[Bonniebean]

 :happy: I have read on some blogs and sites that creosote is a good way to repel red mite in the coop. Does anyone do this to good effect ? I know that creosote can smell very strong and I am not particularly keen on it!

[Vember]

If you have red mite then the best stuff to get is Milbenex.

If you haven't got red mite then good husbandry and a squirt of poultry shield once a month is all I do

Actual creosote is no longer available as it is banned for use by general public.

Hope that helps


Sarah

[Foxy]

I just want to make a point about Milbenex, it is a very strong insecticide and mainly used by commercial units.
First line treatment for redmite should be products like Poultry Shield, Diatom (DE powder you can also make a "slurry" out of this) combined with other products like Durimitex plus and FiCAM W which are all effective products
For only a few hens this above used before an infestation should suffice as well as first sight of the critters

[Bonniebean]

Thanks Vember and Foxy, I have yet to paint my house and was going to use a good paint/ stain like Cuprinol, but after reading about creosote I thought I should check. Sue

[hillfooter]

I just want to make a point about Milbenex, it is a very strong insecticide and mainly used by commercial units.
First line treatment for redmite should be products like Poultry Shield, Diatom (DE powder you can also make a "slurry" out of this) combined with other products like Durimitex plus and FiCAM W which are all effective products
For only a few hens this above used before an infestation should suffice as well as first sight of the critters

Naughty Foxy FICAM W is professional use only.  Auntie gave me a spanking for mentioning this a few months back however if you do find yourself somehow in possession of this insecticide I can vouch it works very effectively in home poultry flocks.

Problem is insects breed resistance to insecticides with use over time and Ficam has been used extensively in commercial flocks whereas Milbenex is a relatively new insecticide which is still widely effective and to which insects haven't yet developed much resistance.  With all insecticides pay attention to the safety advice and use masks and gauntlets as advised.

Regards

[Foxy]

I just want to make a point about Milbenex, it is a very strong insecticide and mainly used by commercial units.
First line treatment for redmite should be products like Poultry Shield, Diatom (DE powder you can also make a "slurry" out of this) combined with other products like Durimitex plus and FiCAM W which are all effective products
For only a few hens this above used before an infestation should suffice as well as first sight of the critters

Naughty Foxy FICAM W is professional use only.  Auntie gave me a spanking for mentioning this a few months back however if you do find yourself somehow in possession of this insecticide I can vouch it works very effectively in home poultry flocks.

Problem is insects breed resistance to insecticides with use over time and Ficam has been used extensively in commercial flocks whereas Milbenex is a relatively new insecticide which is still widely effective and to which insects haven't yet developed much resistance.  With all insecticides pay attention to the safety advice and use masks and gauntlets as advised.

Regards

whoopsie!
The resistance issue is a real problem amongst farmers, a lot now have redmite resistance to Ficam. I think manufacturers are a bit concerned that widespread inappropiate use of newer insecticides will mean that the mites will develop resistance that much quicker. There is an interesting new product which is basically a diatom slurry with some else added that has had some promising results, if I could remember what is was!

[hillfooter]

Well Foxy I use Diatom with a disinfectant Vanodine V18 and paint all the perches and other RM likely harbourages. Though I use the Vanodine not to kill the RM but to sanitise the perches.  I adopted this idea from an organic farmer I read about in Farmers Weekly.  I don't think he used anything other than water though he actually sprayed it on.  I don't think just Diatom alone gets rid of an infestation though once clear it seems to discourage them getting a new foothold.  I still use an insecticide as a longterm residual RM killer.

If you know of an insecticide you can mix with the diatom that would be interesting.

Regards

[Bonniebean]

Thanks for all the useful information, I shall aim to put a slurry through the house before the hens arrive. I suppose the insecticides lose their effectiveness in much the same way as flea treatments for cats and dogs. I am taking on board all the comments and advice offered, these forums are great and giving me so much help before I start! Sue

[GrannieAnnie]

Someone on here mentioned using diatom as a slurry to paint on the ends of perches and in cracks in the wood, but then I read in Poultry World that a farmer also uses diatoms as a slurry and paints the whole chicken houses in it!  He said that although it is static and sticks to the wood for a while, when he started to spray the slurry around, the diatom actually sticks to the wooden houses for longer.

He said the inside of the houses don't look very pretty, being a dirty grey colour, but it works.

also I think with mites getting resistant to certain treatments.  We should swap over sometimes, so they don't get immune to any one treatment

[crh75]

What would you paint the inside with then?
A wood preserver intended for fences and sheds or would a varnish be better?

[Yorkie]

If you can get hold of some real creosote, and it is possible, remember it is evil stuff, but very effective.

Rubellite, this has been discussed at length before in the Hen House.

It is illegal for an amateur to use cresote at all.  Professionals can only use it to re-treat previously treated wood.

It has many carcinogenic properties and was banned for a good reason.  Please do not continue to advocate its use as we cannot condone an illegal practice.

[pink-chicken]

Hi Bonniebean  we recently had an attack of red mite  I rang the supplier of Milbenex (Bowden and Knights) and was told that for a first attempt at getting rid of mites Milbenex is too strong and only used as a last resort. They advised Ficam W either sprayed with a sprayer that's not too 'fine' or painted on with a paintbrush. If the spray is too fine it goes all over the place which is something you need to avoid so I opted for the paintbrush method. They are happy to sell to us small chicken keepers and couldn't have been more helpful. My sachets arrived the following day! You get 2 sachets for approx £10, one to be used initially, the other a fortnight later. They are mixed with water when due to apply. Like all of these products you just have to use them with care, on a good drying day. I was advised to wear a mask as well as gloves but to be honest it wasn't too strong smelling. Just a little caution and common sense re not breathing in when spraying or painting and all is fine. Touch wood I've not seen the red mite since and I'm due to do the second application but just waiting for a dry day! The hens are fine to go back in their coop after it's dried out. When all is done I'll be using Diatom powder as a second line of defense and this can be used on the hens too.

Jan.x

[Bonniebean]

Thanks Jan, that is really useful info and I will send off for some. I have Diatom and Poultry Sheild already as I have been trying to spread out my set up costs over a few weeks, and as I get more information I am adding to my stock cupboard.

Off to reserve my hens on Sunday - I'm so excited! Sue

[Sassy]

.

What would you paint the inside with then?
A wood preserver intended for fences and sheds or would a varnish be better?

Re creosote - my understanding is that it would be toxic to the birds anyway unless weathered for sometime before use. I always use a wood preservative that is bat friendly to prevent inadvertently poisoning my birds.

I wouldn't use varnish on a hen coop. At some point it would start to peel and I cannot imagine this would be good for the chooks. It would also be a nightmare to maintain anyway.

[hillfooter]

What would you paint the inside with then?
A wood preserver intended for fences and sheds or would a varnish be better?

You don't need to paint the inside of the house at all.  A good coat of wood preserving waterbased paint ion the outside such as the pet safe Cuprinol presevative is fine and quick and easy to apply.