eve Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Been away on holiday oldest son looked after hens.got back to find red mite in the coop ive empted all the bedding sprayed smite all over hen house and hens. But this morning there seems to be more.what eles can i do to get rid of them.think last time i had them i cerasoted the whole house to kill them.then brought a new coop.cant really afford to do that this time.help and advice please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Hope you didn't spray Smite on the hens Eve? It's not that good at shifting red mite and has to be used several times over a few weeks. Nettex is better and we used to use both. We've stopped using chemicals now though, although we do creosote coops when they are apart for work, because red mite love clean new wood. Remove all the bedding and use a hand held steamer with a fine jet on all the joints of the coop. Put some diatom or potash (wood fire ash) in their soil bath, only a little though. Check the perches every morning and kill all the red mite you see. If the numbers increase steam again and repeat the process. We have treated 5 coops this year like this with complete success and used no chemicals. We don't use diatom in the coops because of the very high Silicates health risk. You would blow it all into the air with a steamer as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Hi I had red mite in wooden coop. I took it out of WIR and pressure hosed it,took it apart and poured boiling water over all surfaces . Put it in sunlight for few days,reassembled and got a Home Blitz bomb,lit it and left sealed up for 24 hours,then put smite powder in bedding and girls. I think it's just something you need to do regularly as I don't think you can eradicate them completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eve Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 Spent morning cleaning and creosoting coop lots of mites came out so brushed them into black sac. Hens want to go and lay there eggs but they in my wir. Alot more red mite than i first thought and saw.left purches out scrubed and creosoted waiting for them to dry. Loves my hens hate this red mite so much to do were do you buy netex?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eve Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 Ive had nettex mite powder been putting that on birds and coop just ran out is that what you mean?? Or is there something else?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 I used Smite powder but there are lots of diff ones. You can look in Omlet shop or other online suppliers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Nettex Total Mite Kill is the product Eve. It comes ready mixed as a pink hand spray. Or you can buy it undiluted and mix it yourself if you need a lot (as Smite), although it isn't stocked by everyone and you may have to order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Spray with Nettex Total Mite Kill (pink spray, or dilute the concentrate 1:10 of water and refill the spray), then powder with Buz Busters Louse Powder. Do this every 3 days until it is under control, then as your weekly cleaning/preventative programme. That will get rid fo them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 I'm the same as Dogmother, I use the pink spray as a preventative every time I clean them out. When I did have mites a couple of years ago I got Ivermectin (not licensed for poultry but given by my vet). It was three drops on the back of their necks for bantams once a week for three weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 A combination of the preventative spot on (not licensed for use on poultry in the UK) and the cleaning routine I mentioned above will keep you on top of it.... It's a two-pronged approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 We're having a red mite problem at the care farm where I volunteer - never seen it before as at home I have a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eve Posted August 19, 2015 Author Share Posted August 19, 2015 Well got the nettex mite killer powder and the spray in the can.sprayed house last night and son helped powder birds and next boxes last night. Hoping now to get on top of it, wil, get pink spray next time i go for cleaning. The good think is the coops all ready for winter now.hens seem alot happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Did you get the mite Kill Powder, which is just Diatom, or Buz Busters? I would only bother with Buz Busters louse powder. We're having a red mite problem at the care farm where I volunteer - never seen it before as at home I have a Percy, do be careful not to transfer them back to your set-up, or even your home! If they get into your clothing, they will easily transfer to your furnishings at home, and your eglu. Take off any affected clothing outside, bag it up tightly before transferring to a hot wash. Shower yourself with a dog flea shampoo which contains permethrin. I know of several people who have ended up with an infestation at home and had to get their houses fumigated. I won't go near any coop which I know to be infested as I don't want to take the risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mar1a Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 We had a red mite problem with our girls, but because they're on an allotment, we have to be "creative" with steaming and such like. They spent a good couple of months sleeping on top of their house, which we were ok with because we were happy they were relatively safe from predators. But the TBF (the b-word fox!) decided to try and get in through the roof so we have gone back to making them sleep in the house again where we can shut the door and they are double locked away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Percy, do be careful not to transfer them back to your set-up, or even your home! If they get into your clothing, they will easily transfer to your furnishings at home, and your eglu. I know of several people who have ended up with an infestation at home and had to get their houses fumigated. I won't go near any coop which I know to be infested as I don't want to take the risk. Thanks for the advice, I didn't think about them infesting the home as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
