Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww

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Mrs Bee

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #15 on: May 23, 2012, 18:17 »
This post reminded me of when I was a child & the nit nurse came to school Unfortunately for my sister & I we were found to have them. In my mothers wisdom she decided to virtually shave our heads.  I cant tell you the shame we felt at school. It wasnt too bad for my sister as she could wear a type of head scarfe  but my mother made me wear a home knitted balaclava............. It was August :wacko: :wacko:

Oh no. Poor you. I had a little lad in  my yr 4 class wearing a hat in class and when I said to take it off asked to speak to me in private.

He explained that he had had a really bad hair cut. he took me outside to show the haircut and we agreed that he should certainly keep his hat on. Bless him :wub:

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ehs284

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #16 on: May 23, 2012, 19:13 »
Re Ficam W - yes it is (for most forum members) illegal to use it because it is a professional use product (users should be trained and competent). Nor is it approved for use in poultry housing (so a competent person wouldn't use it here and I should not recommend it - apologies). Confusingly, it is not an offence to sell these products (in their original containers and packaging) to anybody.
Having said that, it seems normal to suggest using Frontline on chickens a purpose for which it is not approved (vets can go on professional discretion), so there is always a conflict in the minds of we chook keepers
Permethrin is legal and fine to use on chickens and humans - it is sold as ant powder, wasp killer, human louse killer, scabies treatment and so on. No danger if used sensibly by ordinary people.
I too scatter powder when it is inclement, but worry a little about the birds breathing the dust hence the trial with vegetable oil to keep it from being lifted. Will update after a winter's use.

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joyfull

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #17 on: May 23, 2012, 19:22 »
With frontline I always say to get it from a vets like I do as it isn't licensed and I have to sign a form every time I get it so it is on record that it has been approved by my vets.
Staffies are softer than you think.

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Chirpychick

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #18 on: May 30, 2012, 21:20 »
Thank you all for your replys! I have used DE in powder form and also used mitex dilution spray but still lots of mites driving me nuts!!!! Have changed bedding three times washed and dried with poultry shield and mitex plus powdered birds and coop but still mites!!! What do you do with the vinegar then? Any other things I can do as it bothers me and the poor birds plus little one coverd in mites after running into coop! Seems like I clean it and it's fine next day but then boom!!! Back again only did it Sunday and yesterday lots of mite grrrrrr  oh and the johnsons powder is that the same as de???? Thanks

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JaK

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #19 on: May 30, 2012, 21:45 »
I'm not sure if frontline helps with fighting off red mite. I use it on my hens and although a have seen evidence of red mite a couple of times it has been on a very small scale. I wonder if the frontline helps keep them at bay in the same it it does with lice and fleas?

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ehs284

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #20 on: May 31, 2012, 08:08 »
Oh dear, sounds serious. Frontline won't help; it works by killing the parasites as through the blood they take in. It seems that you are dealing with the bedding, but generally they will spend the day in crevices in the coop structure. Check, however that the bedding is not infested just in case. What did you wash and how?
I'd suggest a deep clean for the coop inside and outside, doors, ramps and surrounding areas. Take the birds away and let them dust bathe for the day. Pull out everything from the coop and pressure wash (some people steam clean) inside and outside with normal detergent. Dry and rake area around coop to move debris away. Change your clothing.  Now it's clean to handle so go through the possible places such as under roof covering, ends of wood etc and make repairs or change the material say from bitumen to plastic where appropriate. Make as much as possible removable for cleaning (perches, boxes etc).  Some people try to fill gaps between surfaces, but I'd rather have big gaps into which DE or oil can be put. Change again. Treat all ends of wood with oil or grease/vaseline.
Now use the DE slurry, getting lots into the cracks and corners. You don't need the Mitex/johnsons (must be costing a fortune). Vinegar will act as an insecticide whilst fresh and acidic, but soon becomes ineffective and takes ages for the smell to go.
That should do it. A safety net would be to use a greenhouse smoke bomb which would leave a fine layer of food-safe insecticide on the "ceiling" of the coop.
Best of luck.

