Aunty e Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 We had to downgrade to a wooden house last winter as I needed to build a walk in run and needed the cash essentially! Anyway, I've just discovered the most repulsive red mite infestation. Never had it before in the cube and it was literally like jam crawling over parts of the wooden house I've just scrubbed the entire house out and sprayed every part of it with poultry shield. Is there anything else I should be doing? And how often should I spray the house with poultry shield? I did it with my big garden pump spray, so it didn't take long. Must get saving the pennies for a cube again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 I'd spray every few days for the next couple of weeks personally Maybe put a temporary nest box in the run so you can leave the house open to dry, also the mites hate the light. Only do this if the chooks can be safely contained in the run though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Have you got any DE? I use DE in my wooden coops all the time and (touch wood) have managed to avoid red mite so far. I use a puffer bottle and get it into all the nooks and crannys but I'm thinking of getting a sprayer: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIATOMACEOUS-EARTH-200g-Bag-plus-powder-sprayer-/180517962923?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item2a07b584ab so that I can be even more thorough! Another thing I've heard of people doing is painting the inside of the coop with gloss paint and sealing all the crevices with bath sealant so that there's nowhere for the little critters to hide and they are easier to spot but I haven't quite gone that far myself yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Veterinary household flea sprays are good at getting rid of them. Poor you, especially after being mite free in your cube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 That DE 'sprayer' looks like a great idea for being more accurate with powder As for flea sprays RIP Fleas works very well and comes in a big can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 How unlucky for you, and what a trial. I'm sure you will overcome. When we were looking at a wooden house, my OH solution to the Red Mite question was to treat the interior with epoxy...not sure if it would help but it's an idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken shack Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 WD40 (not licenced for poultry) worked for my nephews wooden coop last year. After spending a fortune on products he discovered that the ingreadiants in WD40 were similar to the product he had purchased at great cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 My window cleaner who keeps racing pigeons swears by Jeyes Fluid - says it's just as good as 'proper' stuff but half the price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 No - don't use Jeyes fluid! My hubby when he had an infestation ( thanks to rubbish chicken sitters) - he used a heat gun, then yacht varnish, then poultry shield & red mite powder / diatom. He was also told cheapo talcum powder would dry out any mites just as well - it did. He now strips down his wooden house every couple of weeks to check for mites ( hardly any ). He still uses the heat gun & varnish occassionally - but always when doing general cleaning - uses poultry shield & red mite powder. He also puts gaffa tape over the cracks where they liked to gather - marvellous stuff, as mites hate it. The birds get powdered about every fortnight, plus we put some in their dust bath. It is disheartening when you find mites - but you can & will get on top of them. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Tea Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 No - don't use Jeyes fluid! Should have known better than to trust my window cleaner Will scrub that off my future chicken shopping list then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 There are still mites this morning Going to respray with poultry shield and then try a few of the things you've suggested. I have a big pump spray so it's no bother to spray regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I think Jeyes was good for red mite because of the phenols, which were also in creosote. However I think they're no longer allowed, which is why they don't work so well. I've only ever had to use red mite powder, diatom and poultry shield but I've read posts on other forums on the subject Steam cleaning - not power washing or pressure washing or whatever else it's called. They don't like being boiled alive. Ficam??? (sp) but I think it's pretty potent stuff. Creosote (not creocote) which is still available to farmers and the like. Ivermectin on the birds themselves. Removing the birds from the house after dark and housing them in cardboard boxes overnight, then burning the cardboard boxes to burn the mites. Corrugated card in the hen house to provide a dream home for mites - then burn it every morning. Whichever of the above you go for (if any), you'll need to do it several times to catch new hatches. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickichicky Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Oh god poor you! I had a constant battle with Red mite for a year - was literally in tears with it at times. (I got it from a bale of straw I bought for the girls at a farm shop) Went through loads of DE, the red mite powder & Nettex total mite kill spray (which was about the best) before finally giving in a getting a second hand cube. The transformation in my girls was immense - the Exbatts who I thought were still feather plucking from habit fluffed up on their bums and they were all generally happier! The wooden house has stood empty since October last year up the end of the garden. Yet when I dug it out and jet sprayed it ready for the chicks (thinking the mites would be long gone as I'd read that they only live about 2-3 months without feeding) I felt that familiar tickling sensation on my hand.... there were still some alive I creosoted it inside & out twice before finally no more white (unfed) little Red mite crawled out. Then did it again for good measure. I had read in Poultry world about a lady who had finally won the Red mite battle by spraying with Creosote. You just have to make sure it is good and dry and well aired before chickens go back in - so you'd need something else temporary but secure in the meantime for about 5 - 7 days. I am still paranoid and keep checking the heat pad I've been putting in for the chicks overnight for any signs - but nothing yet. I wish you the best of luck! Vicki x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 Right, I'll poultry shield again tomorrow and get some DE too. I have lots of household flea sprays, will take some down later and try them out on the mites (chooks are out in their new yard at the moment). Ex batt who was at death's door seems better already, but all the girls slept outside last night Will have to see how the ebay stuff goes, might be able to get a second hand cube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 We had a really bad outbreak last year and we got on top of it with various methods. We took the whole coop apart and got a blow torch on it (hens were in a separate part of the garden whilst doing this!) it goes without saying you need to take care using a blow torch! You need to keep frying them, you will hear one pop and that is the mites exploding, keep frying though until you hear the second pop and that is the eggs exploding. We then washed the coop out with hot water and poultry shield. We then smeared all of the cracks with vaseline (this did get on the girls unfortunately). We took the coop apart several times afterwards to check for any further signs. We have a steam wall paper stripper and once a week we poke the nozzle into the coop to boil any mites left over (again make sure hens are well away) usually we leave it in there for about half an hour. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 You need to keep frying them, you will hear one pop and that is the mites exploding, keep frying though until you hear the second pop and that is the eggs exploding. We then washed the coop out with hot water and poultry shield. We then smeared all of the cracks with vaseline (this did get on the girls unfortunately). We took the coop apart several times afterwards to check for any further signs. We have a steam wall paper stripper and once a week we poke the nozzle into the coop to boil any mites left over (again make sure hens are well away) usually we leave it in there for about half an hour. As much as I like to sound of popping mites/eggs I think I'm glad I plumped for my fried eglu! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 The problem is that our house is quite complex and the girls sleep all over it. There are lots of nooks and crannies and it's hard to get into. I like that idea with the steam wall paper stripper. I'll dig out an extension cord and get ours in there tomorrow! OH is pretty much on board with the cube idea, and handily we've just borrowed some extra money on our mortgage to pay for a new boiler. There might well be enough left over for a cube. We were thinking we might just turn the chook house into a playhouse for the cats and kiddies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Yukkk they are horrible aren't they just reading about them makes me start scratching I have decided to do a big clean tomorrow complete with handheld steam thingy after reading this post just in case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 in the meantime you can control the red mite on the girls and interrupt the breeding cycle by using Eprinex. At least any blighter that bites them will die! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henergy Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Oh paranoid now - how do I know if I have them ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 Do I need to go to the vet and ask nicely very for Eprinex? They're sort of OK with me telling them what to prescribe for the cats, so they might go for it... Still mite there this morning. I realise now they've been around for a couple of weeks, but at first I couldn't see them in the house, and when I found one on me I first thought scabies (I have a really nasty set of bites on my egg collecting arm), then ear mites and only then did I think red mite, as they're grey before they eat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Do I need to go to the vet and ask nicely very for Eprinex? They're sort of OK with me telling them what to prescribe for the cats, so they might go for it... I would. I use it quarterly, clean the cube/eglu with Total Mite Kill conc, then powder with Buz Busters - works a treat Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 convince your vet that you've got a small dairy herd... my vet prescribes it for my pet cow..... who clucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 convince your vet that you've got a small dairy herd...my vet prescribes it for my pet cow..... who clucks. this is kind of like an extension of chicken maths really isnt it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
