Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: nerdle on September 08, 2017, 11:27

Title: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 08, 2017, 11:27
I don't think this is redmite but...   crawling through my hair and in my clothes driving me maaaaddd!!!
Spotlessly clean coop, hens sprayed with Frontline, all carpets professionally cleaned, new door mat (the one with all the hen poo) lino on the floor, shelves dusted(wiped with Mr Muscle), soft furnishings sprayed with insect spray, clothes boil washed.......   what more can I do????

Might have to move out.

Do people just keep buying new coir doormats or is ther a nifty way lf cleaning them?

xxxx



Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: snow white on September 08, 2017, 22:39
Once you have done all this you should not have the problem again as long as you keep on top of de-miting the chooks and coop.  they are little mites that are on the chickens and in their house.  Washing your hair normally kills them.  Makes me itch to think about it.  I sprayed the coop with a pigeon house mite killer then dusted with diatamatious earth.  Then I used Red Stop in their water to kill any tenacious ones.  Haven't had a problem since. 
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 09, 2017, 08:04
Thank you!.  This problem has popped up before but easily solved but this year its gone on for weeks and weeks.  I cleaned the coop out and found it dirty in the nooks and crannys - so my fault.

Ordered Amazon smoke bombs - will bomb (in the house) till they've gone.

xxx
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: New shoot on September 09, 2017, 08:08
If they are in your hair, how about trying neem oil. Most big supermarkets carry it. 

I gave up on the coir door mat at the back door and now have one that looks like artificial grass.  It is stiff enough to clean shoes, but can be hosed down if it gets really dirty.
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 09, 2017, 19:42
That's good idea!!!

They are in my hair, socks, knickers and all other locations!!!  I have to endure it until I can have a bath and get into clean pyjamas and to bed.  If I come downstairs again I get contaminated - it's that bad :ohmy:
It's like living in a laundry as I wash clothes every day.  I just don't know where they are and how to get rid of them.

Out all day today so no prob till I get home then - bingo - I can feel them within 20 mins.

OMG!!! :(
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: grinling on September 09, 2017, 19:51
Please use products suitable for hens rather than small pet products. fipronil is banned for poultry as it contaminates the eggs.
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 10, 2017, 22:30
My vet is really happy with Frontline for my hens...
No eggs now - so alright I hope.
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: Featherstone on September 11, 2017, 06:19
There are lots of types of mites. I had issues in my house when I moved in and the chickens weren't to blame. Opening windows when possible and reducing the humidity in the house. I also set bug bombs of once a year. When I do the chickens clothes get washed straight away and I hit the shower. I still find mites in the house but odd ones are bearable  :)

Oh and if you have wooden coops creocote them, you can watch the mites crawl out of the crevices  :ohmy:
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 11, 2017, 17:36
Well I've gone as far as I can re cleaning so - bombs arrive tomorrow - then it's every night!

I think washing clothes increases humidity so I'm undoing my own work!
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: grinling on September 13, 2017, 19:39
The hens in Holland have now been culled. Your vet should not be prescribing frontline when louse powder is the rec product. Red mite do not live on birds and diacotomous earth works on them. I used Hillfooter's receipe and have had no problems since
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: New shoot on September 13, 2017, 20:34
It is not necessarily red mite though as these horrible little beasties aren't just creeping out at night.  They are also in Nerdle's house, so she can't really cover the place with louse powder or DE. 

Hillfooter was not adverse to using very occasional insecticide treatments on birds if needs must.  I think mites in your hair and your knickers constitutes a needs must situation  :ohmy: 
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 15, 2017, 14:53
Well a few days on... and two heavy duty smoke bombs later and I've gone hyper sensitive to anything that crawls...

Yesterday I tried to do some work outside and had to carry tools in and out between rain squalls and then that unpleasant wind - on top of this problem led to a meltdown moment.  Sobbing on the phone to a local pest controller who sobered me up big time with his suggestion...

£70 to come out and identify problem.  £1800 (yes that's what he said) to heat the house up to 78 degrees for 2/3 hours that kills everything dead for sure.

Today I'm not suffering too much  - could be the darkest hour was before dawn (I hope) but could be the bombs took a day or two to work. 

There is still more I could do - cover sofa with plastic sheets, vacuum everything a lot every day, no hens in house (unheard of)...

Lets see, fingers and chicken legs crossed. xxxx

Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: New shoot on September 15, 2017, 15:29
Today I'm not suffering too much  - could be the darkest hour was before dawn (I hope) but could be the bombs took a day or two to work. 

I hope you are turning a corner Nerdle.  Something like this can really get you down and its horrible feeling you are under siege in your own home  :(

Fingers crossed here as well x
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: snowdrops on September 15, 2017, 15:55
For me it would definitely be no chickens in the house, that has no appeal to me whatsoever after seeing the mess they made in my garden when we kept them. Plus I've still got my mother's two cats that I now think I'm allergic too
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 15, 2017, 19:23
Thank you guys (and I MUST catch up with Foghorn)!!!  There is always an upside - just made a friend laugh with tears talking about being 'smote' and having the biblical pestilence!!!


Just bought one of these sexy items (see photo)....



Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: grinling on September 16, 2017, 18:20
have you tried insect repellent on yourself, doesn't smell nice and would need to be used twice daily. The bombs need to be repeated. Someone I know had a flea infestation and that took a few weeks and lots of spraying to get rid of.
Overalls left outside would stop movement between coop and house
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 16, 2017, 20:27
Really good thoughts thank you!
I was actually hoping my hairdresser would find some 'little visitors' in my hair because then I'd know what to do.

Today we rolled up the big rug and put it outside - more vacuuming including sofa and washing covers again.....

Can still feel the little darlings....


 :mad:
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: grinling on September 17, 2017, 19:12
are you actually being bitten or have a rash or just the feel. Shampoo for human lice can work on the leg mites.
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 17, 2017, 21:06
Can feel them crawling.  There probably are tiny bites but not noticeable.
Too early to say but today was better but not 100% there yet.... :(

Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: grinling on September 18, 2017, 19:25
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Flea-Trap

try this in several locations and then you can identify what is there
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 18, 2017, 22:47
That's so clever!!
My problem isn't fleas though.

Vacuuming the coop wasn't enough - will take up flooring tomorrow and wash it outside.

Will get there if it kills me!!!!! :ohmy:
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 19, 2017, 18:15
Nailed it!!!

I've got a slow brain - takes a while for the penny to drop.
A floor scrub and dry out in the sunshine and it already feels so different.

A lesson learned. ::)

xxx
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: New shoot on September 19, 2017, 19:30
Yay - result   :D  Keep at it Nerdle.  You'll get them all in the end   :)
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: grinling on September 19, 2017, 20:38
sticky traps will trap all insects.
I used hillfooters slurry for red mite some years back and had no probs since. Wild birds will bring the mites in, but no access anymore for them.
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 19, 2017, 20:50
Well I have brought all this on myself I know...  A certain wild pidgeon (Walter) did learn how to use their treadle feeder and nipped in every evening for a feed.  I didn't mind for ages but just lately I've adjusted the weight so it doesn't work for him any more.  He gets a few sunflower seeds instead.

...and Chocky was always allowed in here (except when I'm trying to eat) to perch on my top shelf....


SO glad its over.  :wacko:  so glad to have your support. xxxxx
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 19, 2017, 20:52
sticky traps will trap all insects.
I used hillfooters slurry for red mite some years back and had no probs since. Wild birds will bring the mites in, but no access anymore for them.


I think these were bird mites that breed in nests.  In my case on the dirty floor.  Not sure if they are different to red mite or not.
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 23, 2017, 00:08
Well - I want them to have gone so much I'm very hasty to celebrate their demise - but they are still with me.

Just had my second shower this evening and changed clothes again.

Tonight I've separated out any cool wash clothes and stuffed them into bin liners - I can only wear boil washed from now on.  The problem seems to be in this room and I can only take so many rugs out and vacuum so much..  no hens in house...

Just where are they coming from?????

Thank goodness for heaters, and hot showers.  Got a cold coming on and having an op in 3 weeks...  arrggghhhh!!! :mad:

Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: grinling on September 25, 2017, 22:18
have you tried squeezing white paper into cracks in the chicken house or rubbing ends of the perches or scrapping the pop hole to test for red mite. Scrapping should make them bleed.
red mite can live without bird blood for a few weeks if there is another source.
Did you try the sticky traps to see what you could get? under furniture like the sofa might be good.
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on September 30, 2017, 09:03
Hello again
It's not redmite - I do check that regularly and they's got some nice new (bannister rail) perches although I think they'd rather have a nice stick from the woods!

Exterminater here on Monday so two sleeps to go!!

Wrist slapped for hen in house thing  :ohmy:



xxxxxx
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on April 12, 2018, 09:48
Months later......

Looong story short this may have been a hen thing but turns out I have 'formication' - sounds rude but it's nerve endings under the skin that feels like itching. 

Umpteen pest controllers and daily boilwashing of clothes later..... lived through the nightmare.  I do think I have demodex mites in my eyelashes though - but that's all medical.
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: New shoot on April 12, 2018, 09:53
That doesn't sound great, but at least you have an answer now.  Is there some medical help for the nerve problems?
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on April 12, 2018, 12:04
Yes - amitiryptiline.  I'm still not sure this is the case but one GP and 1 Dermatologist says so.  It was truly awful - nearly had to move out!
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: New shoot on April 13, 2018, 08:15
It does sound like a complete nightmare.  Thank goodness it is over and you can now feel happy in your own home :)

Fingers crossed the medication that is being proposed helps with your symptoms.

Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: grinling on April 13, 2018, 21:15
Sorry that this condition gives you pain.

Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: nerdle on April 13, 2018, 21:59
No pain (except mental) just itching! :ohmy:  Was reading up about bird mites and very similar symptoms.  Was sorting all clothes into separate sealed plastic boxes etc.  Had to wash walls down with Borax every day, vacuum every inch of flooring, diatomaceous earth sprinkled all over the carpets etc...   
Well - it wasn't mites!!!!!!
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: snowdrops on April 14, 2018, 07:43
And do you still have the chickens in the house?
Pleased you got sorted in the end, sounds a horrible thing
Title: Re: mites in my hair!!!!
Post by: grinling on April 14, 2018, 18:55
Not being nosey but amitiryptiline is a strong painkiller for migraines or fibromyalgia.

Other medications available, hayfever tablets is one of them.