[Flyin Chickens]

I have the chance to get a new (2nd hand) coop for my girls but am worried about the coop.
the person who has the coop now has said that she had a red mite problem.
If I get the coop but left it empty until next spring/summer would I still have an issue with the mites?
She is going to give it a full clean and disinfection and I will do the same over the winter.
Thanks

[Aunt Sally]

In my opinion that is the best way to introduce red mite if you've never had it before.

GrannieAnnie won't mind me telling you that it can even come in under the rivet heads on second hand metal feeders and drinkers.

[Flyin Chickens]

That was my thought....I have never had RM and is not something I want to give my two just for the sake of saving £££.

I was hopeing that if the coop was empty for 6 months that and RM would have died in that time.

[Aunt Sally]

Red mite can live for 18 monts or more without a meal

[GrannieAnnie]

We even had it on a brand new ark that we bought to show to people.  It hadn't been taken down where the other coops were.  It was sat on the side patio, when I noticed them running around on the outside of it! 

but the chap who made it and sold it to us did have a mite problem himself, but his house was the other side of the road to his workshop.  So he must have carried them with him when he went to work! 

[hillfooter]

I have the chance to get a new (2nd hand) coop for my girls but am worried about the coop.
the person who has the coop now has said that she had a red mite problem.
If I get the coop but left it empty until next spring/summer would I still have an issue with the mites?
She is going to give it a full clean and disinfection and I will do the same over the winter.
Thanks

Without an effective insecticide treatment cleaning alone isn't going to eliminate them. If this house has any roof felt used they will be living under that, every crack and seam is a potential home and the eggs can stay dormant for a very longtime.

Never just buy on price.  Buying a house is one of the most critical decisions you'll make so it's worth reading about the features you will need and doing some research on designs and ease of cleaning etc. Materials, internal design as well as external design and robustness are all important considerations.

HF