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Chirpychick

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #21 on: May 31, 2012, 08:34 »
I removed everything bedding nest boxes, brushed out and then pressure sprayed with a bottle sprayer the poultry shield and let dry I then used the mitex soaked everything everywhere in and out I then let that dry dusted birds and put new fresh bedding in and dusted coop with de all over everywhere, I have used three bottles of de one bottle of johnsons and am on the second bottle of mitex! Yes it is costing a lot!  We have chicks at the allotment and so don't have eletric so can't use a jet wash, going to it again today so that's two times in a week and once last week! I think mites are in the soil and as its been so hot the keys I'm putting in the ground is just soaking up on the first layer, I have two birds that feel thin although food is out constantly! I'm at witts end honest even thinking of giving up !

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Chirpychick

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #22 on: May 31, 2012, 08:42 »
Jays fluid in the ground*

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ehs284

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #23 on: June 01, 2012, 08:38 »
No electricity is making it difficult, so perhaps the smoke answer might work - here is a link to one provider:-

http://www.regencypoultry.com/heathcare/redmite_and_Lice/fortefog_mini_fumer.htm

To be honest,  I would use Ficam W  - of course, nobody on this forum could recommend breaking the law, so I'm just saying what I personally would do - as i've used it in houses occupied by humans  for years (I've also used the smokes ; sometimes up my trouser legs before getting in the car).

The area around the coop may be the true source, but I wouldn't use Jeyes fluid as it is toxic, corrosive and probably wouldn't help.

You say that you have food out all the time; do other wild birds or pigeons call in for a snack? Are there pigeon lofts/coops near the allotment? If so you may have to rethink your strategy, but before going further, are you absolutely sure that you are dealing with red mite? Any chance of a photograph?

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Chirpychick

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #24 on: June 01, 2012, 08:50 »
The pen is closed so no birds can get in, the mites are light gold sort of colour that are on our skin and the ones under the news paper under the bedding are red so I think they are red mite, what's best for the ground if the jays no good as I  found a lump of red mite in a ball of soil! I will try the slurry and a low torch this weekend plus the earth shield and mitex, can't move coop as its fixed, will have a look at the link, many thanks for replys and my pm!

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GrannieAnnie

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Re: Red mites in hair! Help eeewwwwww
« Reply #25 on: June 01, 2012, 09:15 »
If you can keep the birds out of their coop for a few hours, I agree with ehs284, get the fumer.  We had a REALLY bad infestation last year in our big henhouse.  It is 32 foot long, and as I refused to look after the chickens at this time (long story), OH hadn't noticed the mites.  He complained the hens weren't laying well, so I went in there, and Oh My, there were zillions of the mites.  They were falling on my head, all over my trousers and blouse!!    :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy:

So in desperation, I bought some of the biggest fumers, shut the hens out, closed the doors and popholes and cut open feed bags to cover the vents up.  Took ages on such a big house.  Then I set off the fumers.  Left them a couple of hours then went back to inspect.  Most of the mites were at the back of the house as that is where the perches were, the house is made of shiplap at the back, and the dead and dying mites were falling out of the joints in clumps!  I've never seen anything like it.  I still have one left for the smaller house we are using at the moment, just in case.
 Then I swept everything out, poultryshielded again, and made the DE slurry u and painted ever crack and joint I could find.

All looks good at the moment, although we are only using one end of that house for 5 shaver blacks for now.

Shame there is no electric, I also bought a little steam cleaner.  It isn't big enough for the large house, but I did steam clean the removable perches from another coop with it, and the boiling steam killed the motes on the perches.

Munty told me once to fill all the cracks and joints with vaseline, which I also did a few times.  Any mites inside the cracks suffocate as they can't get out, and the others can't get in.

For the ground outside, what about one of those weed wands, like a flame thrower, but the modern ones use the little gas canisters??
« Last Edit: June 01, 2012, 09:19 by GrannieAnnie »



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