Chickens and Red mites

[Barmaid]

I treat my girls regularly against red mites, nonetheless I think they missed a week (I was away and the OH "forgets" stuff if I'm not around). Anyway, I have a red mite infestation in the henhouse. It's Sunday everywhere is closed. I am clean out of Jeyes Fluid. Can anyone suggest what I might be able to scrub my henhouse with to get rid - I can treat the girls with Red Mite Powder. The only things I have are bleach, cillt bang or soda crystals!!!

[wolf63]

I will leave the chicken answer to others - but did you ever get to the bottom as to why OH is so forgetful?

I hope that girls are okay - they have lasted quite a while without being eaten by your little, innocent boy cat. ;-)

[archeraddict]

Have you got any Vaseline? If you smear that in to all the crevices it should smother the little blighters. Certainly worth a try if you have nothing else .

[archeraddict]

Now I think their may be confusion about what crevices I'm talking about ...............!

[ChuckFickens]

Diluted bleach is fine as long as you wash it off well afterwards and let the coop dry before they go back in there (well I remember helping my grand parents using it like that and their chickens never came to any harm from it)

As trim say, the powder you use on the chickens can be used in the coop too.

[Barmaid]

I am pmsl at your answers. I really do not have that much vaseline!!!! I have been reliably informed that bicarb and vinegar should do the trick - on top of that I shall try a weak bleach solution followed by a dusting of red mite powder. I WILL kill the little f*****rs!!!!!

[TonyV]

mak sure your bleach solution is really weak - around 5% at most, otherwise your girls will get unwell. To be honest would'nt use it unless you flush with clean water after, but then it will be in ground. Can you relocate henhouse and run after cleansing?

[Hymie]

As a young boy, I regularly treated our hen house with paraffin to eradicate red mite. Being small, I climbed in and treated all the internal surfaces using a paint brush, applying the paraffin liberally. On a warm sunny day, the birds would be quite happy to roost inside the same night. No harm ever came to me – but in these enlightened times, avoid smoking and try to minimise skin/eye contact with the paraffin.

[archeraddict]

or use soft paraffin and get more vaseline!!!

[Hymie]

Anyway – besides the red mites, have you managed to sort out the laptop display?

[wildwood]

REd mites don't live on the birds, they live in crevices and corners etc. so to prevent them from getting to the birds at night when they suck their blood, you need to put grease, vaseline or any other sticky stuff to the end of the roosting perches so the mites have no way of getting their feed of blood at night.

The mites can live for a long time without feeding so you also need to use a chemical as outlined above. Preventing the mites from getting to the birds instantly is the most important though. A heavy infestation can be very debilitating to the birds in a short time.

[lankeela]

I was recently asked by a hen keeper to get hold of some Frontline spray which he puts under their wings (just a quick squirt) apparently this kills any mites that come into contact with them (although technically its not licensed for use on chickens but he had been recommended it by an old chicken keeper).

[Barmaid]

Hymie - no I need to get onto that one but I am having a couple of days off so its not too critical right now.

I have just sprayed every nook and cranny with Poultry Shield - need to leave it an hour and then rinse. Next job is the vaseline. I think if I go to the chemists for more latex gloves and a big tub of parafin jelly I am going to get some really odd looks.

[archeraddict]

No you need to be careful because Vaseline can dissolve latex.

I often warn 15-16 yrs old about that, but that is a whole new thread!

[tinpotLizzie]

I always use Ant Powder as it is the same stuff as Red Mite powder, but a lot cheaper. Generously dust in all the nooks & crannies of their house & nest box & also in their dust baths.
(I got this tip from The Poultry Keepers Forum several years ago).

[billy_bunter]

hi the best method to rid red mite is to paint the inside of your chicken coop with builders lime mixed to a thickish paint once your hens is out and ware some goggles as this will burn your eyes paint everything inside it drys pretty quick and it seals all the nooks and crannys i once got an infestation and found it the best i did my coop 4 years ago and never seen a mite since