The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Kitchen Cottage on September 03, 2013, 07:20:57 pm
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Have washed the hens and creosoted the old broody runs to put them in. I've cleaned and painted the "hospital" (also known as the old rabbit hutch) and the battery hens are currently lodging in there.
That leaves *gulp* the BIG chicken house, which was built by a friend of mine before I had the hens and is a box on legs about 6 by 4.... the only thing is... in order to clean that, I'm going to have to stick my head in.
That run is absolutely ALIVE with mite, in fact, a chicken I put in there actually died >:( Its been closed up for a month..... can I just leave it over winter and starve the barstewards to death? I don't think a shower cap is going to protect me if I shove my head in there.....
I don't need it (or at least I can survive without it.....
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I think the unhatched dormant eggs can easily survive 3 years and even up to 8 years :o
What about trying a smoke bomb insecticide thing after giving the coop a really good rattle first and do it on a warm sunny day maybe. I have read that the dormant eggs hatch almost instantly they sense warmth and movement. Not sure if that is general warmth or just a rapid temp change, but worth a try anyway.
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I'd agree, get the fumigators, and use teh correct number for the volume
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I sealed it and put two Bob Martin Flea Bombs in it about a month ago..... didn't make a dent.... are there special ones for Chicken coops? I was in my local pet store Jolly's and the flea bombs were all that they had...
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Maybe try something like this one
http://www.pestcontrolsupplies.co.uk/fortefog-midi-fumer-smoke-generator-11g (http://www.pestcontrolsupplies.co.uk/fortefog-midi-fumer-smoke-generator-11g)
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Could you ask the vets? I got some spray stuff from them for fleas around the house with Permithrin (not sure about that spelling) in - same active ingredient he gave me to treat the broodies for lice/mites. I guess spraying that around and leaving for a few days should make a dent before you begin the serious detox regime.
H
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When we had a serious infestation a few years back I dressed my OH in one of those paper SOCO suits, which we then burnt and he had a long shower. Wellies with elastic bands to hold the suit legs tight over them, and gloves the same. He stayed mite-free both times we used that method. The disposable suits are available from places like Homebase for a couple of quid. Of course I stayed well clear because I loathe the hateful things and scratch for days just thinking about them :tired:
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On Saturday we stripped the felt off the roof of our shed/henhouse and creosoted the roof, cleaned the house out and sprayed with Total Mite Kill, when it was all dry I dusted the whole thing liberally with diatomaceous earth. :fc: So far we seem to be almost clear, just finding the odd one . I also creosoted the ends of the perches. The plan now is to put a small spare house in that run and creosote the whole shed as soon as I have time, the nesting boxes were ok as we have rollaway ones that I bought from Solway Feeders, they are metal with plastic inserts.
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If it's got to the stage where every nook and cranny is a mite city burn it and start again, as you will never get them all.
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Must admit I got fed up with trying to outwit the mites, tried DE and the Smite liquid stuff. In the end we have given up on wooden hen houses and use plastic ones from Green Frog - nowhere for the buggers to hide and completely dismantleable (is that a word?) so you can clean it all. Not cheap but incredibly durable so a good long term investment.