[broodyhen]

HELP!!!!!! I'm at breaking point - seriously this problem has made me become red mite OCD. I have been aware that I have had it for some time and thought I was keeping on top of it ie, spraying the birds, spraying and dusting the coop, Jeyes cleaning the coop, blow torching it and I have even painted it with motor oil this week as a last resort....to NO avail. I am even changing bedding DAILY (newspaper as base and shredded paper in the boxes).

I am now seriously considering getting rid of everything birds included. We lost one last year not sure what to but looking at her she had alot of lice on her. The girls have gone abit quiet and their egg supply has been reduced. I am at the end of my tether and cannot see any solution I feel I have tried everything and its really starting to get to me. Its as if I'm too clean - if that makes sense???

Please someone HELP!!

Thank you

Broodyhen xx

[ehs284]

Do the birds have a favourite dusting place or 'out of the wind' shelter? If so these could be reservoirs. How you deal with them depends on situation, but they live away from birds for a considerable time (Google for lots of info and pictures). I also found that in the coop they were not in the usually described areas such as ends of wood, but were where two pieces of wood were flat side by side. The gap was sufficient for the mites, but not for ingress of treatments. Only solution was dismember. I put new wood in and can use the original later on after they've been cleaned. HTH

[broodyhen]

They do have favourite areas and I'm even dusting them with powder. A friend has given me some Verm X liquid that you put in their water she says that works for her so I'll try that. I feel alive and I suspect they're on us and our dog or its psychological???

Thanks for your help anyhow 

[Tartuffe]

Im having the same problem! my girls live in a large wooden dog run with integral kennel that is their 'bedroom'.  I lost my favorite girl on Friday, and another looked a bit 'crook' on saturday - but has thankfully pulled through.  I have dusted them with red mite powder and put them on straw in a seperate makeshift shelter whilst i have been  pressure washing and spraying with bleach in the chicken house (on another fancier's advice) but here i am 3 days later still checking the house and i can still see the little buggars in the crevices and knots in the wood - I find them on me almost immediately and am running out of ideas on what to do.  i have 'puffed' powder all over the floor and walls of the coop after the bleaching.................................how much longer can i keep the girls out of their home? they are getting very frustrated at being contained.

Mine have the run of the garden during the day normally and have several dust baths that they have made for themselves around the garden, i feel like Im fighting a losing battle and dont want to lose any more of my lovely girls!

[meterman]

Had same prob last year lost a hen to red mite and lost lots of money on products that only reduced numbers of red mite after 8 weeks i got milbernex 1 week later no red mite 14 months later still no red mite(exspensive at £50 for 1ltr) but only used 40mil so will last.

[robinson]

I rang Bowden and Knight to buy milbenex and they recommended a cheaper product which you mixed with water. Sorry cant remember what it was called.  I had to spray the entire coop and did take the floor apart to ensure I had sprayed it really well.  I also sprayed the ground under the coop because I was convinced that some would have dropped underneath and just climb back up the legs of the coop! 

I can empathise with you as I would be sat on the sofa convinced that the little blighters were crawling on me despite having put all my clothes straight in the washing machine, having a shower and washing my hair every time I went near the girls.

However 8 weeks on I still havent spied a red mite in the coop.  I am touching wood, crossing my fingers as I dont want to tempt fate!!

Paula

[broodyhen]

I only have 3 chooks and feel that £50 is rather expensive I already have a garage full of mite chemicals as it is but thanks for the advice! I thought I was going to lose one last night as she looked pale and lethargic but seems bright as a button this morning, in fact she is pacing the run waiting for the coop to dry so she can lay!

After researching rm on the web I have turned to alternative remedies and have put crushed garlic in their drinking water (apparently the little * don't like the odour!) I know it may come through to the eggs but like I said I'm at breaking point 

I am still cleaning out daily and Jeyes (almost neat) cleaning it too - my household bin is now alive with it - these creatures are surely taking over my life!

I'm glad its not just me and I totally sympathise with anyone else going through this - its so saddening to see and I'm putting my investation down to the long warm weather we've had - I've never ever had it this bad. What I'm doing now totally got rid of anything living in the coop last year.

Oh well I'll fight on - for how much longer I don't know?

broodyhen x

[joyfull]

remember that they can live on the ground for weeks 

[broodyhen]

Thanks JF I had heard of that  what about dogs and humans??

[joyfull]

I don't think they can live on us but treat your dogs anyway with frontline or similar just in case.

[broodyhen]

Ok will do - thank you 

[joyfull]

I use the spray for my dogs and also for my chickens (prescribed for my chickens by my vet  ).

[henamoured]

Sorry to hear of all your troubles Bh - hang on in there I'm sure you'll get on top of it eventually.
Mine had both lice and mites a few weeks back brought in I think by two new warrens, one of which had a very pale comb and I'm sure was anaemic. Frontline eradicated both beasties (treated twice, 7 days apart). I washed with Poultry Shield, steam cleaned with a wallpaper stripper and used newspaper only in the coop for a few days. It did the trick and my poorly warrens and other 2 girls are all laying every day now and seem healthy.
Good luck
PS Friend just took his hen to specialist @ £60 for consultation plus cost of meds. Did the same as my non-specialist vet who charged £15 inc meds!

[nicky d]

sorry to hear you are going through all this stress with Red mite,   I bought a new coop for my girls a few months back, its is creosoted (came already done) but oh my it sure would be a haven for them, loads of knooks and crannies in there for them,  i havnt seen any and dont want to either, im like a demon with the poultry shield spraying everywhere until the coop is soaked and spend a fortune on buying it but id rather do that then have to face redmite,   im a right nite mare when something goes wrong and really to be honest dont think i could deal with it, knowing me and its just my personal view on wot im like i would probably just get rid of the coop and buy a new one,   ive just moved my coop as it backs onto a wooden fence, yesterday i spotted loads of little black round beasties, havnt a clue wot they are, i think i read that redmite dont like the light so im sure these are redmite as they are out on the fence but ive just been out armed with the poultry shield cleaning out the girls coop and decided to spray the whole fence aswell with it lol lol, ive only got a bit left now in the bottle cause of that.   Hang on in there though broodyhen, im sure with all your cleaning you will get on top of them, fingers crossed.   nickyx

[broodyhen]

Sorry to hear of all your troubles Bh - hang on in there I'm sure you'll get on top of it eventually.
Mine had both lice and mites a few weeks back brought in I think by two new warrens, one of which had a very pale comb and I'm sure was anaemic. Frontline eradicated both beasties (treated twice, 7 days apart). I washed with Poultry Shield, steam cleaned with a wallpaper stripper and used newspaper only in the coop for a few days. It did the trick and my poorly warrens and other 2 girls are all laying every day now and seem healthy.
Good luck
PS Friend just took his hen to specialist @ £60 for consultation plus cost of meds. Did the same as my non-specialist vet who charged £15 inc meds!

Ooh thanks for the advice not heard of Frontline for chickens is this something new or a product used on other animals??? I might give that a go!!


broodyhen x