[VeggieVirgin]

Just had my first red mite infestation.

I've removed all the bedding, sprayed the entire coop with Total Mite Kill liquid (the pink stuff) and Red Mite Killer Spray, sprinkled diatom power everywhere, and dusted the chickens themselves.

There were lots of dead mites in the coop this morning - hurray.

But does the diatom actually work, and how often do you need to apply it (to the chickens and to the coop)? I've used it in the past in the coop as a preventative treatment (though it didn't prevent the current outbreak).

[joyfull]

Diatom does work but you will have to keep cleaning out and reapplying it especially into all the nooks and crannies, joints etc to make sure you get all of them. It can take weeks. I know Hillfooter makes a paste up with his and paints it on. He uses Vanodine disinfectant (brilliant stuff - Grannie Annie got me into using it a year or so ago), washing up liquid and diatom powder.

[VeggieVirgin]

keep cleaning out and reapplying it especially into all the nooks and crannies, joints etc to make sure you get all of them

Thanks for reply.

I can't help thinking tongue and groove is not the best material for chicken coops to be made of ... 

[8doubles]

keep cleaning out and reapplying it especially into all the nooks and crannies, joints etc to make sure you get all of them

Thanks for reply.

I can't help thinking tongue and groove is not the best material for chicken coops to be made of ... 

I think T&G was fine.................till they banned cresote.

[VeggieVirgin]

I think T&G was fine.................till they banned cresote.

Yeah - good point.

We did the outside of the coop today with wood preservative (Cuprinol type stuff) - I can't imagine that can be beneficial to the health of mites, but we were intending to do it anyway because we get such a lot of weather here.

I found more dead mites in the coop today and only about half a dozen live ones - have sprayed more killer spray about the place, and dusted the hens' dust bath area with diatom powder.