Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: alisonwo on October 23, 2009, 12:24

Title: Red mites and diatom
Post by: alisonwo on October 23, 2009, 12:24
Having thought I had got rid of the ruddy things with poultry shield spray 2 weeks ago, have just found one (is there ever only one!) and squished it, have just stripped out the house and sprayed like a maniac everything I could think of.  When its dry will use diatom, but my question is am I supposed to put any on the girls, will the mites be living on them? and if so how.  Have put a dustbath in the garden this week but they are not using it yet so can't put it in there. Help as always very gratefully received.  What a great site this is for advice.
Title: Re: Red mites and diatom
Post by: nzdunn on October 23, 2009, 13:04
the way i do it is hubby and i wait untill the girlies have gone to bed, leave it a for a few hours until they are totally zoned out then hubby carefully picks them out, there seriously none the wiser as obviously they carnt see a thing, we quicker dust them in all the areas and pop them back on the perch, simple as that, we tried catching them but it was stressing them out so we do it this way with no stress to the bird atall.   Everyone has there own way that suits them best.  nickyx
Title: Re: Red mites and diatom
Post by: alisonwo on October 23, 2009, 13:08
Thanks Nicky that's very helpful, will give it a try.
Title: Re: Red mites and diatom
Post by: grumpydad on October 23, 2009, 19:03
if they need it, we dust ours at night, and give any medication at night, easier to catch them when they have gone to bed, they are a lot quieter when it is dark.