mite Kill to be brilliant..

 

Xeno* and the Johnson's Spray* really have different applications; the Xeno will act as a preventative, whereas the Spray is a topical and direct killer for lice and mites. Please note that straight Ivermectin* as found in the Xeno spray won't kill all beasties; Ivomec Eprinex (marketed as Eprinex)* will though.

 

*none of these products are licensed for use on poultry in the UK; your vet will advise and egg withdrawal period when using them.

 

It really is down to being persistent and keeping up the attack. Using an ant powder containing permethrin* in the housing is very effective too.

 

Diatom is the most effective of the non-medical products, but I'd only consider it to be a deterrent rather than an effective treatment. I use it in my hens' dust bath.

 

Some of my hens pull out their breast and tummy fetahers in the summer to cool themselves down, this si normal. Mine are all starting to moult at the moment, so there are loads of feathers flying around!

[Sheilaz]

.....incidentally how do you smear diatom everywhere?...do you mix it with some water to get a paste? So far I have mixed it in with the nest box, sprinkled on the poo tray, on roosting bars, on the door and egg port....

 

You're right to use it dry, Diatom is ineffective wet, so I just rub the powder by hand onto surfaces & into crevices.

 

Good luck versus redmite, soundsas if you're getting there.

[Abbey Road Girl]

I think I have had red mites for 4 weeks now..

 

When I first discovered them (a few red blood dots on the eglu door) I took the whole thing apart including bolts and screws and power washed with poultry shield, treated the girls with red mite powder, sprayed poultry shield and left to dry on eglu.

 

 

My ladies had a red mite infestation--horrible--but I think that you need to spray Poultry Shield on dry areas or it won't work. I think that it's also true that diatom is only effective when dry.

[xScrunchee]

I think I have had red mites for 4 weeks now..

 

When I first discovered them (a few red blood dots on the eglu door) I took the whole thing apart including bolts and screws and power washed with poultry shield, treated the girls with red mite powder, sprayed poultry shield and left to dry on eglu.

 

Then 4 days later the few red blood dots appeared on the same place and I did the same again this time adding diatom powder as well.

 

I have now done this a total of 4 times and I have just discovered a few of those dots.

 

I have read the threads on red mites and I am at a loss to what to do next.

 

I am about to do the same again, but this time blow torch the concrete floor as well.

 

I have today bought some Johnsons anti mite spray to spray on the 3 hens and some red mite eradicate which I will mix 1:10 to spray on eglu...

 

Will this be enough or shall i use frontline...taking cat to vets later so will enquire about the invomec (sp)

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Are you certain that the dots are red mite?

In my opinion they sound more like fly vomit.

 

Y'know those little red/black/brown dots you see on light fittings in shops and places?

 

I know that in my Eglu I sometimes find little fly vomit dots on the door or on the grey front panel on the inside.

 

Just a thought as it doesn't sound like a red mite infestation to me

[LJ's Chooks]

if it is critters... try nippon ant powder in their dust bath, eglu (everywhere), and on the girls... mind their eyes though. It seems to have really helped our girls. Not all ant powder contains permethrin though, but nippon does. if its a critter, nippon pretty much kills it!

 

good luck.

Edited September 10, 2009 by Guest

[sandyhas3chucks]

please please please be soooooooo careful with the fly papers, it is horrid if it sticks to the girls, can be dreadful sometimes to get off

(here speaks the voice of too many experiences!!!!)

I take it you are taking the front off when you do your total claen blitz, and put diatom or PSheild in them pesky moulding holes!!!!!

[Kit]

Thanks Sandy

 

The sticky fly papers are placed in the poo tray so well out of reach. I have spotted a few teeny tiny critters on them today, so will try and buy the ant powder tomorrow.

 

Yes the whole eglu gets unscrewed dismantled and every single hole has been sprayed with poultry shield, kill mite spray and diatom'D. I just feel like I am fighting a losing battle!

[xScrunchee]

Thanks Sandy

 

The sticky fly papers are placed in the poo tray so well out of reach. I have spotted a few teeny tiny critters on them today, so will try and buy the ant powder tomorrow.

 

Yes the whole eglu gets unscrewed dismantled and every single hole has been sprayed with poultry shield, kill mite spray and diatom'D. I just feel like I am fighting a losing battle!

 

Ooo, if you have mites on the fly papers then perhaps it is red mite then.

 

Blows my fly sick out of the window

[sandyhas3chucks]

seems abit weird with all that you are doing....?????

Are they coming in from outside do you think?

you know I really would take them nto cat carriers for a few nights,

then you could try that total kill stuff at night whren the little ****** come out to feast!

ha....

they find no girls and total mite kill buster!!!!!

wish you the very best luck in killing them!

[Kit]

Thanks Sandy

 

You are right I will bring them in tonight....would it be ok to put them into a big cardboard box and leave them in the utility room?

 

Kit

[sandyhas3chucks]

sorry a bit late I am sure thet will be fine! happy spraying!!!!

[henriette]

Just read your sad tale about the red mites. Oh I so hate those little critters. I posted a message the other day about my experience and had loads and loads of help and encouragement. I have ordered an eglucube and am waiting arrival. I thought that it would be a much better hen house than the wooden ones which we ended up burning, and that red mite would no longer be such a problem. Apparently not the case! Oh well, win some, lose some. Anyway, I have come to the conclusion that it is just a matter of treating the house and the birds on a fairly regular basis. I cannot get poultry shield or anything similar here, but am hoping that a friend or relative might be able to bring some over the next time they visit. However, I was wondering whether if I use the pressure washer on the house it would help, then dust the ladies and the cockerel with a powder I have from the vet, which seems to be effective. At the moment, they are all living "al fresco" in a tent and, actually appear to be really enjoying their holiday!! Good luck and keep us posted.

[sandyhas3chucks]

I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Most of us have no problems. I have NEVER had them, but have had other lice/mites on them. I think MOST people have better luck at getting rid of them, as though there are a few places they can get to it is Sooooooo easy to dismantel, clean & treat.

Robert Dyas curretly have a hand held steam cleaner for £19.99.

I asked and asked & they have NOT had them, sio I got a very good (my old one died) replacement from Argos £30 only Wednesday (wouldn't ya know ) Anyway despite a few bad reports I think it is Brill! For a small machine even at £30 not £20!!!!!

Good investment I reckon. Boil the little critters!!!!!

[Patricia W]

No, I've never ( fingers and toes crossed) had them in my 2 eglus and my cube. But I'm prepared with Diatom and Poultry Shield etc. If I do get them, at least I can take everything apart easily and zap everything.

 

Tricia

[Kit]

Well so far so good, fingers crossed

 

I think Sandy is right that the critters are coming from somewhere else...my eglu is on concrete in between an old stable, garages and leads directly onto the paddock.

 

In the stable I have swifts nesting, on the paddock I have quite a few wild pheasants doing their own thing and the family across the road are pigeons fanciers and there are loads of them sitting around on several trees around me.

 

I think my biggest mistake was thinking as long as I jet wash on a 7 to 10 day rota the hens will be ok. All I did was jet wash and changed the aubiose. I had never put any kind of powder in the nest box, eglu (until recent attack) and only dusted the hens every few months are so.

 

Am I right in saying that if all the critters have gone, in my regular routine I need to throw some Diatom into the nesting box and poo tray once I have cleaned and sprayed with poultry shield?

 

I will do anything to prevent another attack