Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Eggshell]

Probably a stupid question. I bought Barrier V1 to disinfect the eglu and Poultry Shield against red mites, but now that I've read their labels, I'm not sure how much difference there is between them. They both claim to be disinfectants and the Poultry Shield bottle doesn't mention red mites. Is it pointless using them both? I much prefer the Barrier V1, but I want to protect against red mites as well as I can.

[Beantree]

I know Poultry Shield is no protection against red mites Eggshell. But I don't think there is any definite protection against them from anyone. Regular inspection and cleaning is the key to keeping them away I think. Never used Barrier V1.

[Patricia W]

You need an insecticide with permethrin in it for the house. The vet will give you a spray ( usually a flea spray) or mine suggested using ant killer with it in. I now use ant killer powder squirted in all the cracks in the cube. That, plus a generous dousing of diatom seems to work. My vet doesn't recommend treating the chickens because they don't live on them, only descend on them during the hours of darkness, then scurry back into the cracks.

 

Of course, a major advantage of the cube is that you can take it all apart and give it a good power shower. If you do this over a four day cycle you will break the breeding pattern.

[Eggshell]

When people talk about taking the Eglu apart for cleaning, do they mean just taking out the trays that slide out, or do they mean unscrewing it into all the pieces it originally came in? I've got an Eglu Go rather than a Cube, but it has struck me that there are snug places between the grey and the green walls that mites could hide in. I'd be interested to know what other people do.

[The Dogmother]

When people talk about taking the Eglu apart for cleaning, do they mean just taking out the trays that slide out, or do they mean unscrewing it into all the pieces it originally came in? I've got an Eglu Go rather than a Cube, but it has struck me that there are snug places between the grey and the green walls that mites could hide in. I'd be interested to know what other people do.

 

... which is why I'd never have a Go (sorry)

 

Having used loads of different products over the years, and been involved in rials on lots of new ones, by far the best regime I've ever found was to jetwash or scrub the housing, dry it off, or leave to dry in the sun, spray all areas with Total Mite Kill Concentrate and then powder with Buz Busters (both my Nettex). Never get any problems with mites when I use them.