Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Ched on September 29, 2009, 19:06

Title: mites
Post by: Ched on September 29, 2009, 19:06

Although I reguarly clean out our chicken house and put louse powder and red mite powder in nest boxes and on chicken perches, my chickens have now developed a tiny, tiny mite.
This is almost too small to the naked eye but manages to land on my arm when I collect eggs, etc. They are black, less than a pin head in size and move slowly about before I crush them - and have a good wash!!
What are they, please and how do I eradicate them?  The hen house is wooden, with a concrete floor and I use shaving on the floor. I used to use straw but this was not satisfactory. Shavings or  horse bedding is wonderful and there is no smell and the dropping dry quickly.
Disinfecting the whole house would be quite an undertaking - but if this is necessary, what is the best product to use?
Help, please!  :(

Title: Re: mites
Post by: grumpydad on September 29, 2009, 21:40

there is a thread on the practical poultry forum, about using smoke pellets to help get rid of mites.
here is a link for the smoke bombs.
http://www.bjffeeds.co.uk/catalog/65/pronafit 
 
not sure how well they work, but it may be worth a go.

martyn

Title: Re: mites
Post by: Roughlee Handled on September 29, 2009, 21:45

Quote from: grumpydad on September 29, 2009, 21:40

there is a thread on the practical poultry forum, about using smoke pellets to help get rid of mites.
here is a link for the smoke bombs.
http://www.bjffeeds.co.uk/catalog/65/pronafit 
 
not sure how well they work, but it may be worth a go.

martyn

Be aware they may not be licensed to be used with chickens.

Firstly check under the perches they will be hiding in the cracks of the wood.

If they are Red Mite then you will need to treet your coop with Jeyes Fluid a good scrub and get it in the cracks then wash out.

Title: Re: mites
Post by: Roughlee Handled on September 29, 2009, 21:48

Red mite look like this. (its a 5pence as scale)
(http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l389/Roughlee_Handled/chicken%20stuff/redspidermite/week%203/IMG_1033.jpg)

They also squash with a blood trail
(http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l389/Roughlee_Handled/chicken%20stuff/redspidermite/week%203/th_MVI_1046.jpg) (http://s329.photobucket.com/albums/l389/Roughlee_Handled/chicken%20stuff/redspidermite/week%203/?action=view&current=MVI_1046.flv)

Title: Re: mites
Post by: Roughlee Handled on September 29, 2009, 21:49

Do a search on here for red mite. It is on of the most posted topics and there is loads of info.