Author Topic: the dreaded red mite! (Read 2602 times)

zeeteecee · « **on:** July 20, 2012, 06:50:21 am »

I have been successfully keeping red mite at bay in my large walk due in hen house, by using Vaseline on the perch ends & all nooks & crannies, also liberal user of diatom earth EVERYWHERE!
But,
Due to illness I hadn't deep cleaned my henhouse for a month,& so now I have a bit of an outbreak of the mites in there. I have some creosote, but due to the weather I wondered if there was anything guaranteed to kill them instantly, which doesn't involve leaving the hens outside for days in this torrential rain we are having?
Thank you
Z

manian · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2012, 08:34:29 am »

we had a bad infestation last year...... well bad for me as I deep clean weekly
we use diatom and its brill, we do spread well
HTH
Mx

Beewyched · « **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2012, 08:38:58 am »

Poultry Shield is good for the hen house, we use diatom as well - put down after every major clean out & there are many powders available for your hens - happy hunting

jaykay · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2012, 10:13:29 am »

I use Total Mite Kill on a weekly basis and the hens go straight back in after I've sprayed, with no ill effects.

Creosote and diesel are very effective and long lasting but as you say, they put the house out of action for a couple of months!

Fleecewife · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2012, 12:19:38 pm »

We flame our houses every time we clean them, after every scrap of bedding has been removed. We use a 'weed wand' but if you have long arms and are not worried about losing your eyebrows you can use a blowtorch, but do take care. Don't point the flame at one spot for long, but you can direct it into crannies where the mites lurk. Hearing them sizzle is very satisfying, and once the place has cooled, you can spread diatomaceous earth and replace bedding the same day. With a heavy infestation, we would repeat every day for a few days.
Flaming only works for wooden houses, not plastic of course

chrismahon · « **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2012, 02:14:43 pm »

We found the chemicals were not working. Doesn't get to the eggs hidden in the tongue and groove boarding. Bought a cheap steamer with a fine jet attachment which is brilliant, although time consuming. Run along the grooves the steam reaches right in and out the other side. We have no creosoted the inside of all the coops and have spares for the drying time. Mix with paraffin at 50:50 and its just as effective but dries lighter and far faster. Still needs 2 weeks in the sun. We don't do the nest boxes because of the fumes when they are in laying on a hot day.

plt102 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2012, 04:47:35 pm »

I use diatom but had an outbreak similar to yours while I was ill. I dusted the birds with diatom and liberally spread it in bedding and on floor and perches. Also provided a dust bath with diatom and chinchilla sand. No sign of mites after about a week.