Peaches Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Hello all I'm not having a good time with my lovely girls at the moment. Henrietta is fading - slow, pale comb etc, so when I spotted some black bits on the roosting bars I used total mite kill. I've done this twice a week for the past 3 or 4 weeks now so was convinced there couldn't possibly ben any mites etc left. However, just got back in from work, went to clean the coop (wooden) out and found, where I think she roosted last night,large flakes of what look like cigarette ash. I'm absolutely baffled. Anyone experienced this before and is there anything else I can do - apart from dusting her and cleaning out the coop again (did thorough spray yesterday)? Thanks - before my four remaining girls end up as three Fiona Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serekunda80 Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Could it be earwigs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 im not sure what cigarette ashes look like! could it just be where droppings have got stuck to the bars, been knocked off, then left some behind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Northern Fowl Mite debris can look like fag ash, and so can red mite droppings. I'd strip down and spray the lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Thanks for the replies. I will strip down the coop again - but I did this yesterday and on Thursday, so cannot work out why the bugs aren't dying!!!! They seem to be indestructible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I've had a bit of redmite for the first time ever this summer. I found the little blighters getting in from the outside on the side near the nest box and up through the drainage holes under the poo trays in the eglu. Dismantle the eglu, use pressure hose if poss, clean, spray TMK or whatever particularly on the roosting bars and their sides, in the nooks at the front, near the nesting box and on the other side near the door - especially where there is a screw (found them in there), let it dry, get hold of some ant powder and dribble it along the ridges where the roosting bars sit, plus the drainage hole in the nesting box, under the poo trays. Remantle. Check in a couple of days. Repeat until you don't see any more. It only took me a week of every 2-3 days, and I only had to go into full scale battle for the first 2 times. The ant powder is the real trick; I bought a specially strong variety! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 Daphne, I think you may have a point. Mites could get in very easily from the outside of our wooden coop...... drr! Well, I've dusted the girls down and I shall dismantle the coop tomorrow. I thought mites took a back seat in the autumn......obviously not this branch of Yorkshire mite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 I had red mite for the first time ever in the middle of this winter in really cold conditions - I also thought red mite was a summer problem until then! The 'cigarette ash' was the only symptom as the girls weren't showing any signs. I think it was caused by some sheets of cardboard that I'd used to keep snow out of the run, I got rid of them and scrubbed the Eglu and it went away quite quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Hi another good tip is i put really sticky duct tape down the corners of my wooden house and along the perches that way you can monitor how bad it is as they get stuck on the tape and cant get off leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Indorex or RIP spray, both environmental flea sprays (for house and carpet) work well for red mite, spray well and repeat after 2 weeks if you still have a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlotta Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Are your girls moulting? Leg scale can look a bit like cigarette ash and I'm getting a fair bit in the poo trays at the mo... Just a possibility... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Ah, is that what that is? I have been finding dandruff in the poo trays recently, and assumed it was something to do with my heavily moulting girls. Glad to find out what it is, thanks Karlotta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 If they are moulting then the pale grey/white 'dandruff' will be the quill sheaths coming off the new feathers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaches Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 Oh, that's a possibility .... there's quite a few feathers around at the moment, so may be they are moulting. However, 2 are not well; one is, I'm pretty sure, another case of peritonitis. I am keeping a close watch on her, but at the moment, although she doesn't want to move much, she is eating and seemingly happy enough. Fingers crossed for her. Bodie I'm not so sure about .... just very under the weather. I have just total mite killed the coop again ..... I can't believe anything can survive the amount of nuking I've given the coop. Wish me and my lovely girls luck. Fiona Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Are you powdering it after you'd sprayed/washed the coop? I use Buz Busters powder and find that it kills any crawlies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I jet wash with poultry shield and then dust with buz busters when dry... It's a belt and braces approach here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
