[Madrat]

Would steam cleaning work??

[hillfooter]

Oh my... I feel sooooooo sorry for you...  I had a huge infestation last year, I felt "unclean" for weeks... But if you follow the advice given you will get rid! 
I seriously thought about giving up my girls last June, but thankfully I didn't...  There IS life after red mite!!!   Then if you regularly treat your house and girls and you should be mite free with a lot of luck!!!   
I also changed my girls bedding to Hemcore, red mite like wood and hopefully the Hemcore (plant material) will not house the mite as easily as the dust extracted wood chip that I used to use!   It is all part of the learning curve but red mite is one of the worst lessons we have to learn

Don't know where the idea that RM like wood came from but RM will colonise any crack or crevice where they will be kept moist and warm which is why plastic is good it's completly dry and easy to keep clean and has few hiding places in cracks.  It doesn't harbour RM unless you allow dirt to fill the seams etc they'll then like that just as much as wood.

Hemcore will be equally attractive as wood shavings.

If you use an insecticide which is residual (long lasting) one application will rid your house with very little work and cost for a whole year.  Ficam W or Milbenex are two such insecticides.  google for them.

Repeated cleanings will only reduce an infestation slowly and as soon as you stop they'll be back.  An insecticide need only be applied once. No sweat or risky nasty carcinogenic chemical like that good old fashioned wood preservative which begins with 'c' and is now banned, that is harmful to birds and you when wet.

HF

[leddenton]

Hi Have noticed one of my girls scratching and just found 2 redmite in the coop. I poo pick daily and keep it as clean as possible but am due to go away for 2 weeks so need to treat it today. Please recommend an insecticide and what do I use on my 12 week girls. I had chicjkens before and did not think I had redmite but they both became ill after 3 years and had to be put down.would it have been redmite that killed them? I feel so awful if I lost these 2 now as I have become very attatched.Please advise so I can treat today.Thankyou

[hillfooter]

Hi Have noticed one of my girls scratching and just found 2 redmite in the coop. I poo pick daily and keep it as clean as possible but am due to go away for 2 weeks so need to treat it today. Please recommend an insecticide and what do I use on my 12 week girls. I had chicjkens before and did not think I had redmite but they both became ill after 3 years and had to be put down.would it have been redmite that killed them? I feel so awful if I lost these 2 now as I have become very attatched.Please advise so I can treat today.Thankyou

There's nothing i know that will do the job that you can buy over the counter on Sunday I'm affraid.

You've left it too late.

A very thorough clean using a detergent and disinfectant (or Poultry Shield if you have it) is your only option at such short notice.  This won't sort it but will hold it back until you can treat properly.  If you can paint the perches and nestboxes with a slurry made from water and a dash of washing up liquid and Diatom or Hemexsan (Diatomaceous Earth is the genetic name) which you maybe able to buy at a large specialist farm stores might be available over the counter.  Otherwise 2 drops (or 4 drops for larger mature birds) of cat strength Frontline on the skin at the back of the neck will at least give them some relief but won't touch the infestation in the house.

Order some Ficam W and use when you get back on the house.  Take the safety precautions advised when applying a spray.

HF

[Madrat]

   All this talk of red mite, I went out last night with the torch and some tissue, wiping every surface I could find.  I found 3 mites on 1 perch  :blink:  Have ordered some DE and 5lt of smite.  Will also get some insecticide.

[hillfooter]

Would steam cleaning work??

Any cleaning process will work and a professional steam cleaning will be effective against any mite or its eggs which are EXPOSED to the steam or the detergent.  The operative word here is EXPOSED.  Problem is they hide away in crevices under roof felt ing in seams where only VERY thorough cleaning processes will reach and once dry there's NO RESIDUAL effect so the house will be open to reinfestation which is why cleaning alone has to be done repeatedly to zap an infestation.  

An insecticide has a residual effect and as long as it's not washed out it will continue to be effective.  However reapply each spring after a thorough clean.

HF

[Madrat]

So if I were to steam clean the coop and then apply and insecticide, would that be a good plan?

[hillfooter]

Would steam cleaning work??

Yes.
HF