The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: langdon on April 02, 2010, 08:45:59 pm

Title: red mite powder
Post by: langdon on April 02, 2010, 08:45:59 pm
just applied the stuff tonight before closing them in.
as it says on the tin, its what im treating them for, some are in worse case than others,
e.g. bum hairs missing etc.
please im not one to mistreat animals in anyway, we have tried that ' diatom'
didnt seem to work as wher i was putting it like behind nesting box etc, you could see the little ********
still jumping about.
how often now should i keep appling this stuff?
ive put some in the nesting box is well.
any advice will be app.
langdon  :chook:
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: pigs n chickens on April 08, 2010, 06:59:14 pm
Hi Langdon,
How are your chickens doing after you applied the Red Mite Powder? I seem to have the same problem with some of my girls having red, bare bottoms but I can't see any sign of the Red Mites in their coop. I dusted them last Thursday and I'm going to do it again tonight. If mine haven't got Red Mite then I dont know what is causing the red bare bottoms, I dont hink they're moulting and they're not pecking each other - very odd! Just wondered how yours went on and if the powder helped?

Thanks
Helen  :pig: :chook:

Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: terryh on April 09, 2010, 09:43:41 pm
hi guys

i use chlorcarb in my canary shed it very effective ill also use it on my chickens i have just purchased
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: langdon on April 10, 2010, 04:49:28 pm
thanks for showing interest ;)
mine arent pecking either, they seem happier chucks and i cant see any mites!
but still red bottoms are showing :(
im in the same boat as you, i dont know what im suppost to be treating here.
if anyone else reading this and may know what is going on, please can you give us some advice ;)


Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: doganjo on April 10, 2010, 06:13:12 pm
As far as I know the red mites don't actually live on the chicken.  They come out from teh corners of teh coop at night and feed off them.  It debilitates them but I must admit I didn't know it caused red featherless bottoms.  I think you have to treat the coop and keep the chooks out till  bedtime.  I vaguely remember someone suggesting some kind of grease round the ends of the perches to stop them, but maybe I imagined that one ::)
I don't understand the diatom not working because it dries them up.
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: langdon on April 10, 2010, 06:23:44 pm
mine are out all day everyday,
and i treat the whole house every now and again in between when i wash out the house one a week.
it really is frutrating cos i love my chucks and do the best i can  :chook:
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: terryh on April 10, 2010, 06:28:50 pm
i think you will find its northern mite that will live on the birds
the best way to find out is give your birds a cuddle  :P if you start itching in a couple of minutes  you have northern mite
very tiny little crettins one quarter the size of red mite and will feed all the time
where red mite only feed in the dark  hope this helps guys
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: MiriMaran on April 10, 2010, 08:35:05 pm
Yup we've had Northern Mite.  If you catch a hen and check round their vent and under the wings you'll see the little blighters wandering about and then you'll start itching!

I used Frontline Spot on for dogs on my hens about 5-7 drops on the skin on their backs.  Its not licensed for hens and we didn't eat any of their eggs for 2 weeks.
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: langdon on April 10, 2010, 09:38:09 pm
so did it work???? :chook:
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: shetlandpaul on April 10, 2010, 09:50:17 pm
sorry to be a pain it souds like lice to me. they can get very scaley and red. if it was the mites would they not be losing condition more than going bald.
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: langdon on April 10, 2010, 10:04:18 pm
what ever they are surley these flipping products we spend our money on should be
killing them off.
so far ive treated them and house with diatom and red mite powder >:(
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: doganjo on April 10, 2010, 10:42:57 pm
I'd have thought the diatom would see to the lice.  Are your chooks weell enough in themselves?  Is it just the bare bums that are the problem?  If so I would think it will take a few days to come right even if you've got rid of the bugs
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: henmummy on April 10, 2010, 11:32:59 pm
If its redmite you should see them glow in the dark with a torch if you go out to the house at night.  Pretty sure they probably aren't cause of red bums though unless they are dreadfully infected and they would be quite unwell by that stage.  Do they perch at night, some chooks lay in the bedding and if its soiled that will not be good, as you will know from meat birds, they can get ammonia burns, which may cause this-if you have used powders that should solve any mite problem actually on the bird, but sore patches won't heal over night.
If it turns out to be redmite-don't hold your breathe over getting shot of them :-[.  I flatly refuse to use Creosote which is the only sure fire option (on the house not the chickens that is).  We resorted to buying new house, powdering birds for three days before using it, having a small fire in the run where the house previously stood, not putting new house in same spot.  Also totally Poultry shielded house prior to use, then diatomed everywhere.  Will muck out every three days retreat with poultry shield and diatome each time.  It was such a problem with the hybrids last summer am now absolutely paranoid.  Old house will be dismantled and left to see if can clear out well enough to use for waterfowl, if not will burn it.
Don't know if thats any help or just an added annoyance to your situation :) :)
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: Minigris on April 11, 2010, 06:00:29 am
Yup we've had Northern Mite.  If you catch a hen and check round their vent and under the wings you'll see the little blighters wandering about and then you'll start itching!

I used Frontline Spot on for dogs on my hens about 5-7 drops on the skin on their backs.  Its not licensed for hens and we didn't eat any of their eggs for 2 weeks.

We( in Holland and I in Sweden) use Strongholds Spot on for that....0,1 ml for each kg chicken (the spot-on for dogs 40kg ) I had the schedule somewhere according how much to use on every species.Can you buy Stronghold in the UK ?

Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: Minigris on April 11, 2010, 06:06:59 am
As far as I know the red mites don't actually live on the chicken.  They come out from teh corners of teh coop at night and feed off them.  It debilitates them but I must admit I didn't know it caused red featherless bottoms.  I think you have to treat the coop and keep the chooks out till  bedtime.  I vaguely remember someone suggesting some kind of grease round the ends of the perches to stop them, but maybe I imagined that one ::)
I don't understand the diatom not working because it dries them up.

Yes you saw it right.This is a tip we use on the dutch-chicken forum  ;)
If you put vaseline round the ends of the perches, the redmite will pass this and will be stucked in the grease and die  8)
I used it as well, it works.
But still you need to tread the henhouse of course , it is not in stead of cleaning
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: garden cottage on April 11, 2010, 06:30:47 am
The old original creosote is now banned but theyve replaced it with almost identical stuff with some of the nasties taken out, take your chooks out for a few days and hit the whole hen house top to bottom with this, will kill any mites on contact may require 2 coats. we also use diatoms but you need to give them a chance to work not instant.
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: langdon on April 11, 2010, 09:45:07 am
terryh
what can i use to treat northern mite?
langdon :chook:
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: henmummy on April 11, 2010, 09:54:32 am
Not sure if posting links is allowed but this may be useful information
http://www.copsalehall.co.uk/poultry_keepers.htm
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: terryh on April 11, 2010, 06:19:47 pm
hi langdon
i would get chlorcarb there are 2 on the market ? one is for treeting grass make sure you get the right one
it costs about £6? try here i think its the best on the market ans so do most of my friends that keep birds
http://www.aviform.co.uk/Store/Racing-Pigeon-Products/Health-$4-Condition/CHLORCARB-Red-Mite
 
Title: Re: red mite powder
Post by: pigs n chickens on April 12, 2010, 07:37:34 pm
Thanks for your advice everyone.
My chickens are fine in themselves, happily running around so I hope the red mite powder does the trick. If not I'll try some of your suggestions. I can't see any mites/lice anywhere on the girls or in the coop - very strange!
Helen  :pig: :chook: