[Truffle]

Hi All, I know that this topic has been covered a few times as I have read them for advice, (which was very informative - Thanks) but I was hoping someone could answer my question.

I have just swept out my coop, jet washed the concrete base and the frame of the run. I sprayed the coop with recommended product and then left to air for 3/4 of an hour, longer than recommended to be sure.

I returned to put the bedding and nest boxes back. I found the red mites had crawled out of the crevaces and were all over the floor of the coop and they were all climbing over the front of the coop too. I have swept them away so I could let the girls back into lay.

Just wanted to know if I have done everything right? Are the mites going to crawl off to die or just escaping? And what do I do next?

[Kenilworth]

Unfortunately once you have them they are very, very, very difficult to get rid of. I understand they can survive in the surrounding area without coming in contact of a hen for months. Merely sweeping them away probably wont do much good .

From keeping hens for a good amount of years and getting advice from very experienced keepers I have concluded that if you have a wooden coop it's not so much a case of IF you get red mite but WHEN. When this happens its not the end of the world

As you no doubt are experiencing eradicating them 100% is very difficult if not impossible. The general need  is to manage the outbreak and try to keep the numbers down. If managed in small numbers the red mite arent a huge danger to most Hens, they are  a part of natures way and one of millions of partnerships that prevail through life they just need to be controlled. Hens and red mite have survived together for millions of years.

The  most effective methods i use is constant cleaning, spraying and if you have the space moving the coop and run because as mentioned they can survive in the surrounding soil. If things get out of hand try a small blow torch, similiar to the ones used in kitchens to very  lightly scorch the coop.

Hope this helps

[Truffle]

Thanks, your advice was very helpful.

Is it just wood that the mites like to live in or in it crevaces in general?

I have looked at eglus but they are very expensive even 2nd hand. We are considering (if it gets too much) building a brick hen house and rendering it, as my hubby is a bricklayer and we can do this for minimal expense. It would also allow us to pressure wash it like you can with the eglus, without the fear of rotting like with wood.

Do you think this would be a good alternative?

[Kenilworth]

Its all the crevaces, cracks, angles and nooks they live in generaly. Doesnt have to be wood in particular. In the wild they would infest the nest of wild birds, this is most likely where your mite came from.

Regarding eglus there are even examples of  mite infecting them, they were getting into the little imperfections of the moulded plastic so even they're not 100% mite proof though obviously  better than wood.

The brick hen house i cant really do much more than take a guess as i have no experience of this. I'm guessing that if they can infest the imperfections of plastic then they would with rendered brickwork as well. The advantage being as you mention, it would be ok to pressure wash. Though even with a pressure wash you would still need to get into every single nook and angle. You would also need to  ensure your not just washing them onto the surrounding soil as they can survive there for months and obviously you cant move a brick hen house. It only takes one or two of the mite to survive to continue the infestation so even this wouldnt guarantee 100% eradication!

Another consideration with brick would be having to control ventilation and temperature, would it get too hot in summer or too cold in winter, wood as a material is very good/easy to control, brick i couldnt really say.

[Truffle]

I think Im just gonna have to see how it goes. Just trying to keep my options open. I like to prepare for the worse and hopefully get better. So fingers crossed XXX

It was just the shock of how many of the little beastlies were over the coop. I had read that you never really get rid of the mites but control them. I suppose I just thought that after a good sweep and spray that they would drop off dead with a few of the little blighters being so well hidden would escape the net and the cycle continues. I just didnt expect a whole army to come trooping out like that.

Thanks alot for your advice, feel a bit better about it all and you have also given me some things to think about,

Cheers

[kimmcb]

I (luckily ) haven't had red mite yet, but it is a real fear. One of the chicken keeping blogs I read suggested painting the coop with creocote - a form of creosote, to kill off any mites and prevent reinfestation. May be worth a thought?

[Abacus]

Steam cleaning is very effective - it destroys the eggs as well as the mites. I use one of those home wallpaper strippers.

Was at a kitchen suppliers the other day and noticed they were selling offcuts of stone work surfaces so my next coop will probably be made of them. Lets see the little devils try and survive in there